New plant for Eastman

24 June 1996 00:00  [Source: ICB]

Eastman Chemicals is to construct a PTA plant in Kingsport, Tennessee, in the US. Production is to begin in 1997. The PTA will be used to feed the company's PET plant in Zarate, near Buenos Aires, Argentina. The 130 000 tonne/year PET plant is set to start up in Q2 1998.

A few months ago, Eastman announced plans to build PTA and PET plants at its division near Columbia, South Carolina. PTA capacity is put at 115 000 tonne/year and PET at 125 000 tonne/year. Construction of both plants is due to start in H1 1997, with startup planned for Q1 1999.

Eastman will also construct its isophthalic acid (IPA) plant at the Kingsport site (ECN 26 February). The 68 000 tonne/year is due to be operational by mid-1998. Until now, Amoco has been the only US producer, with 90 000 tonne/year of purified IPA at Joliet, Illinois, and an 11 000 tonne/year expansion to be completed this year.

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