Covestro plans to cut Antwerp polycarbonate lines and end local BPA output

Covestro NV intends to consolidate its polycarbonate production at Antwerp from four lines to one and discontinue local Bisphenol-A (BPA) production, affecting up to 260 of roughly 970 site employees. The remaining line would focus on higher-value specialty grades such as heat-resistant APEC, while the previously announced aniline unit investment continues as planned. A formal employee consultation has started, and no final decision will be taken before it concludes.

Key facts

Market context

Polycarbonate is a tough, transparent engineering thermoplastic used in automotive glazing and lighting, electronics housings, construction sheet and glazing, and medical and consumer goods. It is typically made from bisphenol-A, so BPA capacity is tightly linked to polycarbonate economics. Demand in Europe has been shaped by automotive and building activity, while much of the global supply growth has come from Asia, where new capacity has been built in recent years. When a producer closes lines and in-house BPA, the region typically becomes more reliant on imports for both intermediates and finished resin, which can tighten local balances and shift price-setting toward import parity. Specialty grades such as heat-resistant APEC copolymers command premiums over commodity resin, so a move toward higher-value products can change the competitive mix. Aniline, a separate building block used in polyurethanes, is a related product at the same site.

Source: official release on covestro.com. Summary and context written by Market Krystal.