HONG KONG, April 16, 2010 – LyondellBasell Industries will participate in Chinaplas 2010, which will be held from April 19 - 22, 2010 at the Shanghai New International Expo Centre in Shanghai, China. LyondellBasell’s stand will be located at Hall W2, Stand C11. The company will feature a series of innovative new products that are produced in its manufacturing facilities and joint ventures located in Asia and the Middle East.
“As one of the largest importers of polyolefins and chemicals into China, LyondellBasell is committed to growth in this rapidly expanding market,” said Godard von Ilsemann, vice president of LyondellBasell’s polypropylene and polyethylene and joint venture management in Asia-Pacific. “The company operates two manufacturing facilities in China, located in Suzhou and Nansha near Guangzhou, which produce polypropylene (PP) compounds used in automotive applications. Our joint venture with Sinopec ZRCC in Ningbo, which produces propylene oxide and styrene monomer, is expected to begin operations by the second to the third quarter of this year.”
New production capacity from Asia and the Middle East
The company’s Asian joint ventures, which produce approximately two million tonnes of PP annually, have been expanding and upgrading their production capabilities:
- PolyMirae in Korea has started up one of its Spheripol technology lines in Yeochun, Korea, which produces Clyrell and Pristene resins using LyondellBasell’s metallocene-catalyst PP technology.
- HMC Polymers in Thailand is adding a third PP production line based on LyondellBasell’s Spherizone process, which will increase capacity by 300 KT per year.
- SunAllomer in Japan is currently expanding one of its PP production lines by 60 KT per year. The line is being converted to LyondellBasell’s Spheripol manufacturing process, and is scheduled to begin producing Clyrell resins by the middle of this year.
LyondellBasell’s Middle East joint ventures Saudi Ethylene and Polyethylene Co. (SEPC), Saudi Polyolefins Company (SPC), and Al-Waha Petrochemicals began production operations last year. Both SEPC and Al-Waha operate the largest polyethylene (PE) and PP plants of their kind in the world. The Middle East joint ventures are strategically positioned to provide customers in China with access to an additional two million tonnes of high-performance PE and PP.
High-clarified PP and specialty grades used in packaging and other applications
LyondellBasell will launch a complete portfolio of clarified PP resins for use in Asian customer applications:
• Clyrell heterophasic copolymers that offer superior low-temperature impact resistance
• Metocene and Pristene metallocene-based PP resins that provide best-in-class clarity
• Clyrell random copolymers based on Spherizone process technology that offer an exceptional balance of clarity, stiffness and impact resistance
Metallocene-based Pristene resins that have been selected by Stylepark design network for its ninth Stylepark Material Edition will be on display at the stand. The Material Edition features a selection of plastics and other materials recommended for use in applications historically the domain of polycarbonate.
The LyondellBasell stand will also showcase advanced materials produced using the company’s proprietary Catalloy process; the grades offer customers a wide range of characteristics and are used in demanding applications such as roofing, industrial and flexible packaging, and automotive and appliances.
Advanced polyolefins used in automotive
LyondellBasell will also feature Hifax, Hostacom, Sequel, Dexflex and Softell resins, which are used by automotive customers in a wide range of automotive applications such as bumpers, exterior components, body panels, soft-touch parts and structural parts.
The company will also display its new range of Softell PP compounds, which are used by customers in the production of interior applications that require exceptional surface aesthetics and soft-touch qualities without the use of coating. Compared to standard interior resins such as painted ABS, Softell compounds offer processing advantages that have cost-saving potential.
Pipe and infrastructure
Also on display will be LyondellBasell’s complete portfolio of PP, PE and polybutene-1 (PB-1) resins used by customers in pipes for fresh water, gas and sewage, water management systems, and industrial/mining applications. Other customer uses include pipes for sanitary applications and underfloor heating.
This year, LyondellBasell’s Korean joint venture PolyMirae launched a new PP-R grade, Hostalen 5416K, for use in customer hot and cold water pipe system applications. Earlier this year, LyondellBasell also introduced Hostalen 2122, a new-generation PP resin used in innovative rainwater management systems. Both grades will be featured.
A sample installation for underfloor pipe heating systems produced using Akoafloor PB R 509 will be on display. The grade is the company’s first PB-1 random copolymer used in customer underfloor heating and surface cooling applications.
Benchmark LDPE in pharmaceutical packaging
LyondellBasell will also promote its Purell resins used in medical and pharmaceutical applications and the Purell resins service concept. The new Purell PE3420F low density PE (LDPE) grade used in pharmaceutical packaging will be highlighted during the show. As the highest-density LDPE on the market, the grade offers customers the potential to shorten sterilization times in the production of IV bottles. It also offers weight reduction and design versatility.
SEPC and Al-Waha grades available through Alastian
Representatives from LyondellBasell’s Alastian online polyolefins business will be available at the booth, where customers can register and learn more about the unique offerings on www.alastian.com. Alastian offers an easy, convenient and reliable way to buy high-quality polyolefin materials. A selection of PP, HDPE and LDPE grades produced by Al-Waha, SEPC and SPC are now available for purchase on Alastian.
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About LyondellBasell
LyondellBasell is one of the world’s largest plastics, chemical, and refining companies. The company manufactures products at 59 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. More information about LyondellBasell can be found at www.lyondellbasell.com <http://www.lyondellbasell.com/> .
For information, contact:
Media – Kathy Chan, +852 2585 0103
or kathy.chan@lyondellbasell.com