DYNEEMA INCREASES CAPACITY
[BIZ: Heerlen, December 19] The investment will be substantial, amounting to several tens of millions of US dollars, and will bring the total number of fiber lines for the company to nine, with four production lines being located at the Greenville facility. Expansion of DyneemaŽ fiber capacity follows the continued strong demand in all application areas, such as heavy marine mooring ropes, sports applications, and cut resistant garments. Due to the continuing strong demand for personal security and protection against terrorism, production in Greenville until today has had a strong focus on supplying the US army and law enforcement agencies. By adding extra multi-functional capacity to its highly integrated Greenville site, DSM remains capable of meeting growing demand from all segments in which the company is active. The new line is expected to come on stream mid 2007. Construction is planned to start in January 2006. The markets for DyneemaŽ continue to show growing demand. BP Shipping, for example - a long-time satisfied user of mooring ropes with DyneemaŽ - have been using DyneemaŽ based ropes on a North Sea shuttle tanker since 1997. In these most extreme conditions the ropes have shown minimal loss of strength. BP Shipping therefore recently also selected DyneemaŽ based mooring ropes on their newly built LNG carriers. DyneemaŽ is a super strong polyethylene fiber that offers maximum strength combined with minimum weight. It is up to 15 times stronger than quality steel and up to 40% stronger than aramid fibers, both on weight for weight basis. DyneemaŽ floats on water and is extremely durable and resistant to moisture, UV light and chemicals. Its applications are therefore more or less unlimited. DyneemaŽ is an important component in ropes, cables and nets in the fishing, shipping and offshore industries. DyneemaŽ is also used in safety gloves for the metalworking industry and in fine yarns for applications in sporting goods and the medical sector. In addition, DyneemaŽ is also used in bullet resistant armor and clothing for police and military personnel. DyneemaŽ is produced in Heerlen (the Netherlands) and in Greenville, North Carolina (USA). DSM Dyneema is also a partner in a HPPE manufacturing joint venture with Toyobo (Japan). Further information on DSM Dyneema is available at the web site.
DSM, the largest manufacturer of high performance polyethylene (HPPE) fiber in the world, has announced a decision to make another investment in a new production line for DyneemaŽ fiber in Greenville, North Carolina (USA). It is the third announcement this year of new DyneemaŽ fiber production lines at DSMs Greenville site, following earlier decisions to build two additional fiber lines and one DyneemaŽ UD (UniDirectional bullet resistant sheet) line.
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