Clariant has commissioned a new production facility at Coatzacoalcos, Mexico. The state-of-the-art plant, which was built in 18 months, is close to the feedstock-supplying petrochemical complexes of PEMEX (Petroleos Mexicanos) at Cangrejera, Morelos and Pajaritos. Clariant says this location is excellent for the logistics of feedstock supply, and it is also ideal for exporting to North- and South-America. The investment concludes the first step of Clariant’s expansion in Mexico and the NAFTA region that started two years ago with the acquisition of Christianson SA. The 40,000-ton/year unit will play an important role in the growth strategy of Clariant’s Functional Chemicals division. It will produce low and high molecular weight Polyethyleneglycols, Fatty Amine, Fatty Acid and Fatty Alcohol Ethoxylates as well as Alkylphenol Ethoxylates. These products will serve the growing demand for specialty chemicals in the region, mainly in the personal care and detergent industries, but also in crop protection and in general industrial uses. The Functional Chemicals Division also operates sites in Cuernavaca and in Santa Clara, Mexico City.
UK resin plant
Belgium ‘s Tractebel SA has won a EUR 31 million deal to oversee construction of one of the world’s largest resin plants near Hull in the UK. The Saltend plant will produce ethylene vinyl alcohol copolymer, or EVOH, for Nippon Synthetic Chemical Industry Co. Ltd. Such resins block gases, and are used in food packaging industry and in the production of fuel tanks. Tractebel unit Fabricom Contracting Ltd. will build the plant in cooperation with Mitsui Engineering and Shipbuilding Co . Ltd. (J.MES), at Saltend. Tractebel is a unit of France ‘s Suez.
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