Local media outlets in Augusta, GA are reporting that Fibrant (ex DSM) are closing their caprolactam plant with a loss of up to 600 jobs.The Augusta plant is a significant center for the production of caprolactam, the key ingredient in manufacturing nylon 6.
Read article here...
AKC Note: Fibrant took ownership of the Augusta plant in 2015 from the Dutch company DSM, when DSM chose to exit the caprolactam business. The global caprolactam and nylon 6 business generally is suffering from a vast oversupply capacity as China is investing massively in new production capacities. The US had significant overcapacity of caprolactam also and was able to keep its plants operating by exporting large volumes to Asia. In the period of 2010 - 2012 the US was shipping between 5 - 10,000 tons per month of caprolactam to China; as domestic Chinese capacity has grown US exports have fallen and in the most recent 3 months have averaged less than 500 tons per month. The main fiber application for nylon 6 in the US market is in the carpet industry.
Alasdair Carmichael
Carmichael International
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