OREANDA-NEWS. Lanxess started operations at its newly expanded plastics plant in Gastonia, North Carolina, this week, doubling capacity at the site from 20,000 t/yr to 40,000 t/yr.

The plant mixes polyamide (PA) and polybutylene terephthalate (PBT), along with other additives, to produce high performance plastics that can replace metal in automobiles.

The company is forecasting global demand for automotive plastics to grow by 7pc annually through 2020 as governments mandate more fuel efficient automobiles.