JPC Boosts Polyethylene Output

EghtesadOnline: Jam Petrochemical Company in Asalouyeh, Bushehr Province, has set a new record in producing a polyethylene grade, HD-52518, at its linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE) unit.

News ID: ۷۵۱۵۵۵

22 November 2020

With the efforts of specialists output of the polymer has reached 50 tons per hour, which is 8 tons higher than in previous years, ILNA reported.

According to the public relations of the company, HD-52518 grade comprises over 60% of the LLDPE unit production, which is exported to China, Turkey and neighboring countries while meeting domestic needs.

LLDPE is a substantially linear polyethylene produced at lower temperatures and pressures by copolymerization of ethylene and such higher alpha-olefins as butene, hexene, or octene.

Having entered almost all traditional markets for polyethylene; LLDPE is used for plastic bags and sheets, plastic wrap, stretch wrap, pouches, toys, covers, lids, pipes, buckets and containers, covering of cables, geomembranes, and mainly flexible tubing.

HD-52518 is a high density polyethylene grade with narrow molecular weight distribution that is suitable for injection molding applications. It has been designed to give good flow properties, low warpage with good dimensional stability and high gloss.

So far JPC has indigenized 13 polyethylene grades that were a monopoly of American and Italian firms and are extensively used in manufacturing car bumpers, gasoline tanks, pipes, fibers and packaging material.

JPC is one of the largest producers of chemical and polymeric products in Iran and owns production lines of LLDPE, olefin, high-density polyethylene, butadiene and butene-1.

It also produces high density polyethylene used for producing the so-called PE100 pipes that have higher durability and are used in oil, gas, water and wastewater networks.

Global Market

Polyethylene is the world's most versatile and widely produced polymer. High density polyethylene is used for producing plastic bottles, corrosion-resistant piping, geomembranes and plastic lumber.

According to the latest report by Technavio, a leading market research and advisory company, the polyethylene market is expected to grow by about $40 billion during 2020-2024. The report provides the market impact and new opportunities created due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The impact was significant in the first quarter but has gradually eased in subsequent quarters with a limited impact on the full-year economic growth.

The polyethylene market is driven by global efforts to decrease plastic waste. Recycling plastics includes sorting plastic into different polymers, followed by the chipping and melting process. Soft plastics, including polyethylene bags and films, are also recycled.

The global market for recycled plastics is expected to grow at an annual rate of nearly 5% during 2019-2024. The growth in the non-food-contact packaging segment for recycled plastics is expected to be approximately 6% during the period.

Besides, recycling plastics helps conserve natural resources and energy. The process helps reduce the use of natural resources, such as water and petroleum, required to manufacture polyethylene bags and other products. This in turn helps manufacturers save production costs.