Lanxess is to double the capacity of its membrane production facility in the city of Bitterfeld, Germany next year.

The specialty chemicals company has invested EUR 40 million ($45 million) in the Bitterfeld site over the past five years, and has now reached the limit of its current producing capacity. It is one of only two suppliers worldwide offering both ion exchange resin and reverse osmosis elements.

“The Lewabrane has established a firm place in the market, on account of its high quality and performance properties, which both we and our customers expect from ‘made in Germany’ products,” said Lanxess head of liquid purification technology, Jean-Marc Vesselle.

In Q4 2016, the company will add to its portfolio new energy saving membrane elements specially for use in producing drinking water.

Celebrating five years of production in Bitterfeld, Vesselle said: “In 2011 — before the membrane plant — we had 100 employees in Bitterfeld. That number has now grown to 160, and will continue to increase.”