Dr Dahai Yu, Executive Board Member, Evonik Industries.
ESSEN, GERMANY: Evonik Industries is starting basic planning for a new methyl methacrylate (MMA) production plant using the AVENEER process at its Mobile site in Alabama, USA. The capital expenditure involved will be in the three-digit million Euro range. The large-scale plant, with a production capacity of 120,000 metric tonne, is expected to come onstream in the middle of 2015.
The overall project is awaiting the approval of the relevant bodies. “With AVENEER technology and our decision in favour of Mobile we’re systematically expanding our global methacrylates platform and consolidating our leading market position further,” said Dr Dahai Yu, Executive Board Member, Evonik Industries.
“As Evonik’s largest North American site, Mobile offers the advantages of a strong infrastructure and optimal availability of all raw materials and power,” said Gregor Hetzke, Head, Performance Polymers Business Unit, Evonik. The location of the site on the Gulf of Mexico also allows delivery by sea to customers all over the world.
In a pilot facility in Worms, Evonik has brought the innovative process to technological readiness over the last five years. An important advantage of the new process is the capability to produce methyl methacrylate and methacrylic acid simultaneously in a single plant. “The proportion of the two products can be adjusted within wide limits, allowing us a high degree of flexibility,” said Dr Hans-Peter Hauck, Head, Acrylic Monomers Business Line, Evonik.
As the starting product of Evonik's methacrylates platform, methyl methacrylate is the base for a number of products and a very important monomer for the group.
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