SHANGHAI — Sabic Innovative Plastics announced April 23 at Chinaplas that it is investing in a production line for Stamax-brand long glass fiber-reinforced polypropylene resin at its manufacturing site in Shanghai.
The firm did not reveal investment or production capacity numbers, but said the new line should come on stream in the second half of 2015.
This will be Sabic's third Stamax plant, joining existing facilities in Genk, Belgium, and Bay St. Louis, Miss.
Automakers tend to use such materials to make large molded components and semi-structural parts such as front-end modules, instrument panel carriers, tailgates and seat structures.
The new China capacity brings Stamax operations closer to customers in Asia, noted Alan Leung, vice president of global and Asia Pacific commercial operations. It also helps respond to growing demands by automakers in the region for lightweight-enabling materials that can help reduce vehicle emissions.
Sabic said it also is adding an unspecified number of on-the-ground specialists in China and Asia Pacific to strengthen its design support in the region.