ORLANDO, FLA. — Materials maker Americhem Inc. is benefiting from a pair of recent acquisitions.
In late 2012, Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio-based Americhem bought Infinity Compounding of Swedesboro, N.J. Then in late 2014, the firm added LTL Color Compounders Inc. of Morrisville, Pa. Both firms specialized in compounding engineering resins — an area where Americhem previously hadn't done much business.
Now operating as Infinity LTL Engineered Compounds, the new unit is combining Infinity's expertise in internally lubricated and electrically conductive compounds with LTL's color and polymer alloy technology.
“We've expanded our areas of opportunity and put ourselves in a good position,” Americhem President John Deignan said at NPE 2015 in Orlando. “Overall, the first 90 days [of Infinity LTL] have been very successful. It's exceeded our expectations.
“We're calling on many customers with needs for both product lines,” he added. “Automotive was a large overlap area.”
Americhem also recently increased annual production capacity by 3 million pounds at its headquarters site. The firm accomplished this increase by adding two small lot manufacturing work cells and by making other improvements to the site's manufacturing area. Americhem has seen increasing demand for smaller lot sizes of its masterbatch concentrate products.
At NPE, one product focus for Americhem was on new grades of nDuramax-brand UV stabilizers for polymeric film products. The materials are made for outdoor exposure and can be based on PET, polyethylene and ionomer resins. Potential end markets include vinyl siding, composite decking, synthetic turf and fabrics.
Films market manager Roger Threadgill said that the new nDuramax materials are customized for specific customers and can be combined with color and other additives to make customized, multifunctional masterbatch concentrates.
Americhem also is installing a 5,000-square-foot clean-room compounding area at its Infinity LTL plant in Swedesboro. A compounding line there can handle engineering resins ranging from polypropylene to PEEK, Inifnity LTL vice president Tim Carroll said, and is targeted toward medical materials. The area should be operational by late April.
Americhem ranks as one of North America's 30 largest compounders and concentrate makers. The firm operates seven plants worldwide and has annual sales of more than $250 million.