MOSCOW (MRC) -- LyondellBasell, one of the world's largest plastics, chemical and refining companies, has made the final investment decision to build a high density polyethylene (HDPE) plant on the US Gulf Coast, as per the company's press release.
The plant will have an annual capacity of 1.1 billion pounds (500,000 metric tons) and will be the first commercial plant to employ LyondellBasell's new proprietary Hyperzone PE technology.
The start-up of the new plant is scheduled for 2019.
"Innovation is key to our future success. This new proprietary technology will have the capability to produce a wide range of HDPE products with enhanced properties, many of which have the potential to exceed industry benchmarks," said Bob Patel, LyondellBasell's CEO.
HDPE is used in numerous applications such as pipe, bottles, containers, toys, film, healthcare articles, plastic fuel tanks and industrial packaging. LyondellBasell's Hyperzone PE enhanced properties include improved stress crack resistance and enhanced balance between stiffness and impact strength.
The Hyperzone PE technology is a cascade gas phase process based on LyondellBasell's unique Multizone circulating reactor technology and was developed at LyondellBasell's European research and development centers located in Frankfurt, Germany, and Ferrara, Italy. The new proprietary technology will have the capability to produce a wide range of high-performance multi-modal HDPE products. In certain applications, Hyperzone PE resins allow customers to use less PE resin per unit produced, resulting in improved resource efficiency and savings for customers. While the Hyperzone PE plant will be located on the U.S. Gulf Coast, the products produced will serve markets across the globe.
LyondellBasell currently produces a total of 7.8 billion pounds (3.5 million metric tons) of HDPE annually, including capacity of its joint venture facilities. The company is a leading worldwide producer of all forms of PE with an annual capacity of 13.2 billion pounds (6 million metric tons).
As MRC reported earlier, in August 2014, CEO Bob Patel told the Chronicle that LyondellBasell plans to spend up to USD4 billion in capital along the Gulf Coast through 2020. The plan is to take advantage of cheaper gas feedstocks available in the US.
LyondellBasell is one of the world's largest plastics, chemical and refining companies. The company manufactures products at 57 sites in 18 countries. LyondellBasell products and technologies are used to make items that improve the quality of life for people around the world including packaging, electronics, automotive parts, home furnishings, construction materials and biofuels.
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