Ineos to set up VAM plant in Europe/Ineos Styrolution considers Gulf Coast for styrene monomer plant

Ineos Oxide says that it has made further progress in developing its project to produce Vinyl Acetate Monomer (VAM) in Europe. A MOU has been signed with an as yet unnamed commercial partner and FEED studies have commenced.

The plant will be located at one of Ineos Oxide’s European sites, either in Saltend, Hull, UK, or Zwijndrecht, Antwerp, Belgium, and will use proprietary fixed bed technology with an initial nameplate capacity of 300,000 tonnes/year. Both locations benefit from advantaged feedstock supplies and are well positioned to supply both the European and deep-sea VAM markets efficiently. The partners will complete the engineering studies required to make the final decision in 2018, targeting to start construction in 2019 and operation in early 2021.

Graham Beesley, CEO Ineos Oxide, commented “we are pleased to be moving forward with this exciting project and are highly encouraged with the marketplace interest in a plan to increase VAM supply in Europe. We are now entering the next phase of selecting the preferred location for the project and are fortunate to have two great options in Antwerp and Hull.”

Meanwhile, styrenics maker Ineos Styrolution , a member of the Ineos group, says it will commission an engineering study to build a world-scale styrene monomer (SM) plant in the US Gulf Coast.

The new SM plant will use best-in-class technology and benefit from access to low cost feedstock and energy from shale gas as well as an excellent infrastructure, the company said. A specific location is yet to be defined.

Styrene is used to make polystyrene (PS) and acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS).

Steve Harrington, President Global Styrene Monomer and Asia-Pacific, commented: “The new plant will complement our existing SM production facilities and provide a sustained competitive advantage to enable us to supply the global market.”

“This plan supports our ‘Triple Shift’ growth strategy and maintains our leading position as a global styrenics supplier to our key customers and industries,” added Kevin McQuade, CEO at Ineos Styrolution.

Ineos Styrolution has 16 plants in nine countries and had sales of EUR5.3 billion in 2017.

(EOG)

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