Invista Nylon Chemicals (China) Co has signed an MoU to double the current nylon 6,6 polymer production at Shanghai Chemical Industry Park (SCIP). The new capacity will increase to 400,000 tonne/year and enable Invista to quickly respond to the growing demand for engineering plastics in automotive, electrical and other application fields.

The capacity will be expanded with an investment of RMB 1.5 billion (renminbi) and strengthen Invista’s integrated nylon 6,6 value chain in China, according to the company.

Located at SCIP, the expanded production line will be equipped with six batch autoclaves and three continuous polymerisation lines. The additional capacity will support the development of engineering polymer, industrial and apparel segments, and satisfy the downstream application requirements for nylon 6,6 products and solutions, including stronger mechanical properties, higher temperature resistance, and higher heat resistance.

Construction of the product lines is expected to begin in the second quarter of 2022 and be in operation in first quarter of 2024, Invista further added. Supporting the expansion is Invista’s upcoming Asia Innovation Center, which will bring strengthened research and service capabilities to support downstream partners as they seize growth opportunities driven by innovation and high-quality development.