UK composites producer Scott Bader (Wollaston, Northamptonshire; www.scottbader.com) has expanded capacity at its plant in Amiens / France. A new mixer has been installed and is fully operational to produce gelcoats, polyester resins and adhesives in the "Crystic" and "Crestapol" ranges. The company says the EUR 1.2m investment has expanded capacity by around 50%.

Global Adhesives director Jonathan Stowell notes the company is meeting rising demand in France and the surrounding region with this measure. For the expansion, Scott Bader purchased additional land and commenced the construction of new buildings in 2016.

In separate news, the company is further investing in its joint venture NovaScott Especialidades (Serra / Brazil; www.novascott.com.br), which produces gelcoats and composites, to double the capacity at NovaScott's plant in Vitória / Brazil. Current and new products that the jv currently manufactures in Europe will be manufactured in Brazil for the domestic market. NovaScott plans to release a new product portfolio in 2018, based on Scott Bader's Crystic, Crestapol, "Crestabond" and "Crestomer" brands.

NovaScott was set up in November 2013 together with Colombian chemicals company Andercol (Medellín; www.andercol.com), which is part of the Orbis group (Medellín; www.grupo-orbis.com). Andercol has production plants in Colombia, Brazil, Venezuela, Mexico and Ecuador.