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In addition to three compounding expansions reported in March, three more have emerged:

•Lanxess Corp., Pittsburgh, recently broke ground on a new compounding facility in Gastonia, N.C. It will have initial capacity of 44 million lb/yr when it starts up early next year. It will be the company’s first U.S. compounding capacity for nylon and PBT.

•Penn Color Inc., Doylestown, Pa., a maker of color and additive concentrates, will finish construction this month of its first Midwest operation in Milton, Wis. The plant has 52,000 ft2 with room to grow to at least 150,000 ft². It will open with six single- and twin-screw extrusion lines for a capacity of around 3 million lb/yr.

•Asahi Kasei Plastics North America, Inc., Fowlerville, Mich., is undergoing a $5.5-million expansion to meet increased demand for its Leona nylon 66 and 66/6I copolymer and Xyron PPE modified with PS, nylon, PP, PPS, or other resins. Production capacity will grow 30% with the addition of a new compounding line. A new lab line is also being added.