Royal DSM N.V. will expand production capacity of the ultra strong polyethylene fiber, "Dyneema", with investment of up to $450 million in the next couple of years. With brisk demand in the US, Dyneema's sales have grown by 15% per year in recent years.

This investment is expected to involve several phases of implementation, and the first expansion is scheduled to be operational in 2009. The majority of the investment is likely to be in the US.

The demand for ultra strong fiber has been expanding globally, and DuPont had already announced its plans to expand facilities for its Para-aramid fiber "Kevlar" with an investment of $500 million.