MOSCOW (MRC) -- Arkema, a France-based chemical manufacturer, starts up Asia’s first thiochemicals operations in Malaysia, said the producer in its press release.
The thiochemicals platform, which came on stream in Kerteh, Malaysia at the beginning of 2015, produces methyl mercaptan for use as a synthesis intermediate in animal feed and dimethyl disulfide (DMDS). The development of this site is consistent with the Group's growth strategy in Asia, and strengthens Arkema's position as the world leader in the production of high added value sulfur derivatives.
The construction of this new world-scale site has represented an investment of some EUR200 million for the Group.
Arkema thereby reaffirms its expertise in thiochemicals technologies, and confirms its vast expertise in the production of methyl mercaptan, a sulfur intermediate that is key in the manufacture of the bio-methionine produced on the same site by Korean company CJ CheilJedang using an innovative biosourced process. These plants will help meet fast-growing demand in the Asian animal feed market.
By also doubling its DMDS global capacity, the Group moreover supports the steady growth of the petrochemicals and refining markets, and now has world-scale plants in Europe, theUnited States and Asia.
The start-up of the Kerteh plant marks a further key milestone in Arkema’s growth strategy and will contribute to achieve its long-term targets. The production at the Kerteh site will ramp-up gradually.
As MRC wrote before, Arkema developed major technological innovations in protective coatings, combined with an audit and training service, and a product certification that is unique in the profession. This comprehensive approach, Certin Advance, helps bottle manufacturers considerably improve the service they supply to their customers in the beverage industry.
Arkema with annual revenue of EUR6.1 billion is a leading European supplier of chlorochemicals and PVC. Kynar and Kynar Flex are registered trademarks of Arkema Inc.
MRC