S Korea's Kumho shuts 180 kt/yr ABS line due to poor mkts

12 July 2002 04:59  [Source: ICIS news]

SINGAPORE (CNI)—Kumho Petrochemicals has shut one line of its 220 000 tonne/year acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) plant at Ulsan, South Korea, due to poor markets for its products, a company spokesman told CNI on Friday.

The company shut its 180 000 tonne/year ABS line on Thursday (11 July). It expects to keep the line shut for at least 13 days, with a possible restart planned for early August.

The duration of the shutdown could be shortened or lengthened, depending on whether the market situation improves or deteriorates further, the spokesman said.

He added that there was usually a seasonal lull in the South Korean ABS market during the July-September period.

The company also operates 175 000 tonne/year polystyrene (PS), 90 000 tonne/year expandable polystyrene (EPS) and 300 000 tonne/year styrene butadiene rubber (SBR) plants at Ulsan. The operating rates of these plants may be reduced in the future, but currently they are operating normally.

By: Iqbal Anand
+65 6780 4359

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