Braskem SA's Ethylene XXI joint venture with Mexico's Grupo Idesa SA is 88 percent finished, the two partners said Dec. 24. They aim to have the $4.5 billion complex up and running by July.
Situated in the southeastern Mexico state of Veracruz, it includes an ethane cracker whose planned output is 1.05 million metric tons of ethylene a year.
In addition there will be two polymerization plants with a capacity of 750,000 metric tons of high density polyethylene a year and a third polymerization plant producing 300,000 metric tons of low density PE a year.
Braskem Idesa said recent advances included the installation of the extrusion equipment in the HDPE plant and the placement of valves in pipes in the LDPE facility. Work on installing the cracker's roof is continuing, Braskem Idesa said.
São Paulo-based Braskem, Latin America's largest petrochemical company, owns 75 percent of the joint venture, with Idesa owning the remainder.
A Braskem Idesa spokeswoman said the venture will have “a few hundred” customers in place before startup.
