DRT to proceed with construction of new plant

Dax, France – Plant chemistry company DRT is to proceed with plans – initially announced in September 2019 – to invest in a large-scale plant to manufacture highly hydrogenated rosin and resin derivatives, the company has announced.

Following a delay due to Covid-19 pandemic, the project is back on track with the facility expected to be completed during the third quarter of 2022, said a 21 April statement from the Firmenich Group subsidiary.

Located in Vielle Saint-Girons, France, the project also includes a hydrogenation pilot plant that has already been commissioned and is now fully operational. 

The new plant capacity, it said, “will place DRT in a strategic position to address the anticipated growth in demand [for sustainable materials] in key industry segments. It will also further strengthen the Company’s global supply capabilities.”

The production unit will “supply products with the highest degree of hydrogenation available on the market,” the company also claimed.

This investment, it added, “will uniquely position DRT as a global supplier of hydrogenated rosin and resin derivatives, with dual production capabilities in Europe and the US.” 

DRT’s portfolio includes rosin derivatives, hydrogenated resins, terpene phenolic and polyterpene resins, which can improve the fuel-consumption, wear and grip properties of tire compounds.

With annual sales of around €550 million and 1,500 employees worldwide, DRT is an established supplier to the international perfumery and industrial sectors.