Elastomer specialist Elastron (Kocaeli / Turkey; www.elastron.com) has selected Gainesville, Georgia, as the site of its future North American headquarters. The Turkish company announced the construction of its first production facility on the other side of the Atlantic in October 2017 at the "Fakuma" trade fair – see Plasteurope.com of 25.10.2017.

In the third quarter of 2018, the Gainesville site will begin commercial production of thermoplastic elastomers, such as TPV, TPO, SBS and SEBS. Initial investment costs for the nearly 2,800 m² plant are USD 10m (EUR 8.4m). Within the first two to three years, Elastron USA is expected to create 20 to 25 jobs. In the medium term, a workforce of 60 to 80 employees is planned. The new facility will enable the company to supply its North American customers with locally manufactured products, as well as its European and Chinese customers that have operations in North America.

Elastron has been producing TPE for over 35 years and exports to more than 55 countries. The company has been supplying the North American market since 2012. It has customers from sectors including automotive, construction, medical and E&E sectors.