Basell’s plan to strengthen its European HDPE manufacturing asset footprint by focusing on world-scale plants with integrated or cost-advantaged feedstock is well underway. Following the company’s announcement last year that it planned to close or mothball 300 KT of HDPE capacity, it was decided to idle another 100 KT of HDPE capacity at Wesseling, Germany.

“This will complete the HDPE restructuring programme and will allow us to focus our efforts on Basell’s recently commissioned state-of-the-art 320 KT per year plant at Wesseling based on our proprietary Hostalen Advanced Cascade Process technology, which is now operating at full capacity,” said Werner Breuers, president of Basell Polyolefins Europe. “In addition, our joint venture in Poland, Basell Orlen Polyolefins, is completing construction of a new Hostalen Advanced Cascade Process HDPE plant due to come on stream in the fourth quarter of this year.”

Breuers added, “These carefully planned changes, partly already implemented, are being performed with no disruption to Basell’s customers and in full consultation with representative bodies at the local level.”

In view of the restructuring programme, Basell has dedicated its 120 KT per year HDPE lines at Frankfurt and Münchmünster to the production of specialty grades.

“The company’s HDPE assets are world-class and well integrated, which positions us ideally for the years to come,” said Breuers.

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