Akzo Nobel increases
capacity for Bermocoil
Akzo Nobel is investing €24 million to increase capacity at its Bermocoil production facility in Sweden. Capacity at the Ornskoldvik factory, which produces the company’s globally marketed Bermocoil water soluble nonionic cellulose derivatives, will be boosted by 25%. The first expansion phase expected to be completed by mid-2006.
“This investment, combined with a recently completed restructuring project at the Ornskoldvik facility, will turn the site into one of the largest and most cost-effective of its kind in the world,” said Leif Darner, Akzo Nobel’s board member responsible for chemicals. “Industry demand has been increasing steadily over recent years and by strategically boosting capacity we will maintain the excellent growth momentum of our Bermocoil business, which has been performing consistently well for many years.”
The Swedish site, operated by the company’s Cellulosic Specialties business, is Akzo Nobel’s primary Bermocoil product location. The product themselves–which are produced in a number of different viscosity grades–are used as environmentally friendly thickeners, stabilizers and water retention agents to help improve the properties of water-based paints and building products.