Expansions: Celanese completes EVA expansion in Canada; Grupa Azoty’s integrated PDH/PP project in Poland nears completion

US chemical firm Celanese Corporation has announced the completion of an ultra-low capital project to repurpose existing manufacturing and infrastructure assets to unlock additional ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) capacity at its Edmonton, Alberta facility. The expansion supports significant growth in the Acetyl Chain’s downstream vinyls portfolio.

“The rapidly increasing demand for sustainable energy sources throughout the world, such as solar and wind power, continues to play an important role in global demand growth for EVA,” said Richard Jacobs, senior director, EVA polymers. “Demand for EVA in solar applications is anticipated to grow at a double-digit compounded annual rate through 2028, making the EVA industry one of the fastest growing products in our Acetyl Chain portfolio.”

The expansion provides approximately 35% incremental EVA capacity starting in the first quarter of 2023. The project is expected to deliver approximately US$10 million per year in additional operating EBITDA across the integrated acetyl value chain with the earnings contributions ramping across the second quarter.

The Acetyl Chain’s reactor capabilities and unique footprint allow for a more customized approach to product manufacturing with the flexibility to produce a full range of EVA products to serve demand in growing solar applications, wire and cables, food packaging, medical devices and drug delivery solutions. Celanese EVA products are sold under the product names including Ateva EVA and Ateva G Medical Grade.

“We continue to strengthen Celanese as an industry leader in the acetyls and derivatives space,” said Mark Murray, senior vice president, Acetyl Chain. “This EVA expansion enhances our downstream optionality to capture growth in high-value applications and to deliver on our commitment to be a preferred partner of our customers.”

In other news, South Koran engineering firm Hyundai Engineering says it is nearing the completion of Polish petrochemical company Grupa Azoty’s Polimery Police propane dehydrogenation (PDH) and polypropylene (PP) project at Police, Poland. The progress in the construction of the Police PDH·PP plant has reached 98% and the plant is expected to be completed in the first half of 2023 at the earliest and start commercial operation within 2023.

This project involves building a polypropylene production facility with a capacity of 400,000 tonnes/year and auxiliary facilities such as a port in the Police area, 460 km northwest of Warsaw, the capital of Poland. Hyundai Engineering is jointly promoting the project with Grupa Azoty, Poland’s largest petrochemical group, and Lotos, a large Polish oil refinery.

The facility will produce propylene by removing hydrogen from propane gas and polypropylene by combining propylene and ethylene. The polypropylene produced at the plant is expected to contribute to drive the growth of Poland’s economy as it will be used in a wide range of industries, including automobile parts, artificial fibres and various daily necessities.

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