Plant expansion prompted by demand for high-end polypropylene

Growing demand for high-performance, specialty polypropylene (PP) in end uses including pipes, film and healthcare applications, has prompted supplier LyondellBasell to increase the capacity of its PP plant in Brindisi, Italy. The expansion is scheduled for completion in 2012, according to LyondellBasell (Rotterdam, Netherlands), and it will include the use of additional co-monomers such as hexene. Plant capacity is expected to be increased by 50,000 tonnes, bringing total capacity to 235,000 tonnes/yr.