Evonik plans to increase production capabilities for Polyalkylmethacrylate (PAMA)-based viscosity modifiers to meet rising demand, according a company press release. The plan includes plant expansion projects and debottlenecking operations.
“Increasing our production capacity shows our commitment to providing the lubricants industry with technology that significantly contributes to efficiency gains for our customers serving the automotive and industrial markets,” said Doris Schmidt, Senior Vice President of Oil Additives Business Line at Evonik Resource Efficiency Segment, in the company release. 
Evonik has plants in Europe (Darmstadt and Weiterstadt, Germany; Lauterbourg, France), Asia (Singapore; Shanghai, China), and North America (Mobile, AL; Houston, TX; Morrisburg, Ontario). The projects plan to expand the company’s annual PAMA capacity by 15%, with half of this capacity increase already realized, according to the company release, and the remainder ischeduled for completion in 2021. The expanded production capacity is associated with Evonik’s efforts to consistently grow its oil additives business for specialty applications.
Evonik’s DRIVON™ and NUFLUX™ technologies aim to improve fuel and energy efficiency in engine oils, driveline fluids, and gear oils. Industrial and off-highway equipment may achieve fuel and energy savings and increased productivity with DYNAVIS® technology for hydraulic fluids.
The company’s oil additives business also specializes in high-performance additives and technologies for fuels and refinery products. According to the company website, Evonik’s VISCOPLEX® Cold Flow Improvers (CFIs) provide outstanding flow properties for biofuels. VISCOPLEX® Crude Oil Paraffin Inhibitors (COPIs) maintain oil flow by modifying the size and shape of the wax crystals within the oil, dispersing them and preventing them from adhering to pipeline or transporting vessel surfaces.
