Clariant moves to expand the capacity of its Daya Bay plant

(CONNECT) Clariant, the specialty chemicals company from Muttenz in the canton of Basel-Landschaft, Switzerland, has completed an investment of 100 million Swiss francs in its Daya Bay facility in China. With this investment, the capacity of the plant is to be boosted by the addition of a second production line, as detailed in a company press release. At the same time, Clariant has announced the expansion of its Exolit OP flame retardant portfolio with two new high-performance solutions. The new products Exolit OP 1242 (TP) and Exolit OP 1266 (TP) have been specifically designed for polybutylene terephthalate (PBT) applications in e-mobility.

With the investment in the Daya Bay facility, the company is seeking to satisfy growing demand for more sustainable flame-retardant solutions in Asia and around the world. “With this world-class manufacturing plant, we strengthen our leading position in innovative and more sustainable fire safety solutions while improving our ability to serve customers across the Asia Pacific region with reduced delivery times and tailored solutions”, comments Angela Cackovich, Business President Adsorbents & Additives and EMEA at Clariant, in the press release.

The new Exolit OP flame retardants are intended to offer manufacturers an alternative to conventional systems based on antimony trioxide (ATO), which has experienced sharp price increases and supply chain volatility over recent years. While Exolit OP 1242 (TP) offers exceptional hydrolytic stability, Exolit OP 1266 (TP) provides a stable comparative tracking index of 600 volts even after periods of extended storage. At the same time, both products meet the UL 94 vertical test with V-0 classification down to a sample thickness of 0.4 millimeters at dosing levels of 15 to 20 percent. Clariant will be showcasing both product innovations at the K 2025 trade fair in Düsseldorf, Germany. ce/nta