BASF And Eastman Link With Sinopec

BASF and Sinopec will study the establishment of a 50-50 joint venture in the southern Chinese province of Guangdong that would produce isononyl alcohol, a raw material for both phthalate and nonphthalate plasticizers. The companies did not disclose the size of the proposed facility or the investment amount. The venture would be set up with a Sinopec subsidiary in Mao­ming. Meanwhile, Eastman Chemical and Sinopec have agreed to form a 50-50 joint venture to produce hydrogenated hydrocarbon resins in Nanjing. With a capacity of 50,000 metric tons per year, the venture will double Eastman’s global production capacity for the resins, used in adhesives and as polymer modifiers. Eastman says the plant will make it the world’s largest producer of hydrogenated hydrocarbon resins.