INVISTA, a producer of spandex and other apparel fibers, fabric treatment and fabric technologies, expanded its spandex venture plant in Foshan, China. The plant will add approximately 12.5 kilotons of spandex production, raising total annual capacity to 24.5 kilotons.
With a total investment of more than $227 million, the venture between INVISTA and Foshan Plastics Group Co., Ltd remains the largest foreign investment ever in Guangdongs fiber industry. The plant now operates four production lines producing spandex fibers for multiple textile processing applications.
"China has become the largest spandex-consuming country in the world," explained David Trerotola, president of INVISTA Apparel.
As one of the largest spandex plants in the world, the venture site utilizes world-class production technology and strives to achieve safety, health and environmental excellence in operations, the company explained. To date, the Foshan expansion project and site operations teams have achieved more than 4.5 million safe work hours with no incidents. In addition, it has received the "Safety Manufacturing and Fire-fighting Excellence Award" from the Xinan Town of Sanshui District, Foshan government for four consecutive years since 2007.
The company will set up a China Textile Research Center in Qingpu district of Shanghai to support the development and commercialization of new fiber, fabric and garment innovations. It is expected to commence operations in the middle of 2012.
In China, INVISTA also operates manufacturing plants and ventures in Qingpu district of Shanghai and Liangyungang of Jiangsu province. The company is expanding its airbag fiber plant in Qingpu, and is moving forward with engineering for construction of a nylon intermediates and polymer facility in Shanghai.
