Page 18 - Plastics News June 2021

CompAny news

INEOS Aromatics progresses NatureWorks' expansion of new

major upgrades of PTA plant in biopolymer facility in Thailand
Indonesia approved

NEOS Aromatics is to progress a major upgrade of its PTA atureWorks, a world’s leading manufacturer of
Iplant in Indonesia that will increase the competitiveness Nlow-carbon PLA biopolymers made from renewable
of the asset and the nation’s polyester value chain. The resources, has announced the completion of key
investment will deliver a major improvement in the milestones in their global manufacturing expansion
efficiency of the Merak operations by installing a more plan for a new fully integrated Ingeo PLA production
facility that is anticipated to open in Thailand by
2024, subject to shareholder approval. When fully
operational the new plant will have an annual capacity
of 75,000 tons of Ingeo biopolymer and will produce
the full portfolio of Ingeo grades The Thailand Board of
Investment approved the NatureWorks manufacturing
project that will be located at the Nakhon Sawan
Biocomplex (NBC) in Nakhon Sawan province. The NBC
is the first biocomplex project in Thailand established
in accordance with the government's bioeconomy
policy. NatureWorks has recently completed the front-
end engineering design work with Jacobs. Jacobs was
modern, larger oxidation reactor, an overhead heat selected and managed in partnership with IAG, who
recovery system and modifying the main process air provided front-end project management and project
compressor. An oxidation reactor was transported to the controls. Final detailed engineering is currently
Merak plant in Indonesia. The effect will be to significantly underway. “We are pleased to share these significant
reduce energy consumption, chemical usage and utilities accomplishments as part of our next phase for global
demand – which will ultimately reduce GHG emissions by manufacturing expansion,” said Rich Altice, President
over 13,000 CO2 equivalent tons per year (calculated on and CEO of NatureWorks. “The approval and support
constant throughput basis). The increase in capacity it also
delivers will reduce the Indonesia polyester value chain’s
dependence on imports of PTA. The installation phase is
now complete and the Merak team will now move onto
the next phase, optimizing the performance of the new
technology in order to deliver the energy and capacity
benefits. The plant produces purified terephthalic acid
(PTA), which is used by the polyester industry to produce
PET bottles, textiles, film and other products. INEOS is the
world’s third largest chemical company. It has a turnover
of $61bn and employs 26,000 people across 36 businesses,
operating 194 sites in 29 countries throughout the world. from the Thailand Board of Investment was a critical
INEOS products make a significant contribution to saving milestone on our path toward opening our new facility
life, improving health and enhancing standards of living in Thailand.” The new manufacturing complex will
for people around the world. Its businesses produce the include production for lactic acid, lactide, and polymer
raw materials that are essential in the manufacture of making it the world’s first polylactide facility designed
many goods: from paints to plastics, textiles to technology, to be fully integrated. NatureWorks will build and
medicines to mobile phones - chemicals manufactured by operate all three facilities, having both process and
INEOS enhance almost every aspect of modern life. energy integration.

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