Braskem completes construction of PP production facility in Texas

Material supplier Braskem America Inc. has completed construction and started commissioning activities for it Delta polypropylene (PP) production unit at the company’s existing manufacturing site in La Porte, Tex., near Houston.

Started up in late June 2020, Braskem America’s new facility has a designed production capacity of over 450 kilotons (kt) or 1 billion pounds per year and has the capability to produce the entire PP portfolio, including homopolymer, impact copolymer, and random copolymers, the company said.

Braskem America – which is a subsidiary of Braskem SA, of São Paulo, Brazil – said it expects to launch production activities at the new unit on a commercial scale during third-quarter 2020. “Commercial production activity at the facility, in conjunction with our new global export hub in Charleston, South Carolina, will also directly support Braskem’s global export capability to its clients throughout North America, South America, Europe, and Asia,” Braskem said.

“The COVID impact on the North American polypropylene industry during April and May affected durable segments such as automotive,” said Mark Nikolich, Braskem America CEO. “However, this impact was partially mitigated with strong sales in nonwovens and packaging applications. In June, demand improved and Braskem’s North American polypropylene outlook for the third quarter is positive as clients are ramping up operations and demand has rebounded. Braskem is well-positioned to start up our new world-class polypropylene production line in the current market.”