Evonik has invested a double-digit million-euro sum to increase production capacity for isobutene derivates by more than 50% at its site in Marl, Germany, said the the specialty producer.
The isobutene part of the C4 production network produces specialty chemicals tertiary butanol (TBA), di-isobutene (DiB) and 3,5,5-trimethylhexanal (TMH). The recently completed expansion improves security of supply, flexibility, and quality of products for customers, with applications as intermediate materials for the pharmaceutical and chemical industries.
Works began in June 2020 to expand C4 production to eliminate existing bottlenecks in production and logistics. The conversion work has increased the purity of TMH produced in Marl from around 88% to more than 95%.
Evonik produces two grades of TBA – pure or as an azeotropic mixture – for use in production of organic peroxides for the plastics industry and special solvents and tablet coatings for the pharmaceutical industry.
DiB is a highly branched C8 molecule used as an intermediate to produce UV stabilisers, high performance lubricants and special polymer resins.
TMH is an aldehyde with high isometric purity, used as an intermediate to produce high-performance lubricants (particularly cooling lubricants), lubricant additives, and as specialty products for the cosmetics and fragrance industries.
As MRC reported before, Evonik is investing a three-digit million-euro sum in the construction of a new production plant for bio-based and fully biodegradable rhamnolipids. The decision to build the plant follows a breakthrough in Evonik's research and development. Rhamnolipids are biosurfactants and serve as active ingredients in shower gels and detergents. Demand for environ-mentally friendly surfactants is growing rapidly worldwide.
We remind that in February, 2020, Dow and Evonik entered into an exclusive technology partnership. Together, they plan to bring a unique method for directly synthesizing propylene glycol (PG) from propylene and hydrogen peroxide to market maturity.
Propylene is the main feedstock for the production of polypropylene (PP).
According to MRC's ScanPlast report, PP shipments to the Russian market were 1,363,850 tonnes in January-November, 2021, up by 25% year on year. Supply of homopolymer PP and block-copolymers of propylene (PP block copolymers) increased, whereas supply of injection moulding PP random copolymers decreased significantly.
Evonik is one of the world leaders in specialty chemicals. The company is active in more than 100 countries around the world and generated sales of EUR12.2 billion and an operating profit (adjusted EBITDA) of EUR1.91 billion in 2020. Evonik goes far beyond chemistry to create innovative, profitable and sustainable solutions for customers. About 33,000 employees work together for a common purpose: to improve life today and tomorrow.
mrchub.com