Covestro is expanding production at its compounding facility in Hebron to meet demand for materials in the nation’s automotive, electronic and health care industries, the company recently announced.
In a news release, Covestro said it plans to build multiple new production lines and extend its capacity in its solutions and specialties business as part of the expansion.
Construction is scheduled to begin in 2025, with Covestro anticipating them becoming operational before 2027.
Facility employees heat and mix polymers to produce polycarbonate blends in pellet form, among other tasks. The site has around 145 employees.
Covestro spokesperson Russell Glorioso told The Advocate the company plans to hire 24 employees and 10 third-party workers because of the expansion.
In the release, Covestro CTO Thorsten Dreier said the decision "aligns with our strategy to produce (materials) in the region for the region, to manufacture close to customers and ensure reliable supply.
"This investment in our U.S. compounding plant is an important component of our 'sustainable growth' strategy,” Dreier said. “With this expansion, we can meet our customers' growing demand for specialized polycarbonate materials, grow together with our customers and strengthen our position as a leading provider of polycarbonate materials in North America.”
In August, Covestro announced it is investing more than $40 million to upgrade its campus in Pittsburgh. The company, which also has sites overseas, is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of polymer materials, according to its website.
The Hebron site is one of 13 Covestro operates in the U.S. The site in Pittsburgh serves as its U.S. headquarters.
Covestro in the release said future plans include having the Pittsburgh and Hebron sites work closer together to drive the “electrification and automation of mobility, sustainable developments and digitalization,” among other plans.
“The expanded capacity of our polycarbonate compounding capabilities in Ohio will both help us better supply our customers as well as represent a commitment to our employees, the Hebron community and U.S. market as a whole,” Covestro Chairman and President Samir Hifri said in the release.
As of 2023, the company had 49 production sites across the world and employed around 17,500 people.
Advocate reporter Josué Perez can be reached at jhperez@newarkadvocate.com.
This article originally appeared on Newark Advocate: Covestro expanding production at Hebron plant to meet demand