DuPont Manufacturing Facility Expansions Bolster MOLYKOTE® Specialty Lubricants Production
To address the growing market for autonomous and electric vehicles, as well as to meet regulatory requirements and sustainability needs for automotive and industrial applications, DuPont has invested substantially in MOLYKOTE® manufacturing facilities to ensure continuing global capacity and a cost-effective supply chain for the production of high-quality, high-performance lubrication products. These investments have enabled expansions of the company’s MOLYKOTE® Specialty Lubricants manufacturing facilities in Berkeley County, South Carolina, and Chiba, Japan.
Coupled with extensive tribology and material science expertise, the newly expanded production capacity reinforces DuPont’s capability for market growth in automotive, electronics, food and beverage, healthcare, heavy industry, and renewable energy and position the company for geographic expansion.
The production sites, which feature state-of-the-art control systems for improved capacity and reliability, also benefit from transfers of equipment and experienced personnel from former MOLYKOTE® manufacturing sites.
DuPont’s Cooper River site – located in Berkeley County, South Carolina – is home to DuPont™ Hytrel® Thermoplastic Elastomers operations and has been expanded to include manufacturing of MOLYKOTE® Specialty Lubricants.
“Expansion of the site has created tremendous economic growth and opportunities for DuPont and the Tri-County region,” said Bill Alexander, Cooper River site leader and unit leader for DuPont’s MOLYKOTE®, Hytrel™ and Liveo™ brands. “We are excited to be in an exceptional position to better service our customers and provide solutions to their lubrication challenges.”
In addition to its new investments in its facilities, DuPont has supported the Cooper River community with both ongoing volunteer efforts and a donation of property for a much-needed parking area for the Cypress Gardens boat landing and botanical preserve.
The MOLYKOTE® plant in Chiba, Japan, operates as part of DuPont Toray Specialty Materials (DTSM) within the Chiba Toray site, where DTSM manufactures a wide range of materials, including specialty silicones for electronics.
“At the Chiba site, our manufacturing supports customers around the globe, including those in critical industrial and automotive markets,” said Toki Terukazu, Chiba operations leader. “Demand is strong, and sales volume is increasing.”
Reflecting DuPont’s environmental stewardship efforts, Chiba site employees are actively involved in community volunteering, especially contributing through local efforts for ocean cleanup.
