DuPont Dow Elastomers LLC launched production of ethylene butene copolymers at its Plaquemine plant in July.
The new materials eventually could be made at DuPont Dow sites in Freeport, Texas, and Tarragona, Spain, as well, according to business development specialist Deepak Parikh.
The Wilmington, Del.-based firm - a joint venture between chemical giants DuPont Co. of Wilmington and Dow Chemical Co. Of Midland, Mich. - also added a new ethylene octene copolymer grade to its product mix this year.
The Plaquemine site in May finished a massive expansion that added 300 million pounds of capacity for the firm's Engage-brand polyolefin elastomers. The site now has total annual capacity of 500 million pounds.
The metallocene catalyst used to make the specialty products allowed the expanded plant to produce prime-grade material within 24 hours after starting, Parikh said.
