SCG-DOW HPPO Plant

The Dow Chemical Company announced today that the SCG-Dow Group, a joint venture between Dow and Siam Cement Group, has finalized the start-up of its new propylene oxide (PO) facility in Thailand by successfully completing its full capacity performance test.

Dow reached a key milestone in October 2011 when the plant achieved stable production levels in preparation for the full capacity run scheduled for the fourth quarter of 2011. The new facility met that target on time by successfully completing the full capacity run on November 22, 2011 – only two months after starting raw material feeds to this new plant. Additionally, the plant exceeded expectations for all quality and yield performance parameters.

The world-scale plant, located within the Asia Industrial Estates (AIE) site near Map Ta Phut, Thailand, has a name plate capacity of 390 kilotons per annum (KTA) of PO via the innovative hydrogen peroxide to propylene oxide (HPPO) technology.

"The successful start-up of this environmentally advanced and complex technology shows the innovation power, project execution and operational strength of Dow,” said Holger Baer, global manufacturing and technology director, Dow Propylene Oxide/Propylene Glycol.

“Dow’s investment in this new facility strategically enhances its existing position as the global capacity leader in PO and better positions its derivative businesses such as Polyurethanes and Propylene Glycol,” said Steven English, global vice president, Dow Polyurethanes. “As a global strategic source point, Dow can better serve customers of these life-enhancing industries in Asia and beyond.”

“Despite some anticipated challenges, the commitment of people from various functions has delivered a successful project. This HPPO plant will add value to propylene from the joint venture cracker in Thailand,” said Cholanat Yanaranop, President of SCG Chemicals Company Limited.