Sasol-Huntsman Joint Venture to pursue major Maleic Anhydride expansion in Germany
Sasol-Huntsman GmbH & Co. KG, a 50/50 joint venture between Huntsman Corporation and Sasol Chemical Holdings GmbH & Co. KG, located in Moers, Germany, announced plans to expand its maleic anhydride manufacturing capacity from 60 mt to 105 mt by the first quarter of 2011.
The 75% expansion will stem from the construction of a second world scale 45 kt reactor and purification section of the existing Moers plant. The new plant will operate independently from the existing plant to ensure uninterrupted product flow even during scheduled shutdowns and catalyst re-packs.
"The significant current increase in demand for maleic anhydride and projected long-term global customer requirements necessitated the expansion and will strengthen our advantage as leading producer of this important chemical in Europe, "says Sasol-Huntsman MD, Rolf Giessel,
Basic engineering and site preparation have been completed and the engineering procurement construction management (EPCM) contract will be warded in June. The reactor and selected equipment will be ordered in May 2008.
The new plant's design is similar to Huntsman's 45 kt plant under construction in Geismar, USA, which is expected to be operational in late 2008.
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