Tons of Chinese polyacetal to come on line
3 Jul 2001
Polyplastics, Mitsubishi Gas Chemical Company (MGC) and Ticona are to build a 60,000 metric ton polyacetal facility in China. The plant is scheduled to come on stream in 2004.
The plant will be located in Nantong, Jiangsu province, just north of Shanghai. A Letter of Intent was recently signed with the Chinese Administrative Committee of the Economic and Technological Development Area of the Nantong Municipality for the land acquisition.
The Project proposal has been approved by the Jiangsu province and the parties expect approval of the overall project by the authorities in the summer of 2001.
The key reason to locate a plant within China is the anticipated market growth rate. The current market for polyacetal in China is estimated to be in excess of 100,000t/yr.
Acetal copolymer is a polyoxymethylene (POM) with a high crystallinity delivering high strength, stiffness, toughness, and lubricity over a broad range of temperatures and chemical environments. Acetal copolymer can be processed by many conventional means including injection moulding, extrusion and rotational casting.
Polyplastics is a joint venture between Daicel Chemical Industries, Japan, and Ticona, the engineering polymers business of Celanese AG, Frankfurt, Germany.
