Lubrizol Corp, a leading thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) producer based in Ohio is building a new CPVC plant in Thailand through a joint venture with Tokyo-based Sekisui Chemical Co. to cater to the strengthening chlorinated PVC market.

The plant, which is part of the company’s Phase 1 expansion will have annual capacity of nearly 30,000 metric tonnes, with an investment worth US$50 million; it is expected to be in full operation by the end of 2014.

A second phase of the project, which is to double the capacity to 60,000 metric tonnes with an additional investment of US$50 million, is expected to be operational by end of 2016.

The partners will independently market and sell CPVC resins made at the plant and will make their own CPVC-based compounds for their respective clients. The CPVC resins manufactured at this site will have to meet Lubrizol’s and Sekisui’s required performance.

“This is a significant step in expanding our CPVC business and we are pleased to be partnering with Sekisui on this effort,” said Eric Schnur, president of Lubrizol Advanced Materials. “We are committed to providing our customers with high quality CPVC products to support the global building and construction market. And with the construction of this new manufacturing facility, we are better positioned to support their future business growth,” he added.

The site will be Lubrizol's fourth global CPVC plant; it has other plants located in Louisville in Kentucky, US; and in Oevel, Belgium; another plant worth US$125 million is currently being built in Deer Park in Texas, US.