Dúrex plans Poland auto-parts facility

By Richard Higgs, Plastics News

Salamanca, Spain -- Plásticos Dúrex SA has launched a €4 million project to build a new plant for injection and blow moulding in Legnica, Poland, to supply car parts to multinational customers.

The Salamanca-based company, which specialises in plastic and rubber vehicle parts in the shock absorber, suspension and chassis areas, plans to operate the Polish facility's first plastics moulding unit with a 10-strong workforce in the second quarter of 2007.

Dúrex was responding to demand for products from its existing customer base with increasing globalisation leading major clients into eastern Europe.

In what is the first phase of a three-stage expansion scheme, its subsidiary Plásticos Dúrex Polska will run a single production facility with moulding machinery, including five new injection presses, turning out up to 15 products, according to project manager César Bustos.

A second phase, to cost €1 million, will take the project through to 2012 and will see new research and development work and the introduction of additional products with a second facility at the 4.2-acre (1.7 ha) site in the Krzywa area of the Legnica Special Economic Zone.

In the final phase, Dúrex is considering building a third production area in Legnica as its customer base, concentrated initially in Germany, grows.

Bustos expected Plasticos Durex Polska's workforce to reach 25 within three years, depending on how business developed.

Dúrex has a single plant in Salamanca operating a range of injection, blow and extrusion blow moulding lines and runs around 30 injection presses.

The company recorded annual sales of €7.7 million last year.