DAK Americas (DAK) is increasing its Polyester Staple Fiber (PSF) capacity 230 million lbs/year to meet growing demand in the Americas. The new fiber capacity will be installed at DAK’s Pearl River Site in Bay St. Louis, MS, with project start- up in the second half of 2016.
 
“DAK is proud to expand its trade leading fiber offerings for low, mid, and high tenacity fibers engineered for textile and nonwoven applications,” says Mark Ruday, vice president, DAK Americas Fibers Business Unit. Production will focus on lower denier (< 3.0 denier) fibers, but will have the capability to produce fiber products from 0.9 to 9.0 denier.
 
“DAK’s ability to utilize considerable infrastructure currently in place at its Pearl River Site, provides us with a unique opportunity to grow our fiber capacity and meet customer demand with a very competitive investment,” states Jorge Young, DAK president and CEO. Furthermore, “the new fiber facility at the Pearl River Site geographically strengthens DAK’s ability to supply PSF across the Americas with a second U.S. fiber manufacturing location and places DAK in a good position to service the growing Mexico fiber market.”
 
The project will create 86 new full time positions including operations, maintenance, technical and management roles on-site. DAK recently completed a PSF expansion (announced Oct. 2014) at DAK’s facility near Charleston, SC, adding 27 Million lbs/year of PSF capacity. Upon completion of the Pearl River Site Fibers expansion, DAK’s total PSF sales capacity in NAFTA will be ~700 million lbs/yr. The Pearl River Site will continue to produce high quality Laser +PET Resins in support of customers in the region.