Lyondell Chemical and Bayer MaterialScience have started up an E600m plant

Lyondell Chemical and Bayer MaterialScience have started up an E600m plant

Polyurethane and styrenic polymer feedstocks received a major supply boost on Friday when a new propylene oxide/styrene monomer plant was inaugurated in Rotterdam, The Netherlands. The E600m plant, one of the largest of its kind in the world, is a joint venture between Lyondell Chemical of the US and Bayer MaterialScience. It uses Lyondell technology.

The plant has a capacity of 285,000tpa of PO, which is used primarily in polyols as well as propylene glycols and propylene glycol ethers. It also houses 635,000tpa of styrene, employed in ABS polymers, high-end engineering polymers, synthetic rubber and as an additive in polymer polyols.

Bayer MaterialScience production and technology director Dr Tony van Osselaer said: “Bayer MaterialScience holds a leading position in the polyurethane and ABS plastics markets. This plant gives us a long-term access to key raw materials.”

Bayer bought Lyondell’s polyol business in 2000 and has continued to invest in the PU field, opening a world-scale TDA intermediates plant (PRW.com 5 December 2003) and extending its network of PU systems houses. Most recently it added Tanex Plasty in the Czech Republic.