ExxonMobil Chemical opens new facility in Louisiana

ExxonMobil Chemical on January 17 announced the completion and start-up of a new $20 million compounding facility to supply high-performance polymers to the automotive, appliance and specialty consumer products industries.

The world-class facility, located at ExxonMobil's integrated Baton Rouge complex in Louisiana, has an initial annual capacity of 40,000 tons of specialty compounded products. The facility was designed for flexible and efficient production of high-quality and consistent products. It will manufacture a broad spectrum of products including Exxtral thermoplastic olefins and Santoprene thermoplastic compounds for interior, exterior and under-the-hood automotive applications, and other specialty materials for appliance, packaging, personal care, construction and electrical end uses.

"The new facility is a key part of our global growth strategy," said Jim McKinley, global specialty compounding business manager, ExxonMobil Chemical Company. "It will enhance ExxonMobil Chemical’s supply capabilities in North America and leverage our global supply and technical capabilities to provide high-quality compounded products more efficiently and with greater flexibility to our customers around the world."

The facility includes an extensive product support and testing center to manufacture new products more quickly and cost effectively. This new center is a key addition to ExxonMobil Chemical’s existing network of product support and automotive development centers and will help to promote collaboration between ExxonMobil and its customers.

In 2007, ExxonMobil Chemical announced the formation of a new specialty compounding business to focus on the development, production and marketing of engineered polyolefin compounds, including a new line of automotive compounds. Products range from soft and flexible compounds to stiff, reinforced composites.