Arkema Announces Start-up of its Acrylic Acid Capacity Expansion at Texas Site

In line with previous announcements, Arkema has brought on stream additional acrylic acid capacity at its Clear Lake, Texas, site. A ramp-up period is planned to continue over the next few months associated with commercial qualification of newly manufactured products. This project will improve reliability and increase competitiveness of the Clear Lake plant and brings the site to a nameplate capacity of 270 KT per year.

The project is a major portion of the $110 million investment plan announced in November 2010. Last year, at its Bayport, Texas facility, Arkema started up a 2-Ethyl Hexyl Acrylate unit (2-EHA) used in pressure sensitive adhesives (PSA).

The acrylic acid capacity expansion at Clear Lake was the second project announced and is currently being readied for commercial operation. The third project from this plan is the addition of a Methyl Acrylate unit, dedicated to supply water treatment and engineering polymers markets. This unit is targeted for mechanical completion near the end of this year.