Swiss chemical giant Clariant International Ltd. has joined forces with Lummus Novolen Technology GmbH to build a polypropylene catalyst production line.
The companies are together investing 65 million Swiss francs ($70 million) on the line, which will be built at Clariant's catalyst production hub in Louisville, Ky. It is expected to come on stream in 2015.
"The strategic partnership with Lummus Novolen is a significant milestone for the catalyst business," Clariant CEO Hariolf Kottmann said in a statement. "It strengthens our competitive position in a market with future perspectives and strong growth rates."
According to Clariant, the PP Ziegler-Natta catalyst market is expected to experience growth rates of more than 5 percent in the next five years.
Lummus Novolen is based in Mannheim, Germany.