Covestro has announced that it has invested a “low triple-digit” million Euro amount to expand its Herbon, Ohio, USA, facility. This move will help the company construct new production lines and infrastructure to expand its capacity to produce customised polycarbonate compounds and blends. Additionally, Covestro will expand its Solutions & Specialties business for the American market.
Covestro
Covestro site in Hebron, Ohio.
“This investment in our U.S. compounding plant is an important component of our 'Sustainable Growth' strategy. With this expansion, we can meet our customers' growing demand for specialised polycarbonate materials, grow together with our customers, and strengthen our position as a leading provider of polycarbonate materials in North America,” said Thorsten Dreier, CTO at Covestro. “The move also aligns with our strategy to produce in the region for the region, to manufacture close to our customers and ensure reliable supply.”
Through this expansion, the company will be able to meet the growing demand for high-quality materials required by the automotive, electronics, and healthcare sectors within North America. Covestro has an established R&D centre in Pittsburgh, which will now work with the expanded facility in Ohio to improve technology transfer from the lab to production.
“To be successful in these markets, you need the right portfolio, consistent quality, and supply reliability, as well as solution-oriented technical expertise,” added Lily Wang, Head of the Engineering Plastics Business Entity. “The expanded production capacity for differentiated polycarbonates enables us to better serve our customers' complex needs for high-quality, high-tech materials with individualised properties.”
Samir Hifri, Chairman and President of Covestro LLC concluded, “This investment, which follows our recent announcement of a 40 million Dollar investment in our R&D capabilities in Pittsburgh, underscores how critical our U.S. sites and the U.S. market are to Covestro's global strategy. The expanded capacity of our polycarbonate compounding capabilities in Ohio will both help us better supply our customers as well as represents a commitment to our employees, the Hebron, Ohio community, and the U.S. market as a whole.”
Construction of the new production lines will begin in 2025, with the new facilities expected to be fully operational by the end of 2026.