Celanese Opens Integrated Chemical Complex in Nanjing
Year:2007 ISSUE:27
COLUMN:PROJECT NEWS
Click:203 DateTime:Sep.25,2007
Celanese Opens Integrated Chemical Complex in Nanjing
By Lily Wang
On September 19th, 2007 Celanese Corporation (NYSE: CE), a global hybrid chemical company, celebrated the inauguration of its integrated chemical complex in Nanjing. The Complex is located in the Nanjing Chemical Industrial Park, Jiangsu province, East China, one of the two national chemical parks approved by the National Development and Reform Commission. Celanese's integrated chemical complex in Nanjing brings world-class scale and leading technology to one site for the production of acetic acid, vinyl acetate monomer, acetic anhydride, emulsions, Celstran (R ) long fiber-reinforced thermoplastic (LFRT) and GUR R ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMW-PE).
"The chemical complex in Nanjing is our largest integrated chemical complex globally. This again underscores our long-term commitment to investing in the Asia market and China in particular," said David Weidman, Chairman and CEO of Celanese Corporation. "China is a very important market for Celanese. It is a key link in our global business strategy and a significant contributor to our growth and development."
The complex will further enhance Celanese's capabilities to better meet the growing needs of its customers in a number of industries across Asia. The acetic acid facility has been running at full production rates since June 2007 and production of vinyl acetate emulsions is set to commence by the end of 2007. Operations for four other plants will begin throughout 2008.
Celanese expects the 2009 sales in the Nanjing Integrated Chemical Complex will be US$500 million.
The acetic acid plant in Nanjing boasts world-leading technology and is the largest train manufacturing unit of acetic acid in China, with annual capacity of 600 thousand tons - which can be easily upgraded to 1 200 thousand tons if market demand keeps growing.
The emulsion plant features a state-of-the-art pressure reactor to make vinyl acetate ethylene (VAE) emulsions as well as a conventional reactor for the production of homo- and co-polymers of vinyl acetate and acrylic emulsions. The products will be integral in the manufacture of high-performance adhesives, high-tech glass fiber and cutting-edge low VOC / low odor paint. This new plant in Nanjing is the 10th emulsions facility in the Celanese global network.
In addition to the complex in Nanjing, the company currently has joint venture manufacturing sites in Nantong, Jiansu province; Kunming, Yunnan province; Zhuhai, Guangdong province and Bazhou, Hebei province and estimates that by 2010, 45%-55% of earnings will come from the Asia region.
Manufacture Sites in China
Sites Interest Products Commencement of Production
Nantong JV Acetate Tow and Flake 1987
JV POM 2001
Kunming JV Acetate Tow 1993
Zhuhai JV Acetate Tow 1993
Bazhou JV Vinyl Easter of Neodecanoic Acid 2007
Nanjing Wholly-owned Acetic Acid 2007
Vinyl Acetate Monomer 2008
Acetic Anhydride 2008
Vinyl Acetate Emulsions 2007
UHMW-PE 2008
Long fiber-reinforced thermoplastics 2008