Niche Polymer Acquires LyondellBasell Assets to Achieve Business Expansion

Niche Polymer has acquired four U.S. resin powder plants from LyondellBasell Industries for an undisclosed amount. The company has established a new business unit, Specialty Powders LLC, to manage the expanded powder manufacturing operations.

This strategic acquisition expands Niche Polymer's production layout and product portfolio in the specialty powder sector, headquartered in Ravenswood, West Virginia. The company, previously known for its custom composite business in thermoplastic engineering resins, will now leverage LyondellBasell's mature powder technology—capable of precise particle size control and customized formulations—to deliver stable, high-performance products.

This acquisition took place during LyondellBasell's large-scale strategic restructuring. In June 2025, LyondellBasell sold part of its European olefins and polyolefins assets to Aequita, a transaction that included the transfer of specific European olefins and polyolefins assets and related businesses.

Shreyas Naik, President of Niche Polymer, revealed to PlasticsToday that the four powder plants acquired are located in China, Texas; Grand Junction, Tennessee; East Chicago, Indiana; and Allentown, Pennsylvania. He noted that these four plants currently employ about 200 people and operate 60 production lines.

"The specialty powders division will enrich Niche Polymer's polymer processing business portfolio," he stated, "By integrating our existing contract manufacturing business, this division will strengthen the company's contract manufacturing segment, making us the largest polymer contract processor in the United States."

Naik explained that Westchester Plastics is part of the company’s contract compounding business.

"We acquired the business from Ametek Westchester in 2020," he stated, "It is located in Nesquehoning, Pennsylvania, with an annual capacity of 150 million pounds."

Polymer Alliance Services is another contract manufacturing facility of the company, located in Washington, West Virginia.

"This factory, covering an area of 400,000 square feet, is designed specifically to serve large resin manufacturers," he added.

Naik also emphasized that Niche Polymer has a clear plan for the newly established Specialty Powder LLC.

"The specialty powder business is an excellent complement to our existing contract manufacturing division and will further enhance Niche Polymer's broad capabilities in the field of polymer processing," he said.

Niche Polymer currently operates plants in Ravenswood and Washington, West Virginia; Nesquehoning, Pennsylvania; and Killen, Alabama. This acquisition is highly aligned with the company’s expansion strategy—it plans to open an 80,000-square-foot plant in Muscle Shoals, Alabama later this year, focusing on the soft polymer business.