Mitsui Singapore plant to reach full ops by mid-Sept

19 July 2007 10:30  [Source: ICIS news]

SINGAPORE (ICIS news)--Mitsui Chemicals, Asia’s largest phenol-acetone producer, is expected to achieve full operating rates at its Singapore plant around mid-September after its restart on 5 August, a company official said on Thursday.

“It usually takes about one and a half months to reach 100% of the debottlenecked capacity,” he said.

Mitsui’s plant in the industrial hub of Jurong Island is currently undergoing a turnaround that began in early June.

During the shutdown, phenol capacity is expected to be raised by 50,000 tonnes/year to 300,000 tonnes/year, while acetone capacity will be increased by 30,000 tonnes/year to 180,000 tonnes/year.

Some of the additional phenol and acetone output will be used to meet contractual requirements as the company as a group remains a net importer of phenol and acetone, the official said.

He did not rule out selling some cargoes on the spot market, adding that the volumes were not expected to be significant as the additional supplies worked out to be only around 4,000 tonnes/month of phenol and slightly more than 2,000 tonnes/month of acetone.

By: Peh Soo Hwee
+65 6780 4359

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