Polymax narrows US plant search

ORLANDO, FLA. (April 1, 8:45 a.m. ET) -- Chinese materials firm Polymax Elastomer Technology Co. Ltd. has narrowed  its search for a U.S. production site to four states.

Polymax - which makes styrenic block copolymer-type thermoplastic elastomers, as well as thermoplastic rubber -- will choose between Illinois, North Carolina, South Carolina and Michigan by the end of the year, officials said. The Nantong, China-based firm already is working on financing for the proposed site, which would employ between 10 and 20 and would increase Polymax’s global production capacity by at least 20 percent.

Lu

Since 2010, Polymax’s Maxelast-brand SBCs have been sold in North America by distribution firm Alliance Polymers & Services LLC of Romulus, Mich. In a news release, Polymax principal Y. Martin Lu said that his firm will continue to work closely with Alliance Polymers & Services.

Alliance Polymers & Services sales and technical resources “promise to give OEMs’ designers a bigger and broader choice of TPEs and quality technical service than ever before,” said Lu, who has previous TPE market experience with McHenry, Ill.-based GLS Corp.

Alliance Polymers & Services principal Stephane Morin added in the release that Polymax’s production site “will vastly increase the choice of formulations available to our growing customer base where we sell a variety of soft elastomers.”

Polymax’s materials are used in applications by many U.S. and international firms, including General Motors, Nike, Adidas and Stanley Tools.

At NPE2012, Alliance Polymers & Services is exhibiting in the TPE pavilion at Booth 57020. Polymax officials will be with Alliance at the event as well.

Alliance Polymers & Services also distributes Elastollan-brand thermoplastic poly­urethanes for BASF Corp. (Booth 24000).