THEODORE, ALA. — Ultraform Co. said Nov. 22 it has started a two-stage expansion that will more than double its production capacity for acetal resins. Ultraform, a joint venture of BASF Corp. of Mount Olive, N.J., and Degussa Corp. of Ridgefield Park, N.J., began constructing a production unit during the third quarter of this year at its headquarters in Theodore.
That unit will be in production by early 1998, the company said. Initially, it will produce 24 million pounds of acetal a year.
The project's second stage will add another 24 million pounds of capacity by 2000, the firm said.
Ultraform now makes 48 million pounds of acetal a year at Theodore. The expansions will cost about $70 million.
BASF Plastic Materials, which markets the resins under the Ultraform name, said in a news release the new capacity is targeted at markets in North America and in Southeast Asia, where demand is increasing significantly.