MMA capacity to be expanded at Deer Park, Texas

MMA capacity to be expanded at Deer Park, Texas

Keywords: Atofina, Rohm and Haas, Business development, Resins, USA

Atofina and Rohm and Haas have announced that they have reached an industrial agreement whereby the methyl methocrylate (MMA) monomer capacity at Rohm and Haas's plant in Deer Park, Texas, will be expanded to meet the needs of both companies.

Bill Andrews, Rohm and Haas vice president and business director for Monomers, said that a 115,000tpa capacity would be added in 2002. The existing Deer Park plant has a current capacity of 360,000tpa and is believed to be the largest MMA facility in the world. This expansion will provide Rohm and Haas with the necessary additional capacity to meet continued growth in its downstream acrylic polymer businesses, as well as ongoing merchant market demand for MMA.

The majority share of the new capacity will be allocated to Atofina,primarily for its growing acrylic sheet and resins (PMMA) business, which is operated through its subsidiary Atoglas.