Stade, Germany -- Dow Chemical Co. increased capacity for propylene glycol (PG) by 10 kilotonnes per annum (ktpa) at its Stade, Germany, plant in August. Dow said it achieved the increase after optimising equipment during routine maintenance.
"Dow is a PG industry leader in Europe," said Vincent Lacoste, PG product manager, in a company statement. "Not only does this capacity increase advance Dow's position to meet the growing demand for PG in Europe and across the globe, but it also brings additional support for de-icing demand during the winter months, after an industry shortage during the 2010-2011 winter season."
This increase follows implementation in 2010 of an energy and technology optimisation project during planned maintenance, which gave a large-scale expansion, completed in August 2010.
The increase has raised the plant's capacity for PG to about 280 ktpa. Dow has global PG capacity of over 700 ktpa and five global PG facilities including the Stade plant, which is one of the world's largest.
Dow said its continued investments in propylene oxide and PG have resulted in plans for a new PG plant in Thailand, a partnership with BASF and Solvay for a successfully operating hydrogen peroxide to PO (HPPO) plant in Antwerp, and a partnership with Siam Cement Group and Solvay for an HPPO plant in Thailand.
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