PolyMirae (PMC), a joint venture between Daelim and LyondellBasell Industries, has successfully started the operation of LyondellBasell's Metocene polypropylene technology. The company has installed this metallocene catalyst-based PP technology to one of its Spheripol lines in Yeochun, Korea.
The installation enables PolyMirae to apply Metocene PP technology to produce a wide range of homopolymers and random copolymers with higher purity, improved physical properties like outstanding transparency and, better organoleptic properties. Moreover, high fluidity peroxide-free reactor grades are obtainable beyond the usual melt flow restrictions of conventional PP.
Leading technology position
"As a key PP producer in the Asian market, PolyMirae is eager to maintain a leading technology position in the region by continuously making outstanding products that serve our customers' needs," says K.S. Park, director of application and product development of PolyMirae. "Moreover, PolyMirae is very pleased that it will be the first company in Asia introducing a comprehensive metallocene polypropylene technology offering a broad product portfolio to the market."
"With these product advantages, Polymirae is confident that it will provide additional benefits to its customers like more stable spinning operation, enhanced fluidity characteristics and improved aesthetic and cycle time," added K.S. Park.
According to Kaspar Evertz, senior vice president of LyondellBasell's licensing business, "This start up represents the first commercial production of Metocene-based PP in Asia. It is a remarkable step that brings some 20 years of innovation from LyondellBasell and its predecessor companies to this growing and increasingly competitive polymer market, and opens up additional possibilities for growth and value generation in the region."
In addition to the Metocene PP process, LyondellBasell's portfolio of licensed polyolefin technologies and associated technical services includes:
- Spherilene - advanced swing-gas-phase process for the production of monomodal and bimodal HDPE, MDPE and LLDPE
- Lupotech - high pressure tubular and autoclave processes for the production of LDPE and EVA copolymers
- Hostalen - low-pressure slurry process for the production of high-performance multimodal HDPE
- Spheripol - leading polypropylene technology for the production of homopolymer, random and heterophasic copolymers
- Spherizone - latest-generation polypropylene technology, based on a multi-zone reactor for the production of polypropylene and novel polyolefins