Premix Expands to U.S. with Automated Compounding Plant

Finnish firm opens state-of-the-art facility in North Carolina to produce polyolefin-based conductive polymers

Published on Mar. 2, 2026

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Premix, a family-owned Finnish company with a long history of providing conductive polymers, has opened a new automated compounding plant in Dallas, North Carolina. The $80 million facility, funded in part by a U.S. government grant, will produce a wide range of polyethylene (PE)- and polypropylene (PP)-based conductive compounds for industries like aerospace, automotive, and healthcare. The plant features advanced automation, including Coperion-supplied twin-screw extruders, blenders, and material handling systems, as well as an AI-powered R&D platform called PERTTI 3.0 that can rapidly generate and test new formulations.

Why it matters

The new Premix plant in North Carolina aims to bolster U.S. supply of critical conductive polymer materials, particularly for the production of laboratory pipettes, which saw a surge in demand during the COVID-19 pandemic. The highly automated facility allows Premix to scale up production and serve a wider range of industries in the U.S. market.

The details

Premix previously served the U.S. from its factory in Finland, but the company received an $80 million grant from the U.S. government to build the new plant in North Carolina due to its status as a key supplier of compounds for pipette production. The plant features two Coperion-designed extrusion lines with ZSK twin-screws, Combiflow blenders, and automated material handling systems to reduce manual labor and ensure consistent quality. Premix also utilizes an AI-powered R&D platform called PERTTI 3.0 that can rapidly generate and test new formulations, cutting development time from months to days.

  • Premix broke ground on the new plant in 2023.
  • Premix brought in Coperion in 2022 to design and engineer the extrusion lines.
  • Premix's new facility in North Carolina began operating in June 2026.

The players

Premix

A family-owned Finnish firm that has been providing conductive polymers for about 45 years and has now expanded its global footprint by opening a state-of-the-art compounding plant in North Carolina.

Jyrki Taiminen

The general manager of Premix USA, overseeing the company's new operations in North Carolina.

Coperion

The company that supplied the twin-screw extruders, material handling systems, and other equipment for Premix's new automated compounding plant.

Ashwin Bhat

The engineering director at Coperion who worked with Premix to design and engineer the equipment for the new facility.

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What they’re saying

“The whole world was fighting for the scarce supply of pipette materials. We were able to able supply material with a delivery accuracy of about 98%. We more than doubled the business in this area, and as a result we got good word of mouth as a premier supplier.”

— Jyrki Taiminen, General Manager, Premix USA

“Time will tell how we expand and where we expand, but conductive compounds based on polyolefins are the base of the business now. Our factory is highly automated, and that lends itself to running large volumes.”

— Jyrki Taiminen, General Manager, Premix USA

What’s next

As Premix scales operations in the U.S., the company plans to leverage its AI-powered PERTTI 3.0 platform to rapidly generate and test new formulations tailored to regional raw materials and regulatory requirements.

The takeaway

Premix's new automated compounding plant in North Carolina represents a strategic investment to bolster U.S. supply of critical conductive polymer materials, particularly for the production of laboratory equipment like pipettes. The facility's advanced automation and AI-driven R&D capabilities position Premix to serve a wider range of industries in the U.S. market.