Fibrant Shuts Down Caprolactam Production Facility in Geleen Netherlands Owned by China's Hengshen Group

On March 3, 2026, a spokesperson for Fibrant announced that the company had shut down its caprolactam plant in Geleen, the Netherlands. This move will take approximately 135,000 metric tons per year of caprolactam capacity offline in Europe.

The factory produces caprolactam using the phenol route and also produces ammonium sulfate as a by-product.

Fibrant first announced in a statement released on October 21, 2025, that it would close its caprolactam plant in Heerlen, with the initial plan being a permanent closure.

This shutdown is due to the ongoing economic difficulties faced by European caprolactam producers, who are under increasing pressure from rising ammonia and energy costs.

These factors have significantly compressed operating margins, making it increasingly difficult for regional producers to remain competitive.

Fibrant stated that extremely low demand and uncompetitive production costs were the main reasons for the plant closure.

The Heerenveen plant in the Netherlands is currently on standby and can be restarted if market conditions improve.

The speaker stated that European companies have long struggled to compete with Asian producers, who benefit from lower raw material costs and, in many cases, receive state subsidies, further reducing their production costs.

Industry insiders emphasize that these structural advantages enable Asian suppliers to remain profitable, while their European counterparts face ongoing financial difficulties.

According to Fibrant's official website, the company was founded in 1952 with the establishment of its first caprolactam production plant in the Netherlands. Today, Fibrant is part of China's Hengshen Group, which has become the world's largest producer of caprolactam and ammonium sulfate, with production facilities located in the Netherlands and China (Fujian and Nanjing).

Fibrant is headquartered in the Netherlands' chemical hub and is committed to becoming an undisputed market leader in the caprolactam, cyclohexanone, and ammonium sulfate sectors. Through its significant business partners, Fibrant serves the majority of areas in the textile, automotive, food packaging, and agriculture value chains. All of these depend on Fibrant's high-quality and sustainable products.

The company's factories in China will continue to export caprolactam and related products to Europe to meet contract and spot demand. The product portfolio of China Hengshen Group also includes nylon 6, nylon 66, and cyclohexanone, which are also supplied to the European market.