Styrolution Group GmbH, the Germany-headquartered supplier of styrenics, has recently launched a pilot styrene-butadiene copolymer (SBC) plant in Antwerp, Belgium.
Styrolution states that the pilot plant will be used to conduct R&D experiments, empowering customers to more easily and efficiently produce sufficient amounts of materials for in-house analysis and product testing.
The company states that the pilot plant will support daily commercial plant operations and will help to enhance specialty styrenics, such as Styrolux and Styroflex.
The plant is an “identical but scaled-down version of the larger SBC plant” already in Antwerp.
Rudy Verstraeten, SBC Pilot Plant Project Leader, Styrolution: “We are very excited to further enhance Styrolution's global supply availability and R&D capabilities with the development and launch of this plant. This plant was developed in response to our customers' need for greater opportunities to test and experiment with our styrenic solutions. By implementing this unique solution to scaling production, we are also helping our customers identify new solutions to meet their industry's trends and needs.”
In 2013 Styrolution saw sales of 5.8 billion euros ($6.6 billion). It currently employs around 3,200 people and operates in 16 production sites in nine countries.