Sisas to resume full production in Pioltello, Italy in Oct

27 September 2000 15:07  [Source: ICIS news]

LONDON (CNI)--Italian chemicals group Sisas hopes to resume full production at its isophthalic acid and solvents complex in Pioltello-Rodana, northern Italy by the end of October, vice president Gianluigi Diaz told CNI on Wednesday.

He said the Pioltello-Rodana complex has been operating at a low rate for about three weeks, following a "management decision" to reduce output there. He declined to comment on whether the decision to cut output related to Sisas' current financial problems.

Sisas' Belgian subsidiaries Pantochim and Eurodiol recently received court protection from their creditors after negotiations with Germany's BASF to buy their anhydride and derivatives production at Feluy and Ostend broke down. The Tribunal de Commerce of Charleroi gave Pantochim and Eurodiol six-months to resolve their financial difficulties.

Pantochim and Eurodiol are believed to have debts totalling several hundred million euros and had faced the possibility of foreclosure by some major creditors had they not sought court protection.

Diaz said production at Pioltello-Rodana will be increased gradually, and is expected to reach full production by the end of October. Production at the complex includes isophthalic acid, butyl acetate, isobutyl acetate, methyl isobutyl ketone, hexylene glycol, acetic acid, nonyl phenol and sorbitol.

In Belgium, Diaz said the Feluy maleic anhydride (MA)/derivatives plant is expected to resume operations by the middle of October.

By: Anna Jagger
+1 713 525 2653

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