MOSCOW (MRC) -- Celanese Corporation, a global technology and specialty materials company, has announced it has completed the conversion of its Narrows, Va., operation to natural gas-fired boilers, as per the company's press release.
Celanese invested USD150 million to replace its coal-fired boilers with natural gas to generate the steam needed to run the plant's electrical generators and processes.
"The completion of this project is a concrete example of our commitment to carrying out two important Celanese core values - Being Sustainable and Improving the World," said Jon Mortimer, vice president of Manufacturing & Capital Projects, Celanese. "This is a milestone in Celanese's continued growth and an opportunity for us to do our part to create a cleaner environment for the communities where we operate."
"Celanese's investment in its Narrows, Virginia, plant speaks volumes to the commitment the company has made to improve the well-being of the people of Giles County," said Congressman Morgan Griffith (R-VA). "This project has impacted the State of Virginia and its residents in many positive ways, particularly by creating new job opportunities."
The Celanese Narrows plant has been in operation for 75 years. Celanese's boiler equipment conversion project provided more than 300 jobs in Giles County during the duration of the project as well as the continued support of more than 1,000 existing jobs. The plant is one of the world's largest producers of cellulose acetate tow, a natural and environmentally friendly product that is used for filtration applications.
As MRC reported earlier, in May 2014, Celanese Corporation announced its intent to construct a EVA emulsions production unit in Southeast Asia. The unit is expected to begin production by mid-2016.
Celanese Corporation is a global technology leader in the production of differentiated chemistry solutions and specialty materials used in most major industries and consumer applications. Based in Dallas, Texas, Celanese employs approximately 7,500 employees worldwide and had 2014 net sales of USD6.8 billion.
MRC