Compounder Dyerich moves, will add line
PATERSON, N.J. - Compounder Dyerich Chemical Corp. moved into a larger location in Paterson in late December and plans to add its third extrusion line by mid-2005.
The new, 80,000-square-foot building is about two miles from Dyerich's original, 15,000-square-foot site in Paterson, Vice President Richmond Eshagoff said. Dyerich bought the building for an undisclosed price, and will use about 30,000 square feet for its operations and lease out the rest.
``The old place kept us from growing,'' Eshagoff said. ``It was hard to access and manage inventory. Now, it feels like we've got a palace.''
The move has allowed Dyerich to add two employees, bringing its total to eight. The new twin-screw machine, set to be installed later this year, will increase the firm's annual capacity to between 5 million and 6 million pounds.
Dyerich makes color compounds and concentrates based on a variety of commodity and engineering resins. In 2001, the firm began to change its focus away from the textiles market - which was pressured by import competition - over to compounds, which now make up a majority of sales, Eshagoff said.
Eshagoff added that Dyerich has found ``a good niche'' in making compounds and concentrates with pearlescent finishes. Dyerich generates most of its sales in the Northeast, but also does some business on the West Coast and has some export sales in Latin America.
Dyerich posted sales of almost $1 million in 2004, representing growth of 50 percent vs. the previous year.
Netstal-Maschinen reports strong year
NÄFELS, SWITZERLAND - Swiss injection press maker Netstal-Maschinen AG reported solid gains in orders, sales and profit in fiscal 2004, ended Sept. 30.
Näfels-based Netstal posted sales of 356.3 million Swiss francs ($280 million), a 10.7 percent increase from fiscal 2003. The firm reported profit of 24 million francs ($19 million), a 34.8 percent jump from 2003. Company officials attributed the big profit gain to higher sales and changes in Netstal's product mix.
Netstal said it received orders totaling 357.8 million francs ($281 million), a 10.5 percent increase over fiscal 2003. Netstal exports 93 percent of its production, including 66 percent to other European countries.
The company spent 5.2 percent of sales on research and development in 2004.
Netstal is part of Mannesmann Plastics Machinery GmbH of Munich, Germany.
Solvay seeking site to open new facility
ALPHARETTA, GA. - Solvay Advanced Polymers LLC plans to triple its output of high-performance polyethersulfone via a $50 million expansion.
The Alpharetta-based company expects to pick a location for a new plant by March, and the facility will be commissioned next year, said a spokesman for the firm's parent, Solvay SA of Brussels, Belgium.
Solvay Advanced Polymers already manufactures a range of sulfone polymers in Marietta, Ohio, including polyphenylsulfone and polyethersulfone, under the Radel brand name. Sulfones, which are characterized by their chemical and heat resistance, toughness and transparency, are used in aerospace, automotive, electronic and consumer-goods applications.
Sun Valley expands Tenn. recycling plant
DELRAY BEACH, FLA. - Recycler Sun Valley Worldwide Inc. has expanded its facility in Morristown, Tenn., adding warehouse space and investing $500,000 in new equipment to boost production capacity to 100 million pounds.
The Delray Beach company added two film recycling lines, giving it five, and added two grinding lines, said President Danny Schrager. The company added 50,000 square feet of warehouse space, giving it 105,000 square feet in Morristown. The facility recycles a mix of plastic products, from grocery bags to carpets to pallets and bottles.
The company opened the plant in February 2004 and said it probably will max out production in early 2006. Sun Valley plans to add another facility early next year, and eventually plans to have three full-scale recycling plants, Schrager said. The firm also has a grinding plant in Delray Beach.
Sun Valley reported $23 million in 2004 plastics-related sales. The firm has invested nearly $1 million in the Tennessee plant.
PolyOne turns profit, reports rise in sales
AVON LAKE, OHIO - Compounding market leader PolyOne Corp. reported strong full-year results Feb. 3, moving to a profit from a loss.
The Avon Lake firm - which holds a 12 percent share of the North American compounding field - showed a profit of almost $24 million in 2004 after losing more than $250 million the previous year. PolyOne's sales also rose 10 percent to almost $2.2 billion.
Officials credited, in part, ``the significantly improved business climate for North American plastics,'' especially for PVC compounds in the wire and cable market, as well as a significant outdoor decking application that boosted color additives sales.
PolyOne's PVC compound sales jumped 12 percent in 2004 as volume in pounds grew 9 percent. In color compounds and concentrates, sales were up 7 percent for the year, while volume skyrocketed 20 percent. Distribution sales climbed 15 percent, although volume was up only 9 percent, resulting from the closing of a Mexican business.
Performance plastics - including PVC and color - brought in about 80 percent of PolyOne's 2004 sales, with the rest coming from distribution.
Lexon, TDL Plastics to merge operations
CORPUS CHRISTI, TEXAS - Lexon Polymers LLC of Houston is merging with TDL Plastics to create a resin distribution firm with almost $1 million in annual sales.
The combined company will retain the TDL name and will be based at TDL's original office in Corpus Christi.
``Being a larger company will makes us more attractive to prime resin suppliers,'' Lexon owner Lon Coronado said. ``We want to grow in that area.''
Both firms do about 75 percent of their business in wide-spec resins. Lexon's focus has been on ABS, polycarbonate and polybutylene terephthalate, while TDL mainly distributes PBT and thermoplastic olefins. Both firms dabble in commodity resins such as polyethylene and polystyrene.
The combined firm is looking to add prime suppliers of ABS, PC, PBT, TPO and nylon. Moving forward, Coronado said the new firm wants to reduce its reliance on wide-spec material, as ``50-50 would be the ideal mix between prime and wide-spec.''
Coronado and TDL owner Cody Bates met as sales representatives with resin and sheet distributor Cal-Sak Corp. of Los Angeles. Bates founded TDL in 2001, while Coronado launched Lexon in 2004. Both firms operated out of public warehousing locations and have continued to do since the merger, which took effect Feb. 1.
In 2004, Lexon posted sales of $200,000, while TDL's sales were in the range of $500,000-600,000. The combined firm expects to post initial annual sales of around $1.5 million and will employ 12-15.