The Netherlands-based Royal DSM has announced plans for an increase in global Dyneema® capacity. The company cites strong demand for both the Dyneema UD uni-directional composite laminate for ballistics and Dyneema fiber as the reason for the expansion.
The company will install new UD technology at its headquarters location in Heerlen, the Netherlands as well as at its plant in Greenville, N.C. The investment also includes upgrades to existing lines to expand both Dyneema UD and fiber capacity. In total, the company will increase Dyneema UD capacity more than 20 percent globally, with the additional capacity expected to come online over the course of 2018 and be complete by the first quarter of 2019.
“Dyneema products are finding use in a broad and ever-increasing range of markets and applications in which lightweight strength is of the essence, for instance best-in-class protective ballistic vests, inserts and helmets,” said DSM Dyneema President Wilfrid Gambade. “These investments will enable us to better accommodate growing customer demand and needs while further extending our global leadership position.”
July/August 2018
