Ascend steps up production of nylon 6,6 resin

Growing market demand for nylon 6,6 resin is the driver behind plans by Ascend Performance Materials (Houston, TX) to increase production capacity across its intermediate chemicals and polymers portfolio by 10 to 15%.

In an Oct. 30 announcement, Phil McDivitt, Ascend’s President and CEO, commented, “The global demand for nylon 6,6 and our intermediate chemicals continues to grow at 3 to 4% per year in a range of diverse applications. Ascend has cost-effective expansion opportunities that allow us to bring additional capacity online as the market needs it.”

Ascend will increase capacity of adiponitrile, hexamethylene diamine, adipic acid and polymers through 2018. Its unique production process allows for quick capacity additions with high capital efficiency and without disruption to operations, said Ascend.

“We have consistently added capacity through our entire nylon 6,6 value chain since 2015, increasing our production by 10 to 30%, depending on the product, with no impact on our customers. We are committed to a continuous, reliable supply to our customers,” said McDivitt.

Ascend also noted that, unlike many other nylon 6,6 producers, it sells polymers and intermediates into nearly every end use market and geography. “Our more than 60-year history of serving a wide variety of markets has given us an unparalleled understanding of the entire nylon 6,6 value chain,” said Scott Rook, Ascend’s Vice President, Nylon. “The unique qualities of nylon 6,6 have made it the material of choice in numerous innovative applications.

“Our capital-efficient expansion plans ensure that market demand is met and pricing remains competitive,” Rook added.

Earlier this year, the company consolidated nylon fiber production at its plant in Greenwood, SC, and added compounding capacity at its site in Foley, AL, to better align its business with the market.

This week, Nov. 7 to 10, Ascend will showcase its high-performance Vydyne PA66 solutions for automotive, electrical and electronic, consumer and industrial, and cable tie applications at Plastimagen 2017 in Mexico City.

Among the applications on display in Ascend’s booth (#2246) will be electrically neutral grades for electrical connectors, high-temperature and hydrolysis-resistant compounds for automotive applications and impact-modified grades for connectors and cable jacketing.

Ascend will also highlight its newest nylon 6,6 product: Vydyne FR 350J, an unreinforced, flame-retardant nylon 6,6 for use in unattended appliance electrical connectors. It has the highest possible glow wire ignition temperature (GWIT) rating at 960° C at all thicknesses.

“Each of our products is designed with two priorities: Processability and functionality,” said Juan Toro, Business Development Manager for Latin America. “Engineers and designers can count on Vydyne to help solve design problems, and processors and molders can count on productivity and material efficiency."