With investments worth USD 80m, speciality chemicals producer Lubrizol (Wickliffe, Ohio / USA; www.lubrizol.com) is set to globally expand its thermoplastic polyurethanes (TPU) production in the next two years. In North America, the company is planning to add state-of-the-art plant technology, more raw material storage and warehouse space and improved logistics, with the new capacity expected to come on stream later in 2018. At the beginning of February 2018, a new compounding line was put into operation in Songjiang / China. This is the fourth major expansion of the plant since it was established in the early 2000s. In 2019, Lubrizol is planning further expansions in Asia.

The company is currently expanding its capacity for elastomers, aliphatics and adhesives in Europe too. Building on its takeover of Spanish TPU producer Merquinsa in 2011 – see Plasteurope.com of 09.11.2011 – and improvements to R&D laboratories in 2016, another significant European expansion is planned for 2019.