MOORETOWN, ONTARIO — Nova Chemicals Corp. has restarted its low density polyethylene production unit in Mooretown.
The unit had been down since late 2011. In a Jan. 17 news release, Chris Bezaire, Nova senior vice president of PE, said that since the shutdown, Nova "committed resources and capital to not only rebuild the reactor, but enhance our ability to operate more safely and reliably."
Officials with Calgary, Alberta-based Nova added that LDPE market growth is part of NOVA 2020, the firm's long-term asset strategy to capitalize on emerging feedstock opportunities and growing North American demand. Nova already has announced plans to add two more PE production lines, either in Joffre, Alberta, or Corunna, Ontario.
Through October 2012, U.S./ Canadian LDPE sales totaled almost 5.7 billion pounds, according to the American Chemistry Council in Washington. That total represents a one percent vs. the first 10 months of 2011.