Russian gas and petrochemicals giant Sibur has upgraded and expanded its polymer production at Tomsk. Sums totalling more than 10 billion rubles ($157 million) have been spent on the site’s two core PP and LDPE production lines, which are operated by subsidiary Tomskneftekhim. PP capacity has risen from 130,000 t/y to 140,000 t/y, while LDPE capacity has grown from 245,000 t/y to 270,000 t/y.

“The key objective of the major upgrade at Tomskneftekhim is to improve the quality of our existing products and launch new ones. As a result, we will be able to substitute a significant amount of imported polymers used by Russian companies in the utilities, road construction, packaging and consumer goods production,” said Dmitry Konov, chairman of Sibur’s management board.

Plastpolymer and Bashgiproneftechim were the general designers for the PP and LDPE projects respectively. The main contractors on the LDPE upgrade were Russian firms Sibshakhtostroy, Omus-1 and Snema-Service. Sibur said its R&D center – Niost – worked on improving the existing PP and LDPE grades as well as significantly expanding the company’s portfolio.