Daelim Announces Expansion of Highly Reactive Polybutene Plant
DATE 2015.02.09
VIEW 6705
Daelim Announces Expansion of Highly Reactive Polybutene Plant
Daelim employees check the Yeosu PB plant expansion site.
Daelim employees check the Yeosu PB plant expansion site. Daelim’s Petrochemical Business Division disclosed on February 9, 2015 its plan to expand its highly reactive polybutene plant. The company intends to expand the annual output of its existing plant, which is located at Yeosu National Industrial Complex, from 65,000 tons to 100,000 tons by November 2016 by investing KRW 74 billion. After the expansion, Daelim will be able to produce 185,000 tons of polybutene annually by including the polybutene plant’s annual production output of 85,000 tons of general-purpose polybutene. With such expansion, Daelim expects to position itself as the top polybutene manufacturer in terms of world market share, widening the gap with Germany’s BASF (annual output: 140,000 tons).
Polybutene is mainly used as raw material for lubricant additives and fuel purifiers. Because the highly reactive polybutene can simplify the lubricant manufacturing process, it enhances production efficiency. In addition, eco-friendly products can be produced since polybutene has no chlorine ingredient. With environmental regulations consolidated worldwide, the eco-friendly lubricant additive and fuel purifier markets are expanding. In this regard, the highly reactive polybutene market has been steadily increasing by 4% on the average every year.
Daelim seeks to become the No. 1 company in the polybutene sector through such expansion. Thanks to their outstanding quality, more than 90% of Daelim’s polybutene products are exported to global lubricant additive manufacturers including Chevron, Lubrizol, and Infineum. Daelim seeks to prove its technical capabilities by successfully developing polybutene, completing plant construction, and operating and expanding the plant. The company also pursues productivity expansion through cost savings by using raw materials efficiently.
Daelim succeeded in the commercial production of general-purpose polybutene for the first time in Korea in 1993 through its own research. The company developed highly reactive polybutene that has improved the functionality of the existing general-purpose polybutene for the third time in the world in 2012, following Germany and US. It flexibly operates production facilities according to market demand by developing a technology to produce general-purpose polybutene and highly reactive polybutene together using the swing process in a single plant for the first time in the world.
Daelim seeks to become the No. 1 company in the polybutene sector through such expansion. Thanks to their outstanding quality, more than 90% of Daelim’s polybutene products are exported to global lubricant additive manufacturers including Chevron, Lubrizol, and Infineum. Daelim seeks to prove its technical capabilities by successfully developing polybutene, completing plant construction, and operating and expanding the plant. The company also pursues productivity expansion through cost savings by using raw materials efficiently.
Daelim succeeded in the commercial production of general-purpose polybutene for the first time in Korea in 1993 through its own research. The company developed highly reactive polybutene that has improved the functionality of the existing general-purpose polybutene for the third time in the world in 2012, following Germany and US. It flexibly operates production facilities according to market demand by developing a technology to produce general-purpose polybutene and highly reactive polybutene together using the swing process in a single plant for the first time in the world.
Yeosu Plant of Daelim’s Petrochemical Business Division 
