Leverkusen, Germany -- Bayer MaterialScience has revealed plans to invest €300 million ($423 million) in expanding and consolidating its isocyanates production in Germany up to 2013.
The group told ICIS News 10 Sept that it plans to build a 300-kilotonnes-per-annum plant for TDI (toluene diisocyanate), using its new gas-phase phosgenation process, in Dormagen. Meanwhile, production of MDI (methylene diphenyl diisocyanate) will be focussed at Brunsbüttel, where a 400-ktpa facility will be built, a Bayer spokesperson confirmed.
At Dormagen, Bayer already has a 30-ktpa pilot plant TDI unit using the gas phase process. Dormagen is a logical site for a TDI plant since it already houses a 200-ktpa plant for the TDI feedstock toluene diamine.
BMS confirmed that it plans to close the 125-ktpa TDI unit at Brunsbüttel and upgrade that site's 160-ktpa capacity MDI unit to a 400-ktpa plant.
The group recently announced that it had received Chinese government approval for a 250-ktpa TDI facility for Shanghai, China, using the gas-phase technology, which cuts solvent use by 80 percent and reduces energy needs by 60 percent, compared to conventional TDI technology, according to BMS.
BMS said it would start building this TDI plant in 2008, and start it up in 2010; it has plans to raise its capacity to 300 ktpa. Meanwhile the group also said it is on course to start up its 350-ktpa MDI plant at Caojing before the end of this year.
PIC: BMS' pilot plant for gas-phase phosgenation to make TDI at Dormagen.
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