At its site in Antwerp, Covestro has inaugurated an innovative plant for polycarbonate copolymers, which is made possible by a unique, solvent-free melting process and a novel reactor concept. This technology enables the production of polycarbonates with customisable properties.

Covestro's production plant for polycarbonate copolymers in Antwerp was put into operation. Source: Covestro

Plastics manufacturer Covestro has completed its first plant for polycarbonate copolymers at its Antwerp site in Belgium, which can produce these materials on an industrial scale. The new platform technology is based on a solvent-free melting process combined with an innovative reactor concept. This makes polycarbonates with adjustable properties accessible, which have been developed and tested on a laboratory and pilot scale in recent years. The investment is in the mid double-digit million euro range.

In addition to the reduced complexity of the new production process, the connection to the existing infrastructure in Antwerp with four production lines for polycarbonate also has an advantageous effect, as it combines the global scale of production with the flexibility of an independent unit. “With the new plant, we can now produce new polymer materials on an industrial scale and bring them to market much faster than before,” says Sucheta Govil, Chief Sales and Marketing Officer at Covestro. “Compared to pure polycarbonates, copolymers open up new opportunities for us to integrate additional functionalities and properties into our materials,” adds Lily Wang, Global Head of the Engineering Plastics business unit.