Dyes & Chemicals | News & Insights

DOMO PRODUCES FIVE MILLIONTH TONNE OF CAPROLACTAM

Published: March 22, 2022

Author: DIGITAL MEDIA EXECUTIVE

Leading producer of polyamide solutions announces milestone in caprolactam production
Since 1942, 5M tonnes of Caprolactam have been delivered worldwide
Full integration at Leuna site secures reliable supply of chemical intermediates, Caprolactam and Polyamide 6

Leuna, March 21, 2022 – DOMO Chemicals, a global leader in engineered material solutions and fully integrated producer of PA6, announced today the successful delivery of 5 million tonnes of caprolactam at its Leuna site. The Leuna site has produced caprolactam in its facilities since 1942. This quantity is equivalent to approximately 225,000 truckloads. The German subsidiary DOMO Caproleuna has been producing caprolactam and polyamide at the site in the heart of Europe since 1994. During this period, production capacities have been gradually expanded to the current 176,000 metric tonnes per year.

Caprolactam production has an 80-year-old tradition at the Leuna site. The world’s first industrial-scale caprolactam production plant went into operation in Leuna as early as 1942. Since the DOMO Group took over the caprolactam plants in 1994, the technology and processes have been continuously enhanced and improved. Over the past 20 years, DOMO Caproleuna has been able to reduce specific energy consumption in medium-pressure steam by 30% and respectively in low-pressure steam by 40%, thus continuously optimizing the manufacturing process. Sustainability is one of the strategic pillars for the Group. DOMO Beyond is our roadmap for innovative projects to achieve our sustainability goals in the areas of Planet Care, Responsible Employer, and Partner of Choice. DOMO is committing to neutral CO₂ emissions growth by 2030, respectively from 2019, establishing a 15% reduction in the carbon content of DOMO’s energy mix and a 7% reduction of industrial waste.

“Over the last 3 decades, we have continued to expand the caprolactam plant and have increased production volumes extensively. Today’s focus is clearly on increasing efficiency and saving energy,” says Dr. Thomas Jende, Production Manager for caprolactam.

The most important precursor for polyamide 6

Caprolactam is primarily required to produce polyamide 6 and is further processed in the company’s own polymerization facility, which is integrated on-site, to produce the high-tech engineering plastics under the brand names DOMAMID^® and TECHNYL^®. DOMAMID^® is primarily used as a base polymer for engineering plastics, textiles and film applications. TECHNYL^® is the leading polyamide-based compound for a variety of industry segments such as automotive, electricals & electronics and industry & consumer goods.

“The success is a team effort: this excellence in operation and production is only possible because the corresponding production volumes were also achieved in the upstream and downstream process stages of the value chain“, says Luc de Raedt, Site Director Leuna. DOMO employs a total of around 620 people at its Leuna site.