Materials maker Addivant is tripling capacity in Morgantown, W.Va., for an antioxidant used in polyethylene film.
In a Jan. 25 news release, officials with Danbury, Conn.-based Addivant said that more capacity of its Weston 705 liquid phosphite antioxidant is needed to meet increasing demand. Weston 705 is a nonylphenol-free antioxidant developed for use in PE manufacturing with regulatory approvals for food packaging.
The new capacity will allow makers of PE film and rigid products to meet food packaging needs without using nonylphenol chemistry, officials added. Some studies have linked nonylphenol to endocrine disruption and other health risks.
“Interest in polyethylene film with Weston 705 has grown significantly as consumers demand greater transparency into understanding more about the chemical composition of the packaging that touches their foods — particularly organic and natural food products,” officials said.
No timetable for the expansion was included in the release. Since 2013, Addivant also has added capacity for various products at plants in Saudi Arabia and South Korea. The firm operates 11 plants and employs 500 worldwide.
Addivant is an independent portfolio company of private equity firm SK Capital of New York. SK formed Addivant in 2012 after buying the antioxidant and light-stabilizer business of Chemtura Corp.