LyondellBasell’s Metocene PP technology selected by PolyMirae, Korea

PolyMirae (PMC), a joint venture between Daelim and LyondellBasell, has selected LyondellBasell’s Metocene PP technology for one of its Spheripol lines in Yeosu, Korea.

The Metocene PP technology license to PMC covers a full range of homopolymers, random copolymers and heterophasic copolymers with significantly improved physical properties. Metocene PP technology is the first commercially available metallocene-based technology which is proven in world-scale plants. LyondellBasell has been developing and operating this technology for a number of years, selling Metocene-based PP products successfully into the European and North American polymer markets.

“As a key PP producer in the Asian market, PolyMirae is eager to maintain a leading technology position in the region by continuously having access to the newest and best technological tools for making outstanding products that serve our customer’s needs,” says C.J. Park, CEO of PolyMirae. “Moreover, PolyMirae is very pleased that it will be the first company introducing a comprehensive metallocene polypropylene technology with broad product coverage into the region.”

“Metocene PP technology has proven to be a very versatile technology.” said Kaspar Evertz, LyondellBasell’s senior vice president of Licensing. “It extends the product range of conventional PP by including product advantages like higher purity, better organoleptic properties and significantly improved transparency. Moreover, reactor grades with very high melt flow can be produced without further visbreaking in the extruder.”

C. J. Park added “ With these product advantages, Polymirae is confident that it will deliver customers additional benefits like more stable spinning operation, enhanced flow promotion and dispersion of additives.”

In addition to the first Metocene PP license, PolyMirae has also obtained from LyondellBasell a license extension to upgrade another Spheripol PP plant in Yeosu to produce new high performance PP grades.

Besides the Metocene PP technology and the Spheripol PP process technology, LyondellBasell’s portfolio of licensed polyolefin technologies and associated technical services comprises also:

• Spherizone – latest generation polypropylene technology based on new multi-zone reactor technology.
• Spherilene – advanced swing gas phase process for the production of LLDPE, MDPE and HDPE.
• Hostalen – leading low-pressure slurry process for the production of multi-modal HDPE.
• Lupotech T – leading high pressure tubular reactor process for the production of LDPE and EVA copolymers.
• Lupotech A – advanced high-pressure autoclave process for the production of specialty LDPE and EVA-Copolymers with high VA content.