(ICIS) -- Polimeri Europa plans to restart its 200 KTa low density polyethylene (LDPE) line at Dunkirk, France, following a prolonged shutdown that began at the end of August 2010, a company source said on Wednesday. With its new tubular reactor, the line is expected to be back on stream soon, the source said.
Polimeri Europa shut down the Dunkirk PE site for a two-month planned maintenance project in August last year.
While the site's 140 KTa linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE) plant came back on line in November, the LDPE line has remained out of action and attempts to restart it have been unsuccessful.
The company declared force majeure in January, and this is expected to remain in place until a sustainable stock level is built, the source said.
The effects of the permanent closures of several older autoclave units in Europe in 2009 have made LDPE availability tight in recent months, and prices have risen to record-high levels.