Lanxess expands exchange resins capacity in Germany

In order to expanding its water treatment solutions business, Lanxess, on September 26, 2014, inaugurated a new production line at its largest site worldwide in Leverkusen (Germany) for production of the Lewatit premium brand of weak acid cation (WAC) exchange resins, as well as bringing a cutting-edge food-compatible filling and packing system into operation. Some Euro 10 million has been invested in the expansion, which began in April 2013. The additional volumes will be available to the global market with immediate effect.
 
Weak acid cation exchange resins are predominantly used in cartridges for household water filters and in installed domestic water systems, which are becoming increasingly popular. They remove calcium and magnesium ions, which can cause mains water to become hard, and in some cases also ions that are harmful to human health such as lead and copper, releasing other safe ions in the water instead. This improves both the quality and taste of drinking water.
 
Rainier van Roessel, a member of the Lanxess AG Board of Management, explained, “Demand for special cation exchange resins alone is growing at a rate of three to five percent each year. This is why we are raising our profile in this sector and increasing production capacity for WAC resins in Leverkusen by around one third. This investment is a clear indication of our commitment not only to promoting responsible usage of the precious resource water, but also to this site and to the region as a whole.” The Lewatit brand of heterodisperse ion exchange resins has been produced in Leverkusen since the mid-1960s.
 
To complement the site’s existing filling plant, the recent capacity expansion also included the construction of a new building for filling products destined for food applications. With this food-compatible packaging facility, Lanxess is setting very high standards for product purity and ensuring even better quality.
 
“Demand for food application products is increasing – as are hygiene requirements within the industry. This highly efficient filling and packaging system, which to our knowledge is absolutely unique, equips us perfectly for filling the ever greater volumes that will be produced in the future following our capacity expansion,” said Jean-Marc Vesselle, Senior Vice President of the Liquid Purification Technologies business unit at Lanxess.