Crystalsev joint venture will produce PE from sugar cane

The Dow Chemical Company and Crystalsev, a Brazilian ethanol major, have formed a joint venture to produce polyethylene from sugar cane. Under the terms of the agreement, the joint venture will involve building an integrated 350,000 tonne facility in Brazil. Scheduled to start production in 2011, the new plant will use ethanol derived from sugar cane to produce ethylene. Dow estimates the new process, based on its proprietary Solution technology, will produce significantly less carbon dioxide compared to the traditional PE manufacturing process. “We are excited to partner with a great company like Crystalsev to build the first world-scale polyethylene facility that will use a renewable feedstock,” said Andrew Liveris, Dow’s chairman and ceo. Dow said the resin produced by the joint venture will be identical to its Dowlex PE product produced at other Dow facilities, and like traditional PE will be fully recyclable. With 30,000 employees, Crystalev produces 1.6m tonnes of sugar annually, 8% of Brazil’s total output.