Kraton to add SBS capacity in Ohio

Kraton Corp. will look to strengthen its position in the Midwest with the expansion of SBS capacity at its manufacturing plant and innovation center in Belpre, Ohio.

The extra 24 kilotons per year is set to come online in 2025.

SBS, or styrene-butadiene-styrene block copolymer, is used extensively in footwear and the modification of bitumin/asphalt.

"We are excited to announce plans to expand our Belpre manufacturing capacity," Kraton Polymers CEO Holger Jung said. "This expansion supports our growth strategy and our customer's growing demand for SBS in North America."

The "significant" expansion in Belpre is set to begin in 2024. An investment amount was not disclosed.

"Global supply chain challenges and force majeure situations in 2022 impacted our business, but we have successfully navigated and emerged stronger," Jung said. "We recognize the importance of a reliable, effective supply chain.

"This expansion will ensure Kraton efficiently delivers the products and solutions our customers rely on, with consistent quality. We appreciate our customers' patience and trust as we strive to meet their needs with best-in-class solutions."

The Kraton D SBS line, which is expected to be expanded, boasts high-strength and a range of durometers, as well as low viscosity, according to Kraton.

Besides footwear and asphalt modification, SBS is used in pressure-sensitive adhesives, hot-melt spray diaper adhesives, construction adhesives, and for modification of stryenics and other compounds.

The increased capacity "affirms Kraton's dedication to enhancing product reliability," the company said, noting it will pursue "additional manufacturing expansion opportunities to strengthen its regional position." It was not immediately clear where further capacity expansions would take place.

Kraton is a sustainable manufacturer of specialty polymers and bio-based products that come from pine wood pulp and associated byproducts.

Its polymers are used in adhesives, coatings, consumer and personal care products, sealants and lubricants, and medical, packaging, automotive, paving and roofing products.

The company is the largest global provider in the pine chemicals industry, offering its products to a diverse customer base in more than 70 countries worldwide.

Manufacturing facilities are located in Belpre and Dover, Ohio; Panama City and Pensacola, Fla.; Savannah, Ga.; Wesseling, Germany; Berre, France; Kashima, Japan; Brazil; Finland; Sweden; and Taiwan.