MILAN, ITALY — EniChem has started construction of a production plant for hydrogenated thermoplastic elastomers styrene-ethylene-butene-styrene. With a capacity of 33,000 tons per year, the plant, in Ravenna, Italy, will utilize a proprietary hydrogenation technology, which is based on metallocene catalysts. Start up is planned during the second quarter of 2001.
The hydrogenated thermoplastic elastomers SEBS are characterized by high thermal and oxidative stability. They are used in the higher performance segment of traditional thermoplastic elastomers, such as compounding, adhesives, plastic modification and bitumen modification. Also, the SEBS elastomers are used in medical and automotive applications.
Milan-based EniChem also is considering a second plant at its Baytown, Texas, industrial site as a future SEBS production site.
