HOUSTON, Oct. 9 /PRNewswire/ -- Lyondell Chemical Company (NYSE: LYO) announced the appointment of John R. Beard as President of Lyondell Europe, Inc., based at the Company's European headquarters in Maidenhead, England.
In this position, Beard will provide leadership to Lyondell's European business activities, with direct responsibility for sales and marketing, manufacturing, engineering, health, safety and environmental affairs and external and industry affairs.
Lyondell currently operates two large manufacturing complexes in Europe, at Rotterdam, The Netherlands, and Fos sur Mer, France. In addition, the Company maintains a European Service Centre in Rotterdam where supply, purchasing, accounting and customer service activities are carried out for Europe, the Middle East and Africa.
"Lyondell is poised for significant growth in its European operations, with two world-scale manufacturing facilities in construction that will extend our leadership in our core business areas and enable us to serve the present and future needs of our customers in Europe, Asia and North America. John's extensive experience in the chemical industry will be invaluable as we move forward with our growth plans in Europe," said Dan F. Smith, Lyondell's President and Chief Executive Officer.
The new projects currently underway are a BDO (1,4 butanediol) facility located at the site of the Company's large propylene oxide (PO) complex at Botlek in Rotterdam and a new PO plant that will be built on the nearby Maasvlakte site. "Together these projects represent Lyondell's largest current capital investment and, to our knowledge, constitute the largest chemical industry project underway in Europe at this time," Smith said.
Beard has served in a variety of leadership roles in economic optimization, marketing, manufacturing, supply and purchasing within the Lyondell organization since the Company was formed in 1985. Prior to that time, he was with Lyondell's former parent company, Atlantic Richfield, which he joined in 1974 as a process engineer. Most recently, he served as Senior Vice President of Manufacturing, with responsibility for operations at 18 Lyondell and Equistar manufacturing sites throughout the United States.
Beard received his bachelor's degree in chemical engineering from Texas A&M University and a master's degree in business administration (MBA) from the University of Houston. He serves on the Board of Trustees for the Alley Theatre in Houston.
Lyndon Stanton, who has served as President of Lyondell European Operations since 1998, will be leaving the Company by year-end. "In his 22 years of service, Lyn has played a key role in developing our European business and in preparing Lyondell to pursue further growth in Europe," Smith said.
Lyondell Chemical Company, (www.lyondell.com), with headquarters in Houston, Texas, is the world's largest producer of propylene oxide (PO); the world's number two supplier of TDI (toluene diisocyanate); a leading producer of propylene glycol; a leading producer of other PO derivatives such as BDO (butanediol) and PGE (propylene glycol ether); and a producer of styrene monomer and MTBE as co-products of PO production.
Through its 41% interest in Equistar Chemicals, LP, Lyondell also is one of the largest producers of ethylene, propylene and polyethylene in North America and a leading producer of polypropylene, ethylene oxide, ethylene glycol, high value-added specialty polymers and polymeric powder.
Through its 58.75% interest in LYONDELL-CITGO Refining LP, Lyondell is one of the largest refiners in the United States, processing extra heavy Venezuelan crude oil to produce gasoline, low sulfur diesel and jet fuel.
Lyondell is the third largest methanol producer in the U.S., through its
75% interest in Lyondell Methanol Company, L.P.
SOURCE Lyondell Chemical Company
Web site: http: //www.lyondell.com
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CONTACT: media, Marvin Brown, 713-309-2643, or investors, Sami Ahmad, 713-309-7141, both of Lyondell Chemical Company
CAPTION: LYOLOGO LYONDELL LOGO Lyondell Logo. (PRNewsFoto)[PM] HOUSTON, TX USA 09/21/2000
