By Frank Esposito
SENIOR STAFF REPORTER
Published: June 10, 2014 2:26 pm ET
Updated: June 10, 2014 2:32 pm ET
Stephane Morin
APS Elastomers has increased its annual thermoplastic elastomer production capacity by 10 percent at its production site in Romulus, Mich.
Officials with Romulus-based APS said in a June 9 news release that the additional capacity is needed because of growing demand from OEMs, processors and manufactures of wire and cable, and tubing and hoses used in industrial, transportation, and electronic applications.
“Increasing production capacity, developing new technologies and product offerings to customers allow us to prove our commitment to the TPE market in North America”, owner Stephane Morin said in the release.
APS began offering its own line of thermoplastic polyurethanes in mid-2013 under the Zythane brand name. The materials can be used in shoe soles, tubing, decorative parts and similar applications. Alliance already markets its own line of thermoplastic vulcanizates under the Viprene trade name.
Alliance also distributes thermoplastic elastomers for Chinese materials maker Polymax Elastomer Technology Co. Ltd. Earlier this year, APS introduced new food-grade thermoplastic polyurethanes for food processing machinery. The new TPUs are well suited to conveyor belts, harvesting equipment and other dry food and bottle dispensing machinery.
Alliance was founded in 2009 by Morin and Roger Huarng, both of whom had extensive experience in the TPE field. In addition to its distribution work, the firm operates a pair of twin-screw compounding lines in Romulus to produce more specialized grades of TPU and TPE. | 
