Page 155 - CW E-Magazine (9-1-2024)

News from Abroad News from Abroad

PLASTIC ADDITIVES SUSTAINABLE CHEMISTRY
Aekyung Chemical acquires LG Chem’s stake Idemitsu Kosan, OPTC, and Marubeni join up to

in Vietnam plasticiser fi rm produce bio-PET in Taiwan

South Korea’s Aekyung Chemical Japanese energy & chemicals com- balance method. It will then be con- increasingly popular, replacing petro-
has acquired a 50% stake in VINA pany Idemitsu Kosan, Taiwanese PTA verted to bio-PTA by OPTC. Marubeni leum-derived PTA with bio-PTA has
Plasticizers Chemical Company (VP- maker OPTC, and Japanese trading will be coordinating the management been a challenge.
CHEM), a manufacturer of plasticisers giant Marubeni Corporation have agreed of the supply chain’s establishment as
and LG Chem’s Vietnam subsidiary, to establish a supply chain for bio- well as the marketing of the bio-based Bio-naphtha is manufactured from
from LG Chem. VPCHEM was esta- mass-based purifi ed terephthalic acid products. raw materials derived from renewable
blished in 1995 as a joint venture bet- (PTA) produced from biomass-based materials such as plants, and can thus
ween LG Chem, Southern Fertilizer naphtha. Production of biomass PTA PET resin, the raw material for PET reduce CO emissions compared to
2
JSC (under Vietnam Chemical Corpo- is planned to begin in 2024 in Taiwan, bottles, is composed of approximately naphtha derived from petroleum. The
ration) and Vietnam Petroleum Corpo- the fi rst time it will be produced there. 70% PTA and 30% ethylene glycol. bio-PX manufactured by Idemitsu
ration (under oil & gas group, Petro- Therefore, by using bio-PTA and Kosan obtained ISCC PLUS Certifi cation,
vietnam). Idemitsu Kosan will produce bio- bio-based monoethylene glycol (bio- which allows the application of the mass
mass-based para-xylene (PX) from bio- MEG), 100% bio-PET resin can be balance method. OPTC will also obtain
Through the acquisition of VP- mass-derived naphtha using the mass produced. While bio-MEG has become ISCC PLUS Certifi cation in 2024.
CHEM, the sole plasticiser manufac- litate the moulding and processing of improved income levels. Aekyung
turing facility in Vietnam, Aekyung plastics, including polyvinyl chloride Chemical said the acquisition enables
Chemical has increased its plasticiser (PVC), commonly used in applications it to strategically produce and supply
production capacity from 550-ktpa such as wallpaper, fl ooring and wires. environmentally-friendly plasticisers for
(400-ktpa in South Korea and 150-ktpa North American and European customers,
in China) to 660-ktpa. The Vietnamese domestic market while manufacturing general-purpose
is expected to grow by 3.7% annually, and functional plasticisers for China
Plasticisers are additives that faci- driven by industrial development and and Vietnam.

EXPANSION
Sibur expands halobutyl rubber capacity after facility

revamp Sipchem-Tasnee jv awards EPC contract for ethylene
cracker expansion
Russian petrochemicals major, Sibur, Vietnam, and India. The Russian unit Despite the 30% increase in output,
has announced completion of the is the world’s largest HBR production there will be no increase in the facility’s Saudi Arabian companies – Sahara
upgrade of its halobutyl rubber (HBR) site, said the group, accounting for environmental impact, according International Petrochemical Co. (Sip-
manufacturing facility at Nizhnekamsk, 25% of global butyl rubber and HBR to Sibur. The group also “made the chem) and National Industrialization Co.
Russia. The only Russian maker of output. project technologically independent by (Tasnee) – have awarded an engineering,
HBR, Sibur, said the ramp helped in- installing a modern automatic process procurement, and construction (EPC)
crease capacity by one-third, from 150- The plant licensor is Yarsintez control system made in Russia.” HBRs contract for ethylene cracker expansion.
ktpa to 200-ktpa. The €79-mn upgrade, Research Institute, and the general designer are primarily used to produce tyres with The approximately $500-mn project was
involved the installation of six new is Kazan National Research Techno- improved gas barrier and deformation awarded to SGC-eTEC Engineering &
HBR production units and the revamp logical University, one of Sibur’s resistance, along with tensile strength. Construction Company of South Korea.
of 16 others. anchor universities. “This rubber facility An HBR component also increases tyre
is indeed the most advanced of those life by 15-20%, reduces waste through- The contract aims to boost produc-
The upgrade, it said, will meet that exist today. Its upgrade started back out the lifespan by up to 10%, and cuts tion at the ethylene cracker plant ope-
domestic HBR demand and increase in 2020, before Sibur acquired assets in fuel consumption and vehicle exhaust rated by Saudi Ethylene and Polyethy- (TSOC), which is 32.55% owned by in the fi rst half of 2026, with operations
Russia’s exports of high-margin mate- Tatarstan,” said Mr. Mikhail Karisalov, emissions. HBRs are also used in the lene Company (SEPC), a joint venture Sipchem and 60% by Tasnee. The ex- leading to an increase in olefi ns produc-
rials to countries such as China, Thailand, Chairman and CEO of Sibur. healthcare industry. affi liated to Tasnee Sahara Olefi ns Co. pansion project will likely be complete tion by an estimated 18%.

154 Chemical Weekly January 9, 2024 Chemical Weekly January 9, 2024 155

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