Perstorp ahead of target to double production capacity of Capa® caprolactones

Perstorp is speeding up it’s efforts to doubling production capacity of its Capa® caprolactones range at its Warrington, UK site to guarantee a safe supply and support the growing demand on the market. Perstorp is the world’s largest supplier of caprolactones and its derivatives.

Capa polycaprolactones are specialty polyester polyols that are typically used as the soft segment component in a wide range of high performance polyurethane CASE applications, such as PUDs for wood and leather coatings, cast elastomers, TPUs, and protective coatings, solvent, water based and 2K systems for chemical protection for steel and flooring applications.

Capa monomer is widely used to modify polyester, acrylic and epoxy resins to improve scratch resistance, chemical resistance and reduce viscosities/increase solids for automotive and electronic coating applications.

“The investment in new capacity for our Caprolactones has continued throughout the global economic recession,” comments Mårten Olausson, vice President of Perstorp Caprolactones. “We have a strong belief in the future of the Capa product range and are committed to supporting and developing the caprolactone market.”

The steel structure of the plant expansion was completed in Autumn 2009 and the major vessels have recently been installed. Partial expansion has already been achieved thanks to the successful fast-tracking of some the work by Perstorp’s engineering team. The next phase in the project is expected to be mechanically complete by the end of the year, resulting in a total capacity increase of 50%. The remaining 50% capacity increase will be on stream in 2011.

Capa polycaprolactones possess low viscosity, providing ease of processing and lower VOC levels. Being aliphatic polyesters, they show excellent resistance to oxidative and UV attacks and are well known for their outstanding flexibility/toughness, particularly at low temperatures. This is why they are of high interest for the development of coatings with exceptional impact resistance and best-in-class abrasion resistance.

Thanks to some recent acquisitions, including Rhodia’s isocyanates business, Perstorp can offer its polyurethane partners a complete product range and explore paths for synergies and new developments. “Pairing Capa polyols and Tolonate® aliphatic polyisocyanates enables our polyurethane customers to formulate high solids coatings with low VOCs and high performance properties. It is a perfect example of how our extended product portfolio now creates even more winning formulas,” says Eugénie Charrière, Perstorp Market Development Director of Coatings and Adhesives.

Capa and Tolonate are registered trademarks of Perstorp Group.