Overview
The Dordrecht, Netherlands, plant is the oldest and principal plant of Du Pont de Nemours (Nederland) N.V., a wholly owned subsidiary established in 1959. It was DuPont’s second plant on the continent, beginning production of Orlon® in December 1961. At first DuPont Nederland supplemented its Orlon® sales by distributing DuPont products shipped in from across the Atlantic, but rapid expansion aimed at reducing dependence on imports followed. During the 1960s and 1970s Orlon® production was stepped up, with the company introducing new and superior varieties. Nevertheless, DuPont was forced to close the Dordrecht Orlon® facilities in 1978 after the world market for acrylics had become saturated.
By then Dordrecht’s manufacturing capacity had been dedicated to newer products and markets. A finishing and coloring plant for Delrin® acetal resin opened in early 1963 followed a year later by a Lycra® elastane plant. Teflon® production began in 1966 and a fluorocarbon resin unit opened in 1967. With the opening of a HCFC-0124 and HFC-134 plant in 1992, Dordrecht helped lead the switch from production of chlorofluorocarbons to alternative hydrochlorofluorocarbons and hydrofluorocarbons. The opening of Dordrecht’s Orlon® and Lycra® plants were well timed to capitalize on a rapidly growing European textile fiber market. But the diversity of its production has kept it a leader in DuPont’s European operations. Today the plant manufactures products including Delrin® resins, Viton® high-performance elastomers, and Terathane® glycols.
The Lycra® and Terathane® trademarks and their products were divested as part of the INVISTA™ separation in April, 2004.
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