Apr 27 2005
Huntsman Corporation has announced plans to pursue the expansion of its annual maleic anhydride manufacturing capacity by 100 million pounds. The new capacity, which could be on line as early as the first quarter of 2008, will increase Huntsman’s US production capacity by over 40% to 335 million pounds.
Huntsman Vice President, Tom Fisher, commented, “The robust demand for maleic anhydride makes it incumbent upon us to lead the way in meeting our customers’ requirements.”
A team formed from Huntsman’s maleic anhydride business and its licensing engineering partner has begun basic engineering and site selection for this project. The team is evaluating several Huntsman sites in the US for the expansion.
Huntsman is a leading global producer of maleic anhydride and currently has the capacity to manufacture 235 million pounds per year at its facility in Pensacola, Florida. Huntsman also owns a 50% interest in a joint venture in Moers, Germany that has an annual capacity of 125 million pounds.
Maleic anhydride is the building block for unsaturated polyester resins mainly used in the production of fiberglass reinforced resins for construction, automotive and marine products.
http://www.huntsman.com