Wacker Chemie AG recently announced it is expanding its existing vinyl acetate-ethylene copolymer (VAE) dispersions production facilities in the U.S. The Munich-based chemical company will add a new reactor with an annual capacity of 85,000 metric tons at its Calvert City, Ky., site, investing an amount of around €50 million (~ $53 million) in the site’s capacity and infrastructure.

This reportedly makes the complex the largest of its kind in the Americas. The new reactor is scheduled to come on stream by mid-2015.

“Capacity expansion is essential if we are to meet our customers’ demand for our dispersions over the coming years,” said Rudolf Staudigl, CEO. “After extending our dispersions capacities at our sites in South Korea and China in the course of the last two years, we have now pushed ahead with expanding our production in the U.S., too. Thus, we will be able to keep pace with future market growth and strengthen our leading position in VAE dispersions.”

For more information, visit www.wacker.com.