Braskem Commissions New UHMWPE Plant

Braskem (U.S. office in Philadelphia) has commissioned its new UTEC UHMWPE plant at its LaPorte, Texas, site and is completing the necessary steps to ensure a safe and successful startup before year’s end. The new plant reflects another milestone investment by the company which earlier this year enhanced its R&D capabilities for UTEC at the company Pittsburgh Innovation & Technology Center.

The output of the plant, for which volume has not been disclosed, will complement the existing UTEC UHMWPE product line that is produced in Brazil, The company has been providing UTEC to clients in the U.S. and Europe for over a decade. UTEC global business leader Chris Gee noted, “The new plant combined with Braskem’s U.S. Innovation and Technology Center will make Braskem an even more reliable partner for its clients and play a key role in developing new applications for additional market segments.”

UTEC is an engineered polymer which boasts excellent mechanical properties, such as high abrasion resistance, impact strength and low coefficient of friction. The self-lubricating, high-strength, lightweight machineable material, used for semi-finished goods, is eight times lighter than steel and lasts ten times longer than HDPE. It is used in a vast array of industries including automotive and transportation, electronics, industrial and heavy equipment, material handling, pipe and mining, and recreation and consumer goods.