Styrolution Reveals Strategy

Only five months after its launch as the styrenic polymers joint venture between BASF and Ineos, Styrolution has unveiled a strategy to streamline European operations and expand in Asia. Styrene and polystyrene plants in Marl, Germany, which Ineos operates for the venture, will close by the end of the year. The Marl facility has an annual capacity of 350,000 metric tons for styrene and 180,000 metric tons for polystyrene. Styrolution says production costs at the facility are above the European industry average and that it is better off increasing output at other facilities in the region. Ineos will continue to make expandable polystyrene resins and cumene at the site. Styrolution is upgrading process and logistics control systems at a plant in Ludwigshafen, Germany, that makes styrenic copolymers. Later this year the company will start up a new line in Ulsan, South Korea, that will have 40,000 metric tons of annual capacity for acrylonitrile-styrene-acrylate resins used in outdoor goods such as recreational vehicles. The company is also expanding its annual capacity for acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene in India to 110,000 metric tons from 80,000 metric tons by 2014.