German specialty chemicals producer Lanxess is spending €5 million on a 25% capacity expansion its Macrolex-brand dyes at its Leverkusen site. The upgrade is expected to be completed by the end of this year.

The company said the investment is in response to a “significant” rise in demand for high quality dyes. Much of thid increase is being seen in Asia, said Philipp Junge, head of Lanxess’s Rhein Chemie business unit.

The soluble, organic dyes of are used primarily to color high-quality plastic products such as polystyrene (PS), polycarbonate (PC), acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) and polyethylene terephthalate (PET).

Dominik Risse, who is responsible for the colorant additives business at the Cologne-based company, added that stricter regulatory requirements also play a role. Especially in sensitive areas of application, particularly pure products, for which Lanxess claims market leader leadership more and more of the dyes are needed.

Risse said the capacity expansion also represents “a clear commitment to the Leverkusen site, where, along with capacity, jobs are being added.