Possible replacement materials for nylon 12 resin are featured in this week's Material Insights video. Nylon 12 replacements are needed since supplies of that material are expected to be short after an accident at a plant making a key feedstock in Germany. Nylon 12 maker Arkema is offering its own nylon 10/10 and 10/12 resins as possible replacements. Materials firms DuPont and Radici also have alternate nylon grades available, according to officials with those firms. The selection of a site for Dow Chemical Co.’s new ethylene cracker also is featured in this week's video. The new cracker will be in Freeport, Texas, which already is the site of Dow's largest integrated manufacturing site. The new cracker will open in 2017 and will have 3.3 billion pound of annual capacity for ethylene, which is a key plastics feedstock. This week’s video wraps up with news that materials firm Kraiburg TPE plans to double the size of its thermoplastic elastomer plant in Malaysia. The expansion will add about eight million pounds of annual capacity and will allow Kraiburg to meet rising demand from China and India.
An explosion at La. olefins plant leaves 2 dead, 76 injured
June 17, 2013 1:17 pm ET
