Invista to build PA-6,6 unit in Shanghai

Wichita, Kansas - Invista is to build a new plant to produce polyamide 6,6 yarns in the Shanghai area of the People's Republic of China. The new plant, with annual capacity of 11 kilotons, is expected to commence construction later this year.

Invista - previously the ICI Nylon business - said the new facility, "will manufacture state-of-the-art, super high tenacity nylon 6,6 yarns for use in differentiated industrial textile applications, with major focus in the automotive airbag industry." PA-6,6 yarns are also used in tyre reinforcement in some countries. The company did not say if it expects to sell into this area, but it recently sold its polyester tyre yarn business to Koch.

This investment, the first of its kind by a global supplier of PA 6,6 fibres, will make INVISTA the only company to have such capability in Europe, North America and Asia.

Daniel Stone, vice president Performance Fibers Nylon at Invista, stated, "We are very excited about this investment which signals our commitment to global leadership in the performance fibers area. Our ability to supply global automotive manufacturers with essentially identical products in each region of the globe will help them localize their own supply chains more efficiently. We will be making a full range of materials for airbags in this plant, including our most modern high tenacity low decitex per filament family of products."

The new manufacturing plant will use the same technology base as plants in Gloucester, U.K. and Kingston, Canada, giving Invista the capability of producing the same types of advanced technical yarn in each major region of the world meeting the needs of global platforms, as well as specialised products tailored to local needs.

The announcement follows expansions at Invista's Kingston facility of 5.5 kilotons in April this year, and at its Gloucester site of 3.2 kilotons in January 2005.

Commercial production of the plant is scheduled for the first quarter of 2008. Shanghai was chosen because of its proximity to major automotive supply chains and possible synergies with other Invista facilities in the area

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Press release from Invista