Covestro completes Taiwan TPU expansion

Changhua, Taiwan – Covestro AG inaugurated its expansion project in Taiwan on 13 May, increasing the site’s thermoplastic polyurethane capacity by 30%.

The additional 5 kilotonne per annum (ktpa) TPU capacity brings the site’s total capacity to 23ktpa.

This is the third Covestro TPU expansion in 12 months.

It follows a project in New Martinsville, West Virginia, and a move to increase its stake in DIC, a Japan joint venture, to 80%.

“The Changhua site is Covestro’s largest TPU production site in Asia,” said Thomas Roemer, the company’s global head of thermoplastic polyurethane.

The site’s proximity to ASEAN, according to Covestro, is an advantage as it gives the company “the upper hand”, especially in industries such as footwear.

TPUs, according to Covestro, can be used in various parts of shoes, including uppers, shanks, insoles, midsoles, outsoles, heel cups and logos.

Meanwhile, the company is also developing a TPU fibre for advanced knitting technology. This can be used to produce stylish designs in a single knitting process, the company said.