ENVALIOR

Company Overview

DSM (formerly Dutch State Mines and now more officially known as Koninklijke DSM N.V.) is a major European chemical and polymers company; it had worldwide sales of $10 billion in 2021. It also is active in specialty polymers and films in the U.S. and grew in 1992 with the acquisition of Akzo Nobel’s engineering resins, primarily nylons and polyesters. The company has about 23,000 employees.

DSM’s businesses are grouped into three clusters: Health, Nutrition, and Materials. The products of interest here are in its Materials cluster. Packaging resins are sold in the U.S. by its Engineering Plastics unit.

DSM offers several performance polymers, mostly for molded and machined parts, and not barrier packaging films. It works with, and offers resins of its own manufacture, such as nylon and acetals, and those of others.

Nylon film is the product of interest to this study. DSM entered the nylon film market in North America in 1998 with the introduction of its Akulon XS nylon 6 and 66 barrier films. Another nylon 6 and 66 line is called Novamid, also promoted for barrier films; Novamid nylons were acquired from Mitsubishi Gas Chemical in 2010 (see MGC’s profile later in this chapter).

Also of interest are its Arnitel brand of copolyester-based breathable vapor-transmissible films used in garments, medical applications, roof membranes, and special food packaging. Another newer product line is its EcoPaXX brand of nylon 4,10 resins and films with 70% of its materials coming from castor beans and therefore 70% bioplastic. DSM claims the EcoPaXX films have “far better” moisture resistance than conventional nylons 6 or 6,6.

Company's Business Segments

• Engineering Materials : This segment provides products and services to develop new materials, their applications, product design, material processing, and part testing.