Arclin injects millions into Asturias plant to scale global Nomex paper production

Aggressive expansion in high-performance materials

Arclin is moving aggressively to consolidate its position in the high-performance specialty paper market. Just months after acquiring the Nomex business in April 2026, the materials science company has confirmed a multimillion-dollar investment to expand floc and paper production capacity at its facility in Asturias, Spain.

This is not a standard capacity bump. The Asturias plant will be upgraded to include dedicated Nomex paper production capabilities, elevating it to become one of only four facilities in Arclin’s global manufacturing network for this highly specialized substrate. The move represents a significant industrial upgrade for the Spanish site and a strategic realignment of Arclin's European supply chain.

Tight timelines and record volumes

The execution timeline is tight but clearly defined. Construction at the Spanish site is scheduled to run through the end of 2027, with full operational commissioning targeted for early 2028. This expansion comes at a critical moment for the specialty paper sector, where Arclin reports it is already delivering record volumes in 2026 and anticipates further supply growth next year.

The demand curve for Nomex paper is being driven by sectors that require extreme thermal and electrical insulation properties. Aerospace, electrical infrastructure, defense, and the rapidly scaling electric vehicle (EV) markets are consuming these advanced materials at an unprecedented rate. By localizing more production in Europe, Arclin is directly addressing supply chain resilience for these critical industries, reducing reliance on extended global shipping routes for sensitive technical materials.

The divergence of the paper industry

For the broader paper and converting industry, this move highlights the growing divergence between traditional graphic or packaging grades and highly engineered technical papers. While conventional markets frequently face overcapacity and margin pressure, the specialty segment—particularly materials tied to electrification, power generation, and advanced mobility—continues to attract heavy capital expenditure.

The Asturias expansion signals that Arclin intends to dominate this high-margin niche long into the next decade, leveraging its recent acquisition to build a robust, multi-node global manufacturing footprint capable of absorbing the industrial shocks of the future.