The Dow Chemical Co. and Solvay SA (Solvay) have announced an agreement to create a joint venture for the construction of a hydrogen peroxide (HP) plant in Thailand. Scheduled to be operational in 2010, the new HP plant will serve as a raw material source for the manufacture of propylene oxide (PO). The HP plant will be the largest in the world, with a capacity of over 330 kilotons per annum (KTA) of hydrogen peroxide at 100% concentration. The hydrogen peroxide supplying the process is based on Solvay’s proprietary, high-yield hydrogen peroxide technology. In addition, Dow and BASF Aktiengesellschaft are advancing negotiations for the construction of a, 390KTA propylene oxide (PO) manufacturing facility in Map Ta Phut, Thailand. The new plant would use the innovative hydrogen peroxide to propylene oxide (HPPO) technology jointly developed by Dow and BASF. Propylene for the proposed HPPO facility in Thailand would be supplied from the liquids cracker that Dow announced it was building jointly with The Siam Cement Group in Thailand in October of 2006. The liquids cracker facility is expected be fully operational in 2010.
