On the occasion of the 50th anniversary of its UK subsidiary, distributor and compounder Albis Plastic (Hamburg / Germany; www.albis.com) announced “further significant investments” for 2016, including in the infrastructure of its plant in Knutsford, Cheshire / UK, material handling as well as automation and bulk handling. Speaking to Plasteurope.com, a company spokesman said the investment will also go towards enhancing energy management at Albis (UK). Financial details were not disclosed.

Albis (UK) was founded in 1966 as a distribution company in Wembley. The company moved to its existing location in Knutsford in 1974, the same year in which it set up a factory processing PP from Shell’s nearby plant in Carrington. The site was Albis Plastic’s first production plant outside of Germany, and formed what the company says were the beginnings of its compounds business. A number of leading industry players are clients of the UK subsidiary, including Covestro, Lanxess, LyondellBasell, Eastman, BASF, Ampacet, Alphagary and MBA Polymers. Albis (UK) is licensed to produce a number of products, including Covestro’s “Makrolon” and Lanxess’ “Durethan”.

Today the manufacturing and distribution hub operates six compounding lines, with nameplate capacity of more than 20,000 t/y. The site’s storage space exceeds 4,000 t. The 9,300 m² plant employs 120 workers and has an annual turnover of more than GBP 65m (EUR 85m). It caters to more than 850 customers across the UK and Ireland.

Albis Plastic as a whole employs more than 1,000 workers and operates 19 subsidiaries. The company has four global compounding sites – aside from Knutsford, they are located in Hamburg and Zülpich / Germany as well as in Changshu / China. Total group sales came to EUR 876m in 2014.