LyondellBasell Industries announced today that it will stop producing High Melt Strength (HMS) polypropylene at its Varennes, Quebec site in April 2008. The HMS unit is expected to continue normal operations until then.

Yves Bonte, Senior Vice President of Polypropylene said, “LyondellBasell has been a leader in the HMS specialty polypropylene business for over 15 years. However, in light of our previously announced decision to close our Varennes site, where the HMS unit is located, further study concluded that continued HMS polypropylene production is not economically viable.”

Bonte added, “LyondellBasell has no alternate manufacturing capacity to produce HMS polypropylene. As a result we will be working with our customers to manage an orderly exit from this business.”