Evonik Industries plans to increase its production capacity for 1-butene at its Marl site by 75,000 metric tons per year, making it the world's top producer of 1-butene. The expansion is aimed at supporting the growth plans of customers in Europe and overseas, as the demand for 1-butene is increasing by about five percent each year. 1-butene is used as a co-monomer in the production of high-quality polymers, such as polyethylene, to improve their properties. Evonik already operates world-scale plants for 1-butene at its sites in Marl, Germany, and Antwerp, Belgium.
Evonik Industries plans to increase the production capacity for 1-butene at its Marl site by 75,000 metric tons per year, and start-up is scheduled for 2015.
With a total capacity of 310,000 metric tons, Evonik would then be the world's top producer of 1-butene. Basic engineering for the expansion is largely finished. The overall project still needs to be approved by the relevant committees.
"With this planned capacity expansion in Marl, our aim is to support the growth plans of our customers in Europe and overseas. Worldwide demand for 1-butene is increasing by about five percent each year," said Dr. Rainer Fretzen, head of Evonik's Performance Intermediates Business Line.
In the production of high-quality polymers, such as polyethylene, 1-butene is used mainly as a co-monomer. It gives polyethylene several beneficial properties, such as improved tear strength for packaging films.
Evonik has many years of logistics expertise and a tight service network for shipping liquefied gases, such as 1-butene, and is thus able to ensure safe and smooth supplies to its customers in Europe and overseas.
The Group is a world leading producer of C4-based products, such as butadiene, MTBE, isobutene, 1-butene, INA (isononanol), 2-PH (2-propylheptanol), and DINP (diisononyl phthalate). Evonik already operates world-scale plants for 1-butene at its sites in Marl, Germany, and Antwerp, Belgium.