PolyOne Corp. — North America's largest compounder and concentrate maker — will open a new production line for its OnForce-brand long-fiber specialty thermoplastics by the end of the month.
The new line will be at the firm's headquarters site in Avon Lake, Ohio. In a news release, company officials said that OnForce's glass-filled and carbon fiber-filled formulations retain aesthetic appeal in metal replacement and structural applications.
The materials — which can be based on polypropylene, nylon 6/6 or thermoplastic polyurethane — also offer higher stiffness, impact strength and surface finish when compared to short-fiber filled materials.
“Demand continues to increase for lighter weight materials and the products made from them,” global specialty engineered materials president Craig Nikrant said in the release. “This investment is aligned with current megatrends to better serve our customers in North America across several industries, including industrial, transportation, oil & gas, and shooting sports.”
PolyOne posted sales of $3.8 billion in 2014. The firm operates more than 80 manufacturing and distribution sites worldwide.
