Shell Venture Completes Plant

PTT Poly Canada, a 50-50 joint venture between Shell Chemical and Quebec-government-owned Société Générale de Financement du Québec, has completed construction of its 95,000-metric-ton-per-year polytrimethylene terephthalate polymer plant in Montreal. The polymer will be sold to fiber makers for use in carpeting and fabrics, where ease of care and flexibility will give it an edge over materials such as nylon and polyester, Shell says. Stan Park, vice president of propanediol and PTT at Shell, calls the plant a prototype that will demonstrate the production technology and provide commercial quantities of the polymer to foster new uses. Shell's long-term strategy, he says, is to license PTT technology to other companies and sell raw material 1,3-propanediol on the merchant market.