FACT Future Advanced Composites Technology GmbH (FACT), based in Kaiserslautern, Germany, employs around 60 people. The company specialises in the production of long fibre reinforced thermoplastic (LFT) composites for processing by injection moulding, extrusion, compression moulding and blow moulding.
The acquisition supports Celanese's Ticona Engineering Polymers by building on Ticona’s LFT process technology and broadening its product range.
Ticona's Celstran® long fibre reinforced thermoplastics (LFT) are produced by pultrusion technology and are used in applications including tool housings, luggage racks, fan shrouds, and gears.
“This acquisition will grow the company’s Celstran product line, expand industry coverage, and combine the development capabilities of the two companies to satisfy increasing customer demands in the automotive industry and in general industrial applications,” explains Roeland Polet, vice president, Ticona.
FACT will become part of the newly established Celstran GmbH and be managed under the umbrella of the Ticona organisation. The existing Celstran production that employs about 25 people in Kelsterbach will be relocated to Kaiserslautern by mid-2011. By consolidating the two existing LFT production facilities at Kaiserslautern, Ticona expects to realise technological and production engineering synergies.
Ticona’s production site in Kelsterbach will be closed in mid-2011 in order to make room for the expansion of Frankfurt Airport.
Prior to its acquisition by Celanese, FACT was a subsidiary of the Ravago Group of Belgium.
Financial details of the transaction have not been disclosed.
Ticona, the technical polymers business of the Celanese Corporation, produces and markets a broad range of engineering polymers and generated sales of US$1.06 billion in the 2008 business year. The company has approximately 2000 employees worldwide and operates production, compounding and research facilities in the USA, Germany, Brazil and China.
