LyondellBasell, one of the largest plastics, chemicals and refining companies, is expanding its presence in Southeast Asia through its joint venture, HMC Polymers Company Limited, which announced it will build a fourth Polypropylene production line at its site in Map Ta Phut, Thailand. Constructing the new unit will allow HMC to maintain domestic market share and aims to address the projected five to six percent annual demand growth for polymers in the Southeast Asia Region.
The new unit will be the most advanced unit to use LyondellBasell’s Spherizone production technology and will have a nameplate annual production capacity of 250 kilotons (kt).
“Asia is one of the fastest growing regions in the world, with demand for polymers boosted by expanding populations, increasing individual wealth and urbanization. The Spherizone technology will help to address those growth opportunities,” said Jim Seward, LyondellBasell Vice President, Sustainability, Technology and Joint Ventures. “Our technology provides solutions for the transportation of clean water through strong and long-lasting pipes and contributes to the preservation of food through packaging and films that improve portability, extend shelf-life and prevent contamination.”
“This investment will allow us to further develop our highly differentiated range of products, benefitting also from the innovation expertise of LyondellBasell as a Joint Venture partner,” said Martyn Tickner, President of HMC Polymers. “The strong collaboration between all shareholders will ensure continued successful growth, and also maintain our ability to support our loyal base of customers as the largest PP producer in Southeast Asia.”
HMC produces polypropylene mainly for the domestic Thailand, China, Southeast Asia, Indian Subcontinent and Australian markets.
Spherizone technology allows for the production of highly differentiated polypropylene (PP) products for applications such as sewage, drainage and household freshwater pipes.
LyondellBasell is a licensor of polypropylene and polyethylene technologies with more than 280 polyolefin process licenses globally. HMC Polymers currently operates a Spherizone line and with this addition, makes them the first company in the world with two Spherizone licenses. The polymer company also operates two additional polypropylene lines at its Map Ta Phut site using Spheripol technology.
