Polymer solutions specialist Rehau (Rehau / Germany; www.rehau.com) recently announced that a “multi-million-dollar expansion” is in the works at its Cullman, Alabama / USA plant, which produces automotive painted exterior components, cross-linked polyethylene (PEXa) piping for plumbing and radiant heating systems, and gaskets for household appliances. The expansion announcement comes as Rehau celebrates 25 years of production operations at the US plant in Cullman.

The expansion project requires a total investment of USD 50m (EUR 42.2m) for new production equipment and tooling, and is expected to create 125 new jobs. The plan was prompted by a contract win to build polymer-based exterior automotive components for Mercedes-Benz sport utility vehicle (SUV) models produced at the carmaker’s Tuscaloosa, Alabama, car production facility. Earlier this year, Rehau announced that within the group, the automotive business and industrial and construction activities are to operate as independent companies (see Plasteurope.com of 25.06.2021).

The plant began operations in 1996 as an 18,580 m² facility with 30 employees producing bumpers for Mercedes-Benz, expanding several times since then to its current 92,903 m² size with nearly 800 employees.