In order to heighten operating efficiency
at its Mizushima plant complex, Asahi Kasei Corporation will
replace one of its styrene monomer production lines with a
new facility, with construction scheduled for completion in
December 2003.
Asahi Kasei presently operates two production
lines for styrene monomer at its Mizushima plant complex,
with production capacities of 150,000 tons/year and 310,000
tons/year. The 150,000 ton/year plant was brought on line
in 1968.
Given its age, maintenance costs associated with
its continued operation are forecast to increase sharply.
To maintain the long-term viability of styrene monomer operations,
the decision was made to replace this facility with a new
line of 330,000 tons/year capacity.
The new facility will employ advanced process
technology to achieve high production efficiency, and its
location adjoining the 310,000 ton/year plant will enable
more efficient utilities utilization, resulting in heightened
competitiveness for styrene monomer operations. In addition,
utilization of by-product hydrogen from the new plant will
enable greater operating efficiency throughout the Mizushima
plant complex.
The efficiency gains associated with the new
styrene monomer facility form a key element in the ongoing
program to heighten competitiveness throughout Asahi Kasei's
integrated petrochemical operations at Mizushima, from its
ethylene center to a range of petrochemical derivatives. The
effort under way will secure the future of petrochemicals
and plastics as a cost-competitive, stable-growth field of
operations for Asahi Kasei over the long term.
The increased styrene monomer capacity will
meet growing in-house demand, and be supplied to SAL Petrochemical
(Zhangjiagang) Co. Ltd., a 50/50 joint venture between Asahi
Kasei and Dow Chemical for the production of polystyrene in
China.*
|
Styrene monomer production capacity (tons/year) |
| |
At present
(2 lines) |
After scrap and build
(2 lines) |
| Existing plant |
150,000 |
– |
| Existing plant |
310,000 |
300,000 |
| New plant |
– |
330,000 |
| Total |
460,000 |
630,000 |
Overview of scrap and build
Capacity of plant to scrap: 150,000 tons/year
Capacity of new plant: 330,000 tons/year
Site: Mizushima complex, Kurashiki, Okayama
Completion schedule: December 2003
* SAL Petrochemical (Zhangjiagang) Co. Ltd. was
established by Asahi Kasei and The Dow Chemical Company in October
1998 with paid-in capital of US$26.8 million. Polystyrene production
is scheduled to begin in early 2002.
|
