Basell has signed two license agreements with Polibrasil and Titan Petchem that will increase polypropylene production by 310 KT annually in their existing plants using the Spheripol process.
Polibrasil plans to increase the capacity of its Spheripol process plant in Mauá, state of São Paulo, Brazil, in two stages. The first phase, scheduled for completion in early 2007, will increase the plant’s annual capacity from 240 KT to 360 KT; the second phase, scheduled for completion by 2008, will increase capacity to 450 KT per year.
Titan Petchem plans to increase the capacity of its Spheripol process plant at Pasir Gudang, Malaysia from 100 KT to 200 KT when the project is completed at the end of 2007.
“The Spheripol process has the flexibility to meet licensees’ current and future needs,” said Kaspar Evertz, Basell’s senior vice president of Licensing. “Capacity and product offerings are easily expanded, which can provide licensees with the ability to grow their businesses and capture maximum value from the market.”
The Spheripol process was first commercialized in 1982 and is the most widely used polypropylene technology. The technology is fully compatible with both 4th and 5th generation catalyst families, including Basell’s Avant ZN diether and succinate catalysts.
Basell’s complete portfolio of licensed technologies includes:
• Spheripol – polypropylene technology for the production of homopolymer, random and heterophasic copolymers.
• Spherizone – latest generation polypropylene technology based on new multi-zone reactor technology.
• Spherilene – swing gas phase process for the production of LLDPE and HDPE.
• Hostalen - low-pressure slurry process for the production of bimodal HDPE.
• Lupotech G – fluidised bed gas phase process for the production of HDPE and MDPE.
• Lupotech T – high pressure tubular reactor process for the production of LDPE and EVA copolymers.
Basell also produces and commercialises advanced catalyst systems which are sold under the Avant trade name.
Basell is the world's largest producer of polypropylene and advanced polyolefin products, a leading supplier of polyethylene and catalysts, and a global leader in the development and licensing of polypropylene and polyethylene processes. Basell, together with its joint ventures, has manufacturing facilities around the world and sells products in more than 120 countries. Additional information about Basell is available at www.basell.com.
For more information contact Michelle Harrell, Basell Corporate Communications, at +1 410 996 1366, +1 302 438 6574 or michelle.harrell@basell.com
