Styrenics giant Ineos Styrolution Group GmbH plans to build what officials are calling a world-scale styrene monomer plant on the U.S. Gulf Coast.
In a March 28 news release, officials with Frankfurt-based Ineos Styrolution said the firm will commission an engineering study to build the plant, which will use best-in-class technology and will benefit from access to low-cost feedstock and energy from shale gas as well as an excellent infrastructure.
A specific location is yet to be defined. No other details of the proposal were included in the release. Styrene monomer is a feedstock used in production of polystyrene, ABS, styrenic copolymers and other specialty resins.
"This new plant will complement our existing [styrene monomer] production facilities and provide a sustained competitive advantage to enable us to supply the global market," Steve Harrington, global styrene monomer president, said. Ineos Styrolution already operates two production sites in Texas, at Baytown and Texas City.
CEO Kevin McQuade added that the proposed new plant supports the firm's Triple Shift growth strategy and "maintains our leading position as a global styrenics supplier to our key customers and industries."
In 2017, Ineos Styrolution posted sales of 5.3 billion euros (US$6.5 billion). Some 19 percent of the firm's product sales last year came from styrene monomer. On a geographic level, 25 percent of sales came from the Americas.
Ineos Styrolution is a wholly owned unit of Ineos Group AG of Rolle, Switzerland. It employs 3,300 at 16 production sites worldwide.
