US speciality chemicals producer Milliken (Spartanburg, South Carolina; www.millikenchemical.com) is expanding the manufacturing capacity at the Bad Bentheim plant of Zebra-Chem, a German peroxide and blowing agent masterbatch maker it acquired in March last year (see Plasteurope.com of 04.03.2021).

The capacity is expected to be raised by 60% by the end of 2022 following installation of new manufacturing equipment. The company also plans to build a new warehouse nearby and hire more employees.

Milliken said the viscosity and performance modifiers made at the Bad Bentheim facility increase melt flow of recycled PP resins with little to no loss of physical properties, enabling more recycled content to be used by the converters and brand owners without compromising overall performance.

The plant also produces solid concentrates that serve as chemical blowing agents for the production of foamed thermoplastics suitable for use in PVC, polyethylene, polypropylene, and polystyrene. They can be used by converters in both extrusion and injection moulding foam processing methods.