Belgian firm Solvay’s Thai affiliate Vinythai will build a facility for epichlorohydrin in Taixing, China, to meet the growth of 8% for the chemical in the market. The plant with an initial capacity of 100,000 tonnes/year requires an investment of EUR155 million and should go on stream in H2 2014.

The Chinese epichlorohydrin market will represent 35% of total world demand in 2016. Epichlorohydrin is an essential feedstock for the production of epoxy resins, increasingly used in applications such as corrosion protection coatings as well in the electronics, automotive, aerospace industry or wind turbine industry.

The new plant will be based on Solvay's proprietary bio-based Epicerol technology, using natural glycerine feedstock obtained as by-product from the production of biofuels. The eco-efficient process requires less invested capital, has a 60% lower CO2 balance (cradle to gate), while dividing the volume of chlorinated by-products by eight compared to the conventional propylene based process. The Epicerol technology is protected by 1,000 patents, some of them already granted in different parts of the world.

Vinythai started up its first 100,000 tons epichlorohydrin unit based on the Epicerol technology in Thailand in February this year for the Asian market. The new plant will make Vinythai the second largest epichlorohydrin producer in Asia.

Strengthening its presence in Asia, Rosti has established a subsidiary, Rosti Integrated Manufacturing Solutions (IMS), located in Senai in southern Malaysia.

Indian firm Jain Irrigation Systems will invest US$375 million over the next few years to build sustainable agriculture that will improve income of small farmers in sub-Saharan Africa.

BOPP producer Taghleef Industries has acquired Applied Extrusion Technologies (AET), a US-based manufacturer of specialised BOPP films.

Sabic has shipped its first consignment of ethanolamines and ethoxylates from its manufacturing plant in Jubail, Saudi Kayan, making Saudi Arabia

Rome-based Assobioplastiche and Bangkok-based Thai Bioplastics Industry Association have formed a five-year agreement to carry out R&D of bioplastics.

US-based specialised polymer materials provider PolyOne announced the opening of its innovation centre in Shanghai, China.