By Frank Esposito
SENIOR STAFF REPORTER
Published: May 15, 2014 2:07 pm ET
Updated: May 15, 2014 3:04 pm ET
Image By: Plastics News, Caroline Seidel
Phil McDivitt from Celanese looks at the firm's exhibit of Clarifoil cellulose diacetate film during K 2013 in Germany.
Celanese Corp. is adding compounding capacity at its manufacturing site in Florence, Ky.
Dallas-based Celanese held a groundbreaking ceremony in Florence on May 15 for the expansion, which will add new lines for compounds based on the firm’s engineered materials. At Celanese, those materials include acetal, polybutylene terephthalate (PBT) and polyphenylene sulfide (PPS) resins.
Customer demand for these products is growing, officials said in the release. The new compounding unit is set to come on-stream in the first quarter of 2015.
“This expansion and investment in new prototyping and full-scale production lines will help us better serve our customers around the world,” engineered materials vice president and general manager Phil McDivitt said in the release.
Officials also cited automotive and transportation, electrical and electronics, consumer goods and medical and pharmaceuticals as end markets that have “healthy growth potential.”
Celanese employs 350 in Florence, where its R&D center also is located. The firm employs 7,400 worldwide and posted sales of $6.5 billion in 2013. | 
