At the headquarter Sissach of toll compounder Polycompound AG new production, office and warehouse capacities – as well as a new technical centre – are being created. The company said that the expansion is a critical development step for the company, which has constantly grown during its over 30 years of existence.
The industrial hall directly adjacent to the current office premises has been dismantled to make room for something new. In 1988, Polycompound AG was founded by four former employees of the Swiss continuous kneader manufacturer, Buss. The business got off the ground in a warehouse of Hans Nebiker AG, a local trading company. After the first MDK-100 Buss line, the machinery was expanded within a year to include another MDK-140 Buss production line as well as an MDK-46 Buss pilot plant. After additional expansion stages and the installation of two other production lines, the increasing scarcity of space was addressed with the construction of new production and storage facilities in 1997. In time for the 10-year company anniversary, Polycompound operated six pilot and production plants and the production capacity rose to over 5,000 tonnes per year. In 2007, another development step followed with the procurement of new lines and extruders, with the result that the annual production increased to over 9,000 tonnes. In 2014, the pilot and small production lines were reorganised and the last new purchase of a continuous kneader to date was made.
Before implementing the current expansion, Polycompound was operating seven continuous kneader systems, which are enough to produce the smallest amounts up to more than 1,500 kg/h.
The current expansion is the most notable investment by the company in the future. After taking over the respective part of the building from Hans Nebiker AG and the planning phase, it was possible to implement the construction project in the second quarter of 2021. The shell is expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2022 and put into operation in the third quarter of 2022.
The investment in a new production line from the company X-Compound will also contribute to expanding the capacities. In addition to production, a modern office complex on two floors as well as a modern technical centre are being built. After completing the new construction, additional updates will gradually take place during ongoing operation.
At the same time as the building adjacent to Polycompound AG, another building owned by Hans Nebiker AG will also be dismantled and rebuilt. After it is complete, Polycompound AG will be able to rent additional storage space in that property.
About Polycompound
Polycompound AG from Sissach, Switzerland produces tailor-made special and standard compounds to order for its international customers. The company does not have its own product portfolio, but rather only produces products according to customer recipes while complying with the strictest secrecy – from small scale production at kilogramme scale to hundreds of tonnes. Annual production is 8,000 – 12,000 tonnes per year. The company was founded in 1988 and today employs around 70 workers.