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Fluor to build polysilicon plant in China
MARKET PROSPECTS
Solvay to build worldclass Epicerol plant in Thailand
Fluor to build polysilicon plant in China
S
F
olvay has decided to build a world-class plant in Map Ta Phut, Thailand for the production of epichlorohydrin on the basis of the Epicerol process, its proprietary technology with enhanced environmental performance. Pending relevant regulatory approval, the new plant is scheduled to be operational at the end of 2009, with an annual production capacity of 100 000 metric tons, enabling Solvay to provide a fast response to the rapidly growing demand for epichlorohydrin in Asia. The demand for epichlorohydrin has significantly outpaced the growth of the world economy in recent years and is currently expanding by more than 20% per annum in China. Epichlorohydrin is an essential feedstock for the production of epoxy resins, increasingly used in applications in the electronics, automotive, aerospace and windmill sectors. Epicerol is a novel process developed by Solvay, based on the transformation of glycerine, which is a renewable by-product of the biodiesel industry. After a successful start-up in April 2007, this process is under optimization in Tavaux, France, in an industrial plant fed with glycerine derived from rapeseed oil.
Evonik to build Methacrylate plant in Shanghai
E
vonik Industries has held a groundbreaking ceremony for its new integrated production plant for the manufacture of methyl methacrylates (MMA) and methacrylate specialties in the Shanghai Chemical Industry Park. 250 million will be invested in the plant. The world-scale facility is scheduled to come on stream in mid-2009 after completion of the two-year construction phase. In addition to an annual capacity of about 100 000 metric tons of MMA, the integrated MMA production includes plants for the production of methacrylic acid, butyl methacrylate, and PMMA molding compounds.
October 2007
luor Corp has been awarded a contract to provide FEED and engineering, procurement and construction-management (EPCM) services for a polysilicon plant for LDK Solar Co Ltd in Xinyu City, China. The total contract is in excess of US$1 billion. Site preparation has begun for the polysilicon production plant that will be located adjacent to LDK Solar’s existing solar wafer manufacturing facilities in Xinyu City. LDK Solar has announced plans to complete construction and reach production capacity of up to 6000 metric tons of polysilicon by the end of 2008 and 15 000 metric tons by the end of 2009.
New ion exchange resin facility in India
T
he Lanxess chemicals group is to build its new ion exchange resin plant in the Indian state of Gujarat. Construction work on the 30 million site at the new Jhagadia Chemical Park near Baroda is set to begin in the second quarter of 2008. Production is scheduled to start at the beginning of 2010. The new plant will manufacture products for industrial water treatment and the generation of ultra-pure water for the semiconductor and pharmaceutical industries. The portfolio will comprise a selection of the ion exchanger grades in Ion Exchange Resins business unit’s current product range such as anions, cations and mixed bed.
PETROCHEMICALS
Dow to expand polyols capacity in Terneuzen
D
ow Polyurethanes is going ahead with the detailed engineering phase of the name-plate capacity expansion of its polyols plant in Terneuzen, The Netherlands. The company has selected Jacobs Engineering to handle the engineering needs of the project.
Dow announced in March of this year that it had completed a feasibility study to increase polyols production at the facility by 180 kilotons per annum (KTA). Dow expects to begin work on the expansion in early 2008, with completion shortly thereafter. Raw materials for the polyols produced at the site will be sourced from the 300 KTA, joint Dow and BASF hydrogen peroxide to propylene oxide (HPPO) facility currently under construction in Antwerp, Belgium. That facility is scheduled to come online in 2008. Propylene oxide (PO) is a raw material used in the manufacture of polyols.
FOOD & BEVERAGE
DSM reorganizes nutritional products manufacturing in China
R
oyal DSM NV will restructure the manufacturing activities of DSM Nutritional Products in China and develop the Xinghuo site, Shanghai as a strategic manufacturing base for DSM. As a result of this restructuring, the Gonglu site, also located in Shanghai, will be closed. At the Xinghuo site, the production of vitamins, intermediates and Teavigo (the pure and natural green tea extract) will be expanded. Furthermore, as a strategic site Xinghuo will also host activities of Desotech, Sizings & Binders (part of DSM Resins) and the savory ingredients plant of DSM Food Specialties. The Xinghuo site will thus rapidly expand to become DSM’s largest multi-product manufacturing location in China. The R&D activities at the Gonglu site will be relocated to the new DSM China Campus, the construction of which has just started.
Carlsberg in JV to build a brewery in Southern Vietnam
C
arlsberg has entered into a joint venture with state-owned Hanoi Beer & Beverage Corp (Habeco) to build a brewery in Southern Vietnam. Carlsberg and Habeco will hold each 29%, and other external investors will hold the balance.
Pump Industry Analyst
3
Solvay to build worldclass Epicerol plant in Thailand
Fluor to build polysilicon plant in China
S
F
olvay has decided to build a world-class plant in Map Ta Phut, Thailand for the production of epichlorohydrin on the basis of the Epicerol process, its proprietary technology with enhanced environmental performance. Pending relevant regulatory approval, the new plant is scheduled to be operational at the end of 2009, with an annual production capacity of 100 000 metric tons, enabling Solvay to provide a fast response to the rapidly growing demand for epichlorohydrin in Asia. The demand for epichlorohydrin has significantly outpaced the growth of the world economy in recent years and is currently expanding by more than 20% per annum in China. Epichlorohydrin is an essential feedstock for the production of epoxy resins, increasingly used in applications in the electronics, automotive, aerospace and windmill sectors. Epicerol is a novel process developed by Solvay, based on the transformation of glycerine, which is a renewable by-product of the biodiesel industry. After a successful start-up in April 2007, this process is under optimization in Tavaux, France, in an industrial plant fed with glycerine derived from rapeseed oil.
Evonik to build Methacrylate plant in Shanghai
E
vonik Industries has held a groundbreaking ceremony for its new integrated production plant for the manufacture of methyl methacrylates (MMA) and methacrylate specialties in the Shanghai Chemical Industry Park. 250 million will be invested in the plant. The world-scale facility is scheduled to come on stream in mid-2009 after completion of the two-year construction phase. In addition to an annual capacity of about 100 000 metric tons of MMA, the integrated MMA production includes plants for the production of methacrylic acid, butyl methacrylate, and PMMA molding compounds.
October 2007
luor Corp has been awarded a contract to provide FEED and engineering, procurement and construction-management (EPCM) services for a polysilicon plant for LDK Solar Co Ltd in Xinyu City, China. The total contract is in excess of US$1 billion. Site preparation has begun for the polysilicon production plant that will be located adjacent to LDK Solar’s existing solar wafer manufacturing facilities in Xinyu City. LDK Solar has announced plans to complete construction and reach production capacity of up to 6000 metric tons of polysilicon by the end of 2008 and 15 000 metric tons by the end of 2009.
New ion exchange resin facility in India
T
he Lanxess chemicals group is to build its new ion exchange resin plant in the Indian state of Gujarat. Construction work on the 30 million site at the new Jhagadia Chemical Park near Baroda is set to begin in the second quarter of 2008. Production is scheduled to start at the beginning of 2010. The new plant will manufacture products for industrial water treatment and the generation of ultra-pure water for the semiconductor and pharmaceutical industries. The portfolio will comprise a selection of the ion exchanger grades in Ion Exchange Resins business unit’s current product range such as anions, cations and mixed bed.
PETROCHEMICALS
Dow to expand polyols capacity in Terneuzen
D
ow Polyurethanes is going ahead with the detailed engineering phase of the name-plate capacity expansion of its polyols plant in Terneuzen, The Netherlands. The company has selected Jacobs Engineering to handle the engineering needs of the project.
Dow announced in March of this year that it had completed a feasibility study to increase polyols production at the facility by 180 kilotons per annum (KTA). Dow expects to begin work on the expansion in early 2008, with completion shortly thereafter. Raw materials for the polyols produced at the site will be sourced from the 300 KTA, joint Dow and BASF hydrogen peroxide to propylene oxide (HPPO) facility currently under construction in Antwerp, Belgium. That facility is scheduled to come online in 2008. Propylene oxide (PO) is a raw material used in the manufacture of polyols.
FOOD & BEVERAGE
DSM reorganizes nutritional products manufacturing in China
R
oyal DSM NV will restructure the manufacturing activities of DSM Nutritional Products in China and develop the Xinghuo site, Shanghai as a strategic manufacturing base for DSM. As a result of this restructuring, the Gonglu site, also located in Shanghai, will be closed. At the Xinghuo site, the production of vitamins, intermediates and Teavigo (the pure and natural green tea extract) will be expanded. Furthermore, as a strategic site Xinghuo will also host activities of Desotech, Sizings & Binders (part of DSM Resins) and the savory ingredients plant of DSM Food Specialties. The Xinghuo site will thus rapidly expand to become DSM’s largest multi-product manufacturing location in China. The R&D activities at the Gonglu site will be relocated to the new DSM China Campus, the construction of which has just started.
Carlsberg in JV to build a brewery in Southern Vietnam
C
arlsberg has entered into a joint venture with state-owned Hanoi Beer & Beverage Corp (Habeco) to build a brewery in Southern Vietnam. Carlsberg and Habeco will hold each 29%, and other external investors will hold the balance.
Pump Industry Analyst
3