Dow to build chemicals plant in Thailand with Solvay; plans on for HPPO plant with BASF

06 August 2007

The Dow Chemical Company and Solvay S A will set up the world''s largest hydrogen peroxide (HP) plant with a capacity of over 330 kilotons per annum (KTA) of hydrogen peroxide at 100 per cent concentration in Thailand.

The two companies will set up a joint venture for the construction of the plant, which is scheduled to be operational in 2010. The new HP plant will serve as a raw material source for the manufacture of propylene oxide (PO).

The hydrogen peroxide to be manufactured at the new plant is based on Solvays proprietary, high-yield hydrogen peroxide technology.

In addition, Dow and BASF Aktiengesellschaft are advancing negotiations for the construction of a world-scale, 390 KTA propylene oxide (PO) manufacturing facility, also in Thailand, using the innovative hydrogen peroxide to propylene oxide (HPPO) technology jointly developed by Dow and BASF.

Dow and Solvay would deploy this innovative technology in Asia, said Jacques Delmoitiez, president of BASFs Polyurethanes division.

Thailand is an attractive location for an HPPO investment due to its receptive business climate and easy access to the entire Asia-Pacific region, said Pat Dawson, president of Dow Polyurethanes.