Canada’s Nova Chemicals has announced the mechanical completion of its PE1 expansion project at Joffre, Alberta. A third gas phase reactor capable of producing around 450,000 t/y linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE) has been added, increasing the site’s nameplate PE capacity by 40% to approximately 1.6m t/y.

The unit will produce Novapol butene-based LLDPE to meet rising demand for flexible film products such as food packaging, heavy duty sacks and collation shrink wrapping. Equipment testing will be followed by start-up and production in the fourth quarter of 2016. Commercial sales are expected to begin in late 2016 or early 2017.

Nova said this is the first new LLDPE reactor to start up in the Americas in a decade.