Page 158 - CW E-Magazine (1-7-2025)

News from Abroad News from Abroad

UNVIABLE OPERATIONS FERTILISER FACILITY

Ineos Phenol announces closure of German phenol/ Agropolychim begins work on new calcium nitrate

acetone facility plant

Ineos Phenol, the world’s largest itiveness and the blind Bulgarian fertiliser fi rm, Agropoly- CAGR of over 3% in the
producer of phenol and acetone, devotion to carbon taxation chim, has launched the construction of next fi ve years. While the
is planning to permanently stop which is leading to a mass a new plant for calcium nitrate (CN). primary focus will be on
production at its site in Gladbeck, deindustrialisation across The investment, valued at over €40-mn, export markets – mainly
Germany. the continent. Gladbeck is marks the beginning of the implemen- in Southern and Western
not the fi rst and will defi - tation phase of the company’s long- Europe – the product will also
“Sky high European energy costs nitely not be the last unless term strategic investment programme, be made available to Bulga-
alongside Europe’s punitive CO tax the regulators wake up and aimed at expanding and diversifying its rian farmers at highly com-
2
policy have combined to leave Europe take action,” remarked Sir product portfolio. The overall value of petitive prices compared to
uncompetitive against imported Chinese Jim Ratcliffe, Chairman of the programme exceeds €250-mn. imported alternatives.
production and a global oversupply. Ineos.
Europe’s lack of competitiveness “Following a lengthy design and a new production line with an capacity CN is a high-performance mineral
has already led to the exit of several The Gladbeck plant regulatory approval process, construc- of 50-ktpa of granulated, water-soluble fertiliser particularly suitable for vege-
downstream consumers of phenol and investment,” the company said in a has the capacity to produce 650-ktpa tion activities are now underway, with calcium nitrate, as well as the construc- table and fruit cultivation. Demand is
acetone to such an extent that local press note. of product, making it one of the largest all necessary technological equipment tion of a new logistics base for packag- highest among professional growers
demand no longer supports the operation plants of its kind in the world. The site already delivered,” the company in- ing, storage, and distribution. using fertigation systems. The production
of the Gladbeck site which dates from “This is the consequence of employs 279 people directly and in- formed in a press note. of CN at Agropolychim will be entirely
1954 and requires signifi cant future Europe’s total lack of energy compet- directly supports over 1,500 jobs. With this project, Agropolychim is based on low-carbon (blue) ammonia,
The company said the nearly fi ve entering a new market segment – pre- manufactured using carbon capture
years of delays was caused by “complex mium agricultural products with high technology, significantly reducing
BACKWARD INTEGRATION administrative procedures in Bulgaria, added value. In addition to CN, the new greenhouse gas emissions. The steam
Kumho Mitsui Chemicals begins operation of chlor- including urban planning, environmental facility will enable the production of a and electricity used in the process will
impact assessments, integrated permits, wide range of liquid fertilisers enriched also be primarily sourced from renew-
alkali plant using Thyssenkrupp Nucera technology and construction authorisation.” These with calcium, sulphur, magnesium, able energy. This will be one of the fi rst
challenges are not rooted in legislation potassium, and micronutrients. This will products in the company’s portfolio to
South Korean petrochemicals “The start-up of our but in limited administrative capacity allow the development of customised carry a certifi ed low carbon footprint,
company, Kumho Mitsui Chemicals new chlor-alkali plant and poor inter-institutional coordination, formulations to meet the specifi c needs verifi ed by an independent body, meet-
(KMCI), has enhanced its production is an important step to it added. The project includes the of different crops and farming systems. ing the increasing demand from EU
process of Methylene Diphenyl Di- expand our production reconstruction of the existing The company expects the European CN farmers for environmentally sustain-
isocyanate (MDI) by utilising the lat- capacities and to secure infrastructure and the development of market to grow steadily, with a projected able solutions.
est generation e-BiTAC v7 electrolyser an independent supply
technology from German electrolysis of MDI without import- Tosoh to increase chloroprene rubber capacity
technology specialist, Thyssenkrupp ing chlorine,” said Kwon
Nucera. Hyung Seob, General Japanese chemicals fi rm, Tosoh Chain Business. It is used in
Manager, KMCI. Corporation, is raising the production a wide variety of applications,
Thyssenkrupp Nucera designed and capacity of its Skyprene branded chloro- including automotive hoses
supplied a chlor-alkali plant for KMCI Thyssenkrupp prene rubber (CR) by adding a second and belts, various industrial
in Yeosu, South Korea with a capacity Nucera initially supplied production facility at its Nanyo components, adhesives, and
of 60-ktpa of chlorine. Recently, the recycle by-product brine from MDI pro- a lab cell facility as a pilot test and veri- Complex in Shunan City, Yamaguchi medical gloves. The increase
operation of the plant has been started duction, which is usually discharged as fi ed the technical feasibility for ope- Prefecture, to meet growing demand in current capacity to 22-ktpa
successfully. KMCI will use the pro- effl uent. This enables KMCI to comply rating the chlor-alkali plant with waste for CR worldwide. will involve an investment of
duced chlorine for MDI production – with stringent environmental regula- brine from MDI process. Afterwards, around ¥75-bn ($515-mn).
replacing imported chlorine. tions on industrial effl uent in a cost- in 2021, it was awarded an EP contract CR is a high-performance functional The construction is expected
effective manner and to reduce their to design and supply the entire chlor- polymer that serves as a value-added to start in 2027 with commer-
The chlor-alkali plant will also environmental footprint. alkali plant. material within Tosoh’s Chemical cial operation likely in 2030.

158 Chemical Weekly July 1, 2025 Chemical Weekly July 1, 2025 159

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