Voridian will build a 350,000tpa plant in the US

Eastman Chemical’s PET making Voridian arm is to use new technology, announced this week, on a 350,000tpa plant to be built at Columbia, South Carolina.

The unit, costing $100m (E120m), will employ the IntegRex process which is based on “the integration from paraxylene to PET resin and features multiple process innovations,” according to chairman and chief executive Brian Ferguson.

Construction on the new plant, which will add around 50% to the company’s existing PET capacity in the US, begins next January. Full production is anticipated by the fourth quarter of 2006.

“With our long history in the PET business and heritage process innovation, it’s only fitting that it is Eastman who is introducing what is truly a step change technology,” Ferguson said.

He said that the company plans to redeploy PET assets to make unique copolyester products to serve new markets.