Invista to expand airbag fiber production at Kingston, Ont. plant

After announcing plans to double the capacity of its Shanghai airbag fiber facility in October 2010, polymer producer Invista now plans to generate up to 4,500 tons of additional nylon airbag and industrial yarn at its production facilities in Kingston, Ont. and Gloucester, U.K.

The additional capacity, which then company says is currently needed to meet the growing global market demand, will be made available in several phases throughout January and February of 2011. 

“Invista has been supplying the airbag business since the early 1980s,” said John Barnes, global business director for Invista’s nylon industrial specialties business. “Our strategy remains the same: produce and deliver high-quality yarns for use in automotive restraints so that customers across the globe can meet the evolving needs of the industry.”

The announcement is the company’s second relating to Kingston in recent years. In 2008, Invista opened its “advanced development facility” in Kingston, designed to allowing Invista to move quickly from concept through testing to application.