RTP Co. plans to reopen a compounding plant in Dayton, Nev., by the end of the year.
The Winona, Minn.-based compounder also has growth projects in Wisconsin and Poland and is showcasing several product grades at NPE2018.
The Dayton plant will reopen by the end of the year, company executive Jean Sirois said in a May 9 interview at the show. The site is needed to improve RTP's access to the U.S. West Coast and to better serve its customers there, he added.
In Portage, Wis., RTP will add new capacity for high-volume compounding by the end of the year. The firm's new plant in Wroclaw, Poland, is set to begin production by the end of the summer, according to Sirois, who serves as global director of strategic planning and acquisitions and as general manager of the firm in Canada.
The 86,000-square-foot Wroclaw site will be RTP's third in Europe, joining plants in France and Germany. The new plant has room for as many as six extrusion lines and is expected to employ at least 25.
At NPE2018, RTP is focused on three product areas:
• Carbon fiber compounds, which are lighter, stiffer, and stronger than glass-filled compounds. The materials provide a lightweight alternative to metal and glass-fiber compounds without sacrificing strength or performance.
• High temperature solutions that improve performance at elevated temperatures, including retention of physical properties, chemical resistance, and dimensional stability for autoclaving, reflow and high continuous use applications.
• Abrasion resistant alloys that demonstrate abrasion resistance comparable to ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene, but are designed specifically for injection molding. These alloys are available in multiple resin and additive combinations to provide wear and friction resistance, flame retardancy and conductivity.
In addition to organic growth, RTP continues to be on the lookout for new acquisitions. In 2015, the firm purchased Polymer Partners LLC, a maker of black compounds and concentrates in Henderson, Ky.
"We're looking for good companies that would fit in well with our corporate culture," Sirois said.
RTP is one of North America's 30 largest compounders and concentrate makers, according to Plastics News data. The firm operates 19 plants worldwide, making compounds based on 60 different engineering resins.