Russia’s SIBUR-Khimprom completes EPS expansion

12 January 2012 16:16  [Source: ICIS news]

MOSCOW (ICIS)--SIBUR-Khimprom has completed construction of a second expandable polystyrene (EPS) unit, the subsidiary of Russian major petrochemical holding Sibur said on Thursday.

When operational, the new unit, with a production capacity of 50,000 tonnes/year, will double SIBUR-Khimprom's EPS capacity to 100,000 tonnes/year.

SIBUR-Khimprom plans to start operation of the new EPS facility in a test mode this spring, while full-scale production is expected in summer 2012, it said.

The launch of the second unit will boost the company’s share in the Russian EPS market. According to SIBUR-Khimprom, Russia's total EPS consumption was estimated at 127,000 tonnes in 2011. Russia currently imports sizable volumes of EPS, mainly from China and South Korea.

Based at Perm in the Urals, Sibur-Khimprom includes three plants - Perm Gas Refinery, Butyl Alcohol Plant and styrene producer Stirol.

Sibur-Khimprom announced in November 2010 that it had started operating its first 50,000 tonne/year EPS unit. The company is Russia's only EPS producer.

By: Sergei Blagov
+44 20 8652 3214

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