Basell slates two new plants

Basell is planning two additions to its polyethylene capacity and has licensed its polypropylene technology to Sinopec. At its Münchsmünster site near Munich, Basell will add a 120,000-metric-ton-per-year high-density polyethylene plant to replace a plant that was damaged by an explosion and fire last December. Start-up is planned for early 2009. The company is also revamping its 80,000-metric-ton polyethylene plant in Wesseling, near Cologne, Germany, with its new Spherilene S single-reactor design. Start-up of the converted plant is planned for 2008 at an expanded capacity of 100,000 metric tons. Separately, Basell has issued a Spherizone technology license to Sinopec's Tianjin Petrochemical to build a 450,000-metric-ton polypropylene plant in Dagang, in Tianjin municipality, near Beijing.