LyondellBasell to Build High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE) Plant on US Gulf Coast
United
States: LyondellBasell,
a major US based polyolefin materials manufacturer, has planned to construct a high-density
polyethylene (HDPE) plant at US Gulf Coast. The plant would have a production
capacity of 500,000 metric tons per year and is expected to commence operations
by 2019. This plant would be the first commercial facility to utilize new
proprietary Hyperzone PE technology of LyondellBasell. Hyperzone PE technology,
a high performance technology based on company’s multizone circulating reactor
technology, has the capability to produce a broad range of enhanced HDPE
products. Construction of the
new HDPE plant at US Gulf Coast would result in creating around 1,000 jobs and
upto 75 permanent posts at peak of construction. It is estimated that company’s
Hyperzone PE enhanced technology would provide enriched balance between impact
strength and stiffness along with enhanced stress crack-resistance property.
TechSci Research depicts that
rising demand
for HDPE from various end users for distinct applications including industrial
packaging, plastic fuel tanks, healthcare articles, etc. would aid the
expansion of the LyondellBasell’s
business involving HDPE. Furthermore, investment in this project is expected to
generate augmented demand for masterbatch across the globe.
According to the recent
report published by TechSci Research,
“Global
Masterbatch Market Forecast and Opportunities,
2021”, global masterbatch market size is estimated to
cross USD16 billion in 2016. White masterbatch demand is growing due to their
ability to provide opacity as well as base color to plastics used extensively
in milk pouches, milk bottles, plastic bags, food material packaging and
pharmaceutical packaging. Moreover, growing demand for innovative and
attractively packaged food items, increasing investments in the region and easy
availability of low-cost labor would further drive the market for masterbatch. Few
of the major companies operating in the global masterbatch market include Clariant,
A. Schulan, Cabot, and PolyOne, among others.