EChem plans to expand vinyls capacity by half

15 July 2008 08:30  [Source: ICIS news]

By Prema Viswanathan

 

SINGAPORE (ICIS news)--Egyptian Petrochemicals (EChem) plans to expand the capacity of its 80,000 tonne/year polyvinyl chloride (PVC) plant in Alexandria by 50% to 120,000 tonnes/year by the end of 2008, a company source said on Tuesday.

 

EChem’s vinyl chloride monomer (VCM) and ethylene dichloride (EDC) capacities would be expanded by 50% from the current 100,000 tonnes/year for VCM and from 140,000-145,000 tonnes/year for EDC, the source added.

 

“We expect the expansions to be completed as scheduled, provided we secure enough ethylene feedstock,” he said.

 

Ethylene for the vinyls expansion would be obtained from Sidi Kerir Petrochemicals’ (Sidpec) 300,000 tonne/year cracker in Ameriya, near Alexandria, which was expected to be expanded by 50-100% this year, depending on the availability of gas supply, the source said.

 

Sidpec officials were not available for comment. 

 

Egypt’s consumption of PVC was estimated at around 200,000 tonnes/year in 2007, with demand growth in 2008 projected at 8-9%, said producers and end-users.

 

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By: Prema Viswanathan
+65 6780 4359

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