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DSM and Mitras plan to join forces
DSM and Mitras plan to join forces
A MAJOR consolidation in the European composites industry looks on the cards following the announcement at JEC that DSM Resins and Mitras are studying the possibility of cooperation. The proposal is to form a separate moulding company encompassing DSM’s subsidiaries BWR in Germany, Autopress Composites in the UK and Fiberpachs in Spain, and Mitt-as’ plants in Germany, the Czech Republic, France and its UK joint venture Mitapres. An individual identity, including a new name, is expected to be created for the moulding company. It is also proposed
that DSM Resins takes over Mitras’ compounding activities. A business plan for the merger, including dates for the compounding business takeover, is currently being formulated. This will be completed in late June when the final decision will be made. Jan Dopper, president of DSM Resins bv, says that by joining forces the companies will have the critical mass to further technological development and to better serve their customers in the automotive, electrical/ electronics and construction sectors. A combined compounding operation would become a market
leader capable of achieving product, process and market innovations and setting the course for future developments, he says. The firms are among Europe’s top compounders and moulders and a cooperation would represent a major structural change in the industry. DSM’s compounding/ moulding division has production sites in the UK, Germany, Spain and Italy. These activities involve a total of 970 employees and generate annual sales of about DF1200 million. Mitras has annual sales of about DM200 million and a workforce of more than 1000.
Alpha/Owens-Corning increases capacity TO MEET industry demand for unsaturated polyester and vinyl ester resins, Alpha/OwensCorning (AOC) is increasing its resin capacity by 22 680 tonnes. It is also planning to add another 22 680 tonnes over the next 18 months. “These expansions strengthen Alpha/OwensCorning’s leadership position in the North American resin market”, says Jack Roesle, vice-president of sales and marketing. “Most of the new capacity will go into the composites industry. As
Reinforced
Plastics June
1995
the Bbre glass reinforcement manufacturers add capacity, we want to do all we can to ensure that there is a corresponding supply of resin for our customers. We are taking corporate capacity to 263 100 tonnes by the end of 1996.” Half the new capacity, 22 680 tonnes, occurs immediately as the Collierville, Tennessee, facility initiates a debottlenecking action. In 1996, all AOC plants will experience capacity expansions over the short-term. The next major increase will
occur at the Kathleen, Florida, facility with 11 340 tonnes through the installation of expanded process automation. Other planned debottlenecking and proimcess automation provements at the manufacturing sites in Perris, California, ValparaiIndiana, and so, Guelph, Ontario, Canada, will bring about an additional 11 340 tonnes of new capacity. Alpha/ Owens- Corning; tel: + l-419-2488479; fax: f I-419-248 7357
Vetrotex hit by furnace leak GLASS fibre producer Vetrotex suffered an accident at its plant in Chambery, France, on 23rd April. One of its furnaces that makes chopped strand glass for thermoplastics developed a hole in its refractory bricks. It will take about a month to repair, using expertise from Vetrotex’s Besana plant in Italy. This site suffered a similar accident about three years ago so its technicians were familiar with the problem and able to deal with it quickly, Emmanuelle Mangenot, the company’s communications manager, told us. The Chambery furnace had not had a leak for 10 years and was scheduled for rebuild next year. This date will not be brought forward and will remain as planned. The maximum life of a furnace is eight years, however leaks are prone to happen from time to time, says Vetrotex. The company informed its European customers of the accident two days after the event. However, it says that JEC couldn’t have come at a better time. This provided the ideal opportunity to discuss the problem with customers and put their minds put at rest. The majority of customers were appeased, and no serious problems were created, says Mangenot. Because of the month’s delay in delivery dates, a scheme was worked out whereby emergency supplies could be delivered to customers most in need.
A MAJOR consolidation in the European composites industry looks on the cards following the announcement at JEC that DSM Resins and Mitras are studying the possibility of cooperation. The proposal is to form a separate moulding company encompassing DSM’s subsidiaries BWR in Germany, Autopress Composites in the UK and Fiberpachs in Spain, and Mitt-as’ plants in Germany, the Czech Republic, France and its UK joint venture Mitapres. An individual identity, including a new name, is expected to be created for the moulding company. It is also proposed
that DSM Resins takes over Mitras’ compounding activities. A business plan for the merger, including dates for the compounding business takeover, is currently being formulated. This will be completed in late June when the final decision will be made. Jan Dopper, president of DSM Resins bv, says that by joining forces the companies will have the critical mass to further technological development and to better serve their customers in the automotive, electrical/ electronics and construction sectors. A combined compounding operation would become a market
leader capable of achieving product, process and market innovations and setting the course for future developments, he says. The firms are among Europe’s top compounders and moulders and a cooperation would represent a major structural change in the industry. DSM’s compounding/ moulding division has production sites in the UK, Germany, Spain and Italy. These activities involve a total of 970 employees and generate annual sales of about DF1200 million. Mitras has annual sales of about DM200 million and a workforce of more than 1000.
Alpha/Owens-Corning increases capacity TO MEET industry demand for unsaturated polyester and vinyl ester resins, Alpha/OwensCorning (AOC) is increasing its resin capacity by 22 680 tonnes. It is also planning to add another 22 680 tonnes over the next 18 months. “These expansions strengthen Alpha/OwensCorning’s leadership position in the North American resin market”, says Jack Roesle, vice-president of sales and marketing. “Most of the new capacity will go into the composites industry. As
Reinforced
Plastics June
1995
the Bbre glass reinforcement manufacturers add capacity, we want to do all we can to ensure that there is a corresponding supply of resin for our customers. We are taking corporate capacity to 263 100 tonnes by the end of 1996.” Half the new capacity, 22 680 tonnes, occurs immediately as the Collierville, Tennessee, facility initiates a debottlenecking action. In 1996, all AOC plants will experience capacity expansions over the short-term. The next major increase will
occur at the Kathleen, Florida, facility with 11 340 tonnes through the installation of expanded process automation. Other planned debottlenecking and proimcess automation provements at the manufacturing sites in Perris, California, ValparaiIndiana, and so, Guelph, Ontario, Canada, will bring about an additional 11 340 tonnes of new capacity. Alpha/ Owens- Corning; tel: + l-419-2488479; fax: f I-419-248 7357
Vetrotex hit by furnace leak GLASS fibre producer Vetrotex suffered an accident at its plant in Chambery, France, on 23rd April. One of its furnaces that makes chopped strand glass for thermoplastics developed a hole in its refractory bricks. It will take about a month to repair, using expertise from Vetrotex’s Besana plant in Italy. This site suffered a similar accident about three years ago so its technicians were familiar with the problem and able to deal with it quickly, Emmanuelle Mangenot, the company’s communications manager, told us. The Chambery furnace had not had a leak for 10 years and was scheduled for rebuild next year. This date will not be brought forward and will remain as planned. The maximum life of a furnace is eight years, however leaks are prone to happen from time to time, says Vetrotex. The company informed its European customers of the accident two days after the event. However, it says that JEC couldn’t have come at a better time. This provided the ideal opportunity to discuss the problem with customers and put their minds put at rest. The majority of customers were appeased, and no serious problems were created, says Mangenot. Because of the month’s delay in delivery dates, a scheme was worked out whereby emergency supplies could be delivered to customers most in need.