As part of its plans to increase production capacity for styrenic polymers in the Americas, Ineos Styrolution has announced it will build a new 100,000 t/y ASA plant at Bayport, Texas, and widen ABS capacity at its ABS/ASA plant in Altamira, Mexico.

The company said the ASA upgrade, due to be completed by the end of 2020, is in response to growing customer demand and will strengthen its position as the only global producer with the ability to produce the polymer in all regions.

Ineos Styrolution – founded by BASF and most recently a joint venture between the two chemicals and plastics giants – said Bayport was selected because of its easy access to raw materials, its low-cost utilities, proximity to major customer markets and the area’s excellent infrastructure for domestic shipments and exports. The facility will be built adjacent to the company’s styrene monomer plant.

Alexander Glueck, the plastics producer’s president for the Americas, said the new production plant follows previous growth investments including AMSAN production in Altamira, the current expansion of the ABS/ASA plant in Altamira and most recently the acquisition of the K-Resin styrene-butadiene copolymer (SBC) business of US oil and petrochemicals group ChevronPhillips Chemical and Daelim Industrial of South Korea are examples, he said.