DL Chemical Breaks Ground on Eco-Friendly Adhesive Plant in Yeosu

Yeosu Mayor Kwon Oh-bong (fourth from the left), Kim Sang-woo, Vice Chairman of DL Chemical, Nick Fowler, CEO of Rextec, and Kim Man-jung, CEO of Direx Polymer, are performing the groundbreaking ceremony at the event held on the 1st.

[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Dae-yeol] DL Chemical and global chemical materials company Rextec's joint venture Direx Polymer announced on the 2nd that they held a groundbreaking ceremony at the Yeosu Industrial Complex. Rextec is a producer of amorphous poly alpha olefin (APAO), used as an adhesive material, and in September, they established a joint venture with DL Chemical to set up production facilities in Korea. The joint factory plans to start commercial production in the first half of 2023 with an annual capacity of 40,000 tons and sell to Asia and Europe.

APAO is a hot melt adhesive material that can be melted and bonded by heat, exhibiting excellent adhesion to plastic resins, and is widely used in hygiene products, automotive interior and exterior adhesives, and industrial product assembly. The company explained that the products made by Rextec are recognized as eco-friendly materials harmless to the human body, with fewer volatile substances and odors compared to competitors' products. It is mainly used in products sensitive to consumer safety, such as diapers and sanitary pads. Attendees at the groundbreaking ceremony included Kim Sang-woo, Vice Chairman of DL Chemical, Kim Man-jung, CEO of Direx Polymer, Nick Fowler, CEO of Rextec, and Kwon Oh-bong, Mayor of Yeosu.