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Solvay reinforces its presence in China
MARKET PROSPECTS
CHEMICALS
BASF builds production capability
B
ASF has inaugurated two new manufacturing plants at its site in Freeport, Texas – a production line for polyamide 6 and a plant for superabsorbent polymers (SAP). The polyamide production line replaces a facility in Enka, North Carolina. The new line has an annual capacity of 120 000 metric tons per year. The new SAP plant has a capacity of 180 000 metric tons per year and replaces existing facilities in Aberdeen, Mississippi and Portsmouth, Virginia. BASF will expand its plant for low molecular weight, highly reactive polyisobutene, which is marketed under the Glissopal trademark, at its site in Antwerp, Belgium. BASF will increase its capacity for Glissopal in Antwerp by 25 000 tonnes to 100 000 tonnes per year. The start up of the expanded capacity is planned for March 2008. BASF Coatings is expanding its production and laboratory capacities for the manufacture of eco-efficient waterborne coatings at its Würzburg site. This is in response to growing demand in the European and Asian markets, especially from the automotive industry. In Münster-Hiltrup, BASF Coatings is also investing in the construction of a new polyurethane reactor to produce resins for the manufacture of waterborne coatings. The combined 29 million investment is one of the largest in the company’s history. The mothballed BASF plant for the manufacture of tetrahydrofuran (THF) at the Caojing site near Shanghai, China, is ready to go back on stream. The plant is now equipped with a new production unit enabling the alternative use of butane diol as a raw material for THF production in addition to butane.
Bayer to build worldscale polymer polyols plant
B
ayer MaterialScience is planning to build a world-scale plant for the manufacture of polymer-filled polyether polyols (PMPO) at its Antwerp site in Belgium. The 40 million plant will have an annual capacity of 60 000 tons and is scheduled
November 2007
PIAnov07_p01_09.indd 3
for commissioning in late 2008. Bayer MaterialScience already manufactures polyether polyols, one of the starting materials for polymer polyols, at the Antwerp site.
Solvay reinforces its presence in China
S
olvay Solexis, a 100% subsidiary of the Solvay Group, has confirmed that its new polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) micronized powder plant currently under construction in Changshu, China, will be operational in the first quarter of 2008. Solvay Solexis has also confirmed its intention to further develop its activities on the site, where it is considering producing other high value added fluorinated polymers. The new PTFE plant is located in the Jiangsu High-Tech Fluorochemical Industrial Park in Changshu, 100 kms west of Shanghai. Among the subsequent development projects considered in Changshu, Solvay Solexis is planning to build an integrated production plant for the manufacturing of polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) for coating applications and related monomers.
Evonik to increase alkoxide capacity
E
vonik Industries AG will build an alkoxide production facility at its Mobile, Alabama, site in the USA. The plant, designed for a capacity of 60 000 metric tons, is expected to come on stream in early 2009 and will supply customers throughout the NAFTA region. A second facility in Brazil is scheduled to start operation in 2010 and will supply the entire South American continent.
and results in the closure of two sites (Texarkana, Arkansas and Tracy, California). Both facilities produce rigid polyiso foam insulation for general insulation applications, such as walls and roofing.
DSM invests in capacity increases
R
oyal DSM NV has decided to invest in capacity expansion and modernization of the caprolactam plant at the Chemelot Industrial Park in Geleen, the Netherlands. This 25 million investment will allow DSM to gradually expand the capacity of the plant according to market demands. Caprolactam is the key raw material for Nylon-6, a highly versatile material that is used to make not only textile, carpet and technical fibres, but also engineering plastics and packaging films. Nylon-6 is found in numerous applications ranging from conveyor belts, parachutes and lingerie to automotive air-inlets and packaging for fresh food products. DSM will also invest to expand Dyneema UD (UniDirectional bullet resistant sheet) production by 25% in its Greenville, North Carolina, USA manufacturing facility. The investment is driven by the increasing demand for Dyneema UD in the US market for personal and especially vehicle security and protection against terrorism. Production in Greenville has a strong focus on supplying the US army and law enforcement agencies. The new line is expected to come on stream in mid 2008.
Expansion for aromatics plant
E Dow reorganises polyisocyanurate production
D
ow Building Solutions will reconfigure its polyisocyanurate (polyiso) assets in North America. The reconfiguration positions two sites (Charleston, Illinois and Pennsauken, New Jersey) for growth and technology upgrades;
xxonMobil Chemical is expanding its Rotterdam Aromatics Plant, making this world-scale plant ExxonMobil’s largest paraxylene production facility, increasing its paraxylene production capacity by 25% and benzene production capacity by 20%. The new unit will employ ExxonMobil’s proprietary PxMax technology to produce paraxylene and benzene. The PxMax process improves selectivity, generates less waste and reduces energy requirements versus existing technologies.
Pump Industry Analyst
3
19/11/2007 10:28:16
CHEMICALS
BASF builds production capability
B
ASF has inaugurated two new manufacturing plants at its site in Freeport, Texas – a production line for polyamide 6 and a plant for superabsorbent polymers (SAP). The polyamide production line replaces a facility in Enka, North Carolina. The new line has an annual capacity of 120 000 metric tons per year. The new SAP plant has a capacity of 180 000 metric tons per year and replaces existing facilities in Aberdeen, Mississippi and Portsmouth, Virginia. BASF will expand its plant for low molecular weight, highly reactive polyisobutene, which is marketed under the Glissopal trademark, at its site in Antwerp, Belgium. BASF will increase its capacity for Glissopal in Antwerp by 25 000 tonnes to 100 000 tonnes per year. The start up of the expanded capacity is planned for March 2008. BASF Coatings is expanding its production and laboratory capacities for the manufacture of eco-efficient waterborne coatings at its Würzburg site. This is in response to growing demand in the European and Asian markets, especially from the automotive industry. In Münster-Hiltrup, BASF Coatings is also investing in the construction of a new polyurethane reactor to produce resins for the manufacture of waterborne coatings. The combined 29 million investment is one of the largest in the company’s history. The mothballed BASF plant for the manufacture of tetrahydrofuran (THF) at the Caojing site near Shanghai, China, is ready to go back on stream. The plant is now equipped with a new production unit enabling the alternative use of butane diol as a raw material for THF production in addition to butane.
Bayer to build worldscale polymer polyols plant
B
ayer MaterialScience is planning to build a world-scale plant for the manufacture of polymer-filled polyether polyols (PMPO) at its Antwerp site in Belgium. The 40 million plant will have an annual capacity of 60 000 tons and is scheduled
November 2007
PIAnov07_p01_09.indd 3
for commissioning in late 2008. Bayer MaterialScience already manufactures polyether polyols, one of the starting materials for polymer polyols, at the Antwerp site.
Solvay reinforces its presence in China
S
olvay Solexis, a 100% subsidiary of the Solvay Group, has confirmed that its new polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) micronized powder plant currently under construction in Changshu, China, will be operational in the first quarter of 2008. Solvay Solexis has also confirmed its intention to further develop its activities on the site, where it is considering producing other high value added fluorinated polymers. The new PTFE plant is located in the Jiangsu High-Tech Fluorochemical Industrial Park in Changshu, 100 kms west of Shanghai. Among the subsequent development projects considered in Changshu, Solvay Solexis is planning to build an integrated production plant for the manufacturing of polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) for coating applications and related monomers.
Evonik to increase alkoxide capacity
E
vonik Industries AG will build an alkoxide production facility at its Mobile, Alabama, site in the USA. The plant, designed for a capacity of 60 000 metric tons, is expected to come on stream in early 2009 and will supply customers throughout the NAFTA region. A second facility in Brazil is scheduled to start operation in 2010 and will supply the entire South American continent.
and results in the closure of two sites (Texarkana, Arkansas and Tracy, California). Both facilities produce rigid polyiso foam insulation for general insulation applications, such as walls and roofing.
DSM invests in capacity increases
R
oyal DSM NV has decided to invest in capacity expansion and modernization of the caprolactam plant at the Chemelot Industrial Park in Geleen, the Netherlands. This 25 million investment will allow DSM to gradually expand the capacity of the plant according to market demands. Caprolactam is the key raw material for Nylon-6, a highly versatile material that is used to make not only textile, carpet and technical fibres, but also engineering plastics and packaging films. Nylon-6 is found in numerous applications ranging from conveyor belts, parachutes and lingerie to automotive air-inlets and packaging for fresh food products. DSM will also invest to expand Dyneema UD (UniDirectional bullet resistant sheet) production by 25% in its Greenville, North Carolina, USA manufacturing facility. The investment is driven by the increasing demand for Dyneema UD in the US market for personal and especially vehicle security and protection against terrorism. Production in Greenville has a strong focus on supplying the US army and law enforcement agencies. The new line is expected to come on stream in mid 2008.
Expansion for aromatics plant
E Dow reorganises polyisocyanurate production
D
ow Building Solutions will reconfigure its polyisocyanurate (polyiso) assets in North America. The reconfiguration positions two sites (Charleston, Illinois and Pennsauken, New Jersey) for growth and technology upgrades;
xxonMobil Chemical is expanding its Rotterdam Aromatics Plant, making this world-scale plant ExxonMobil’s largest paraxylene production facility, increasing its paraxylene production capacity by 25% and benzene production capacity by 20%. The new unit will employ ExxonMobil’s proprietary PxMax technology to produce paraxylene and benzene. The PxMax process improves selectivity, generates less waste and reduces energy requirements versus existing technologies.
Pump Industry Analyst
3
19/11/2007 10:28:16