Celanese (Dallas, Texas / USA; www.celanese.com) is planning to expand production of "Pibiflex" and "Riteflex" thermoplastic copolyesters (TPCs) at its Donegani facility in Ferrara / Italy. The company said it recently added a solid-state polymerisation unit at the Donegani plant, which started up in September 2018, and it is intending to expand the capacity of the unit by adding another polymerisation line. This newest addition is expected to be completed in the next 15 to 18 months.

Celanese acquired the Pibiflex brand in 2016 through its takeover of Italian compounder SO.F.TER. – see Plasteurope.com of 19.10.2016. Riteflex is an old brand of the former Ticona, or rather Hoechst.

TPCs are copolyester-based thermoplastic elastomers (TPEs) that have characteristics of vulcanised rubbers. They are suited for engineering applications and can be processed like thermoplastics.