Covestro Expands Polyester Resin Production in Germany
Covestro has inaugurated a new production line for polyester resins at its Meppen site in Germany. The expansion is intended to help Covestro meet growing European demand for high-performance polyester resins. Coatings formulators are reformulating to meet increasingly stringent regulatory requirements, while packaging and industrial markets demand consistent quality, reliable availability, and simpler supply chains.
The multi-year investment project adds a reactor line, providing additional capacity in the double-digit kiloton range. The new line builds on Meppen's established, GMP-compliant manufacturing infrastructure to support the requirements of food-contact-related applications. The reactor is designed to run a broad range of chemistries, giving Covestro the flexibility to produce high-molecular-weight and standard polyester grades, alkyds, and acrylic resins. These product lines serve can, coil, industrial coating, and adhesive applications and are sold under the brand names Uralac®, Uradil™, Hybrane™, and NeoRez®. The new line can also produce intermediates for polyurethane dispersions.
The investment goes beyond adding a reactor line. Existing facilities have been modernized with a new truck filling system, a fully automated drum filling line, and a heat recovery installation that improves energy efficiency by recapturing process heat. The total investment is in the multimillion-euro range.
Dr. Andrea Maier-Richter, head of the Coatings & Adhesives business entity at Covestro, commented, “Customers rely on reliable supply and consistent quality. The new line in Meppen increases the availability of polyester resins and strengthens supply from Europe. The expansion also gives customers added flexibility to grow in demanding applications, where consistent product quality is essential and regulatory requirements are complex.”
The Meppen plant has been part of Covestro since 2021, when the site was acquired as part of the purchase of the Resins & Functional Materials business from the Dutch company Royal DSM. The production site has been in operation since 1956. More than 100 employees, including apprentices, produce high-quality resins, including polyesters, alkyds, acrylates, and polyurethane dispersions, for customers in the paints, coatings, and packaging industries.
Learn more about Covestro at covestro.com.
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