The Spanish company Morchem announced that it has invested more than EUR 25 million to build one of the worlds most advanced and automatised polyurethane and polyester plants in Guadalajara, Spain. The facility was set up in only 16 months after the laying of the foundation stone in November 2018 and started production at the end of April 2020. The company now operates two plants in the country: One in Las Franquesas del Valles manufacturing polyurethane and polyester products, as well as for the scaling of new developments, and the other one in Guadalajara where high volume products will be manufactured with a very high degree of automation.
According to Morchem, the new factory has been designed and built applying advanced production and control technology know how, with fully automated facilities, prioritising process and personnel safety, environmental protection, product quality and process efficiency, such as reduced energy and water consumption as well as waste reduction during the production process. “This was a decision to be taken to support our increasing internationalisation and to assure our business continuity plan”, explained Helmut Schaeidt, CEO of Morchem.
The plant is located on a 30,000 m2 plot and is said to be one of the most innovative polyurethane and polyester production plants in Europe, including installations and facilities such as:
- A production tower incorporating fully automated lines according to the industry 4.0 concept
- R+D lab, quality lab, application lab
- A warehouse for safety and efficient storage
- Production back up for all Morchem locations
- IT back-up for all Morchem locations
- According to most strict environmental protection
- An advanced fire protection system ensuring highest safety for the team and the installations.
The company said it decided to build the new plant in Guadalajara because of its fast international direct access through Madrid Airport and its logistic location having fast track by train to the Atlantic and Mediterranean harbours of Spain.
Founded in 1985 in Las Franquesas (Barcelona, Spain), Morchem is a family company whose origins lie in the polyurethane technology applied to adhesives and coatings for several markets, such as flexible packaging, textile and flat lamination, thermoplastic polyurethanes for printing inks, and other technical applications. The company exports more than 80 % of its production worldwide. In order to offer technical and logistic support to customers, Morchem has established since 2010 affiliate companies in Germany, USA, UAE, China and India, where production takes place locally.