American Acryl’s Texas acrylics plant down for planned maintenance

01 March 2012 21:47  [Source: ICIS news]

HOUSTON (ICIS)--American Acryl has begun a turnaround for a catalyst exchange at its acrylic acid plant in Bayport near Houston, a source said on Thursday.

American Acryl is a 50/50 joint venture between Arkema and Nippon Shokubai subsidiary NA industries.

The acrylic acid plant, which has a capacity of 140,000 tonnes/year, is scheduled to come on stream in early April, the source said.

Arkema also makes acrylic acid at its Clear Lake plant in Texas where improvements due early next year will take the site’s acrylic acid nameplate capacity to 270,000 tonnes/year.

Also planned at Clear Lake is a new methyl acrylate (methyl-A) plant, which is expected to start up in the second half of 2013 with a nameplate capacity of 45,000 tonnes/year.

February acrylic acid contract prices as assessed by ICIS are $1.12-1.17/lb ($2,469-2579/tonne, €1,852-1,935/tonne). March prices are poised to increase on pressure from feedstock chemical-grade propylene (CGP), which increased by more than 30% in February.

US acrylates producers include Dow Chemical, BASF and Arkema.

($1 = €0.75)

By: Larry Terry
1 713 525 2653

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