Röhm (Darmstadt, Germany) says it is extending the shutdown of several methyl methacrylate (MMA) monomer plants at its production site in Worms, Germany, due to low market demand in Europe.

The company says the shutdown has been extended into November because of the demand downturn. The plants at Worms were previously scheduled for a maintenance turnaround lasting from 28 September to 31 October. Röhm says it remains a “reliable and committed” producer of methacrylates in Europe, with “two strong production sites in Worms and Wesseling.” In September, Röhm announced an increase in prices for its polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) compounds in the EMEA region, effective 1 October.

Röhm recently announced the start of construction, in partnership with OQ Chemicals, of a previously announced new 250,000-metric tons/year MMA plant at Bay City, Texas, as part of its global strategic expansion of MMA production capacity. MMA is used in the production of PMMA compounds. The company is already under way with the expansion of a PMMA production plant at Worms, and in July announced it would expand capacity at its PMMA plant in Shanghai, China. Röhm has previously said it is increasing MMA and PMMA capacities to meet projected high demand from the automotive industry in particular.

The company is also increasing its production capacities for methacrylate bead polymers by about 25%, with expansion of an existing plant at Wesseling scheduled to be completed in the fourth quarter of 2024.