Vencorex Expands Global Isocyanates
French isocyanates producer Vencorex, a joint venture between Thailand’s PTT Global Chemical with 51% and Sweden’s Perstorp with 49%, has announced the completion of several projects in France, Thailand and the US.
The Lyon-based group formed in 2012 has expanded capacity for hexamethylene diisocyanate (HDI) and isophorone diisocyanate (IPDI) at Pont-de-Claix in France and added new units for Tolonate aliphatic polyisocyanates in Rayong, Thailand, and for Easaqua waterborne derivatives in Freeport Texas, USA.
Capacity details were not disclosed; however, in November 2014 Vencorex said IPDI output at Pont-de-Claix was being upgraded to 20,000 t/y by the end of 2016.
Vencorex said the capacity expansions have allowed it to become a truly global company with very strong monomer integration, and as a result the company anticipates investing further in derivative expansions where it sees growth.
Another project to modernize electrolysis chlorine production in France will further enhance the value chain when it completes in the coming months, Vencorex added. Chlorine capacity will be 110,000 t/y when the unit is converted to membrane technology.
In 2014, the company announced its long-term strategic ambition to focus on specialty isocyanates, which included enhancing its production footprint, commercial activities and R&D innovation.
