LANXESS Increases Production Capacity for Basic Chemical
Dec 15, 2006
LEVERKUSEN -- LANXESS is currently expanding the production of 1,6-hexanediol (HDO) at its Uerdingen site in Germany for the worldwide market. Capacity for this aliphatic basic chemical will be expanded by around 15 percent by the beginning of 2007. "With this investment we are responding to the growth opportunities offered by the market," explains Wolfgang Schafer, Marketing Manager for Polyols & Oxidation Products in the Business Unit Basic Chemicals, continuing: "Backwards integration and the infrastructure of the Uerdingen-based hexanediol plant offer an ideal basis." HDO is not classified as dangerous according to the European Directive (67/548/EEC) and is no dangerous cargo. It is used for example in the manufacture of high-grade coating resins, fibers, high-temperature-resistant polymers and adhesives.
The implementation of the necessary technical measures will not require any significant downtime and will not have any effect on the ability to deliver.
Holger Huppeler, head of Marketing in the Business Unit Basic Chemicals, had already announced in September 2006 that the 15 percent capacity increase for m-cresol, which is used, for example, in the production of vitamin E and agrochemicals would be followed by further expansion projects: "In the near future we also want to expand the capacities of other base chemicals on an ongoing basis. This will enable us to share in the growth of our customers and meet their demand for reliable delivery even more effectively in a market that is characterized by consolidation."
The basis for LANXESS's broad range of basic chemicals is an integrated cluster of linked production facilities for chlorination, nitration, hydrogenation, phosgenation and isomer separation. As a leading supplier of industrial chemicals, LANXESS focuses particularly on aromatic compounds. Chlorobenzenes, chlorotoluenes and nitrotoluenes and their derivatives such as nitrochlorobenzenes, cresols, toluidines and monoisocyanates are manufactured in integrated facilities. LANXESS is also a leading producer of amines, amino alcohols, benzyl products, hydrofluoric acid and sulfuric acid, fluorine compounds, oxidation products such as phthalic anhydride, maleic anhydride and polyols such as trimethylolpropane.
The Business Unit Basic Chemicals belongs to the Chemical Intermediates segment, which achieved total sales in 2005 of EUR 1.535 billion.
This news release contains forward-looking statements based on current assumptions and forecasts made by LANXESS AG management. Various known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors could lead to material differences between the actual future results, financial situation, development or performance of the company and the estimates given here. The company assumes no liability whatsoever to update these forward-looking statements or to conform them to future events or developments.
