PARSIPPANY, NJ – Evonik Corp. announced the company will begin preparations for reopening its specialty polyesters production plant located in Mobile, AL. The revitalization of the plant is scheduled to be completed in 2018 and will have an annual production capacity of several thousand metric tons. The investment will create new jobs in Mobile, where the group currently has more than 800 employees. Specialty polyesters are focused in the reactive hot melt adhesive market and in the pre-coated metal market as a binder for paints, coil coatings and increasingly in food can coatings.
Demand in the specialty polyester market is driven by the trend towards bisphenol A-free can coating resins. Specialty polyesters are also highly desired in the automotive market, supporting the increased use of adhesives for mixed material bonding and lightweight fuel-efficient designs.