Huntsman and SCAC to double MDI splitting capacity at Shanghai plant

With the new plant, MDI splitting capacity at the site will increase from 240,000 t/y to 480,000 t/y. Commercial operation is planned to start in 2017. The facility will take MDI precursors and split them to create more differentiated, custom made products for downstream markets.

The announcement follows confirmation that Shanghai Lianheng Isocyanate Co. Ltd, (SLIC) – in which Huntsman and SCAC are shareholders – will build a new plant to produce 240,000 t/y of crude MDI at SCIP, adjacent to its existing 240,000 t/y plant. The crude MDI plant and MDI splitter are part of an integrated isocyanates complex that includes manufacturing facilities for the precursors aniline and nitrobenzene.

Senior Officers and executives from Huntsman Polyurethanes Shanghai attended an inauguration ceremony for the new MDI splitter at the Caojing, China, site on 2 July 2014. Huntsman Board Director, Jon Huntsman Jr.; President and CEO, Peter Huntsman; and Huntsman Polyurethanes President, Tony Hankins, joined the celebrations.

“We've seen an upsurge in demand from Asian customers for higher quality, differentiated products and the new splitter will help us to meet these needs – providing our customers with a full range of next generation solutions for the insulation, automotive, bedding, furniture, adhesives, coatings, elastomers and footwear markets,” said Tony Hankins, President of Huntsman's Polyurethanes division. “Huntsman was the first MDI manufacturer to establish business in China in 1992. The planned doubling of the upstream and downstream capabilities of SLIC and HPS respectively demonstrates our long-term vision and commitment to support the success of our customers in the region.”