New Materials Acquisitions and Development Collaborations

Two major engineering thermoplastics suppliers have completed new deals that expand their materials offerings:

● Celanese Engineered Materials, Dallas, has acquired the nylon compounding division of Italy’s Nylit Plastics (U.S. office in Martinsville, Va.), a major independent producer of high-performance nylon polymers and compounds, with a specialty in nylon 66. Nylit will retain its ownership of its nylon fibers and nylon polymerization businesses worldwide. Nylon compounds continue to be a material of choice in automotive, E&E, consumer and industrial applications. This acquisition delivers on Celanese’s intention to complement and grow its broad portfolio by becoming a leading, global nylon compound supplier. Celanese in integrating Nilit’s compounding product portfolio and production capabilities into its engineered material business to include the following registered brands:

 Frianyl flame-retardant grades for E&E industries, meeting most stringent industry requirements, and in almost all colors.

 Niamid technical grades for industrial and automotive applications.

 Nilamid specialty portfolio for extended performance requirements in terms of thermal, electrical, mechanical and tribological propertied in particular.

Ecomid grades containing high-quality polyamide fibers and textile recycled for a combination of quality, high lot-to-lot consistency and competitiveness.

The most recent additions to the Nilit range, developed to cater to new market trends, include “XS” and “XT” types. Nilamid XS grades are compounds based on semi-aromatic nylons, and Frianyl XT and Nilamid XT are compounds based on PPA provide superior performance, particularly in terms of high heat resistance and mechanical strength. 

● Itema SpA, part of Italy’s Radici Plastics USA Inc. (U.S. office in Spartanburg, S.C), has acquired 61% of the shares in Italy’s Lamiflex SpA, becoming a major shareholder in this leading supplier of composite materials and products for industries ranging from textile machinery, medical, aerospace, and other industrial applications. The move is set to create and stimulate significant synergies along the respective supply chains in which Itema, Lamiflex, and Radici Group companies operate and to grow not only in the textile machinery sector, but also to expand into new, highly innovative sectors, such as composites.