5 Aug 2008
Houston, Texas -- ExxonMobil Chemical Co. has completed a major expansion at its Baytown, Texas, plant that enables the company to increase its halobutyl manufacturing capacity at the plant by 60 percent.
The firm said it decided to expand the facility to meet the growing demand for halobutyl rubber. ExxonMobil declines to discuss plant capacity, but global demand for halobutyl is estimated to be around 600kt of the 900 kt demand for butyl rubber. Exxon controls just over half the butyl business, but reportedly has a greater share of the butyl business than the halobutyl business. ERJ thus estimates Exxon's capacity prior to the expansion at around 300 kt.
Art Sullivan, vice president of Exxon's chemical butyl polymers business, said more than $400 million has been invested at Baytown since 2000, and more investments have been made in halobutyl worldwide.
From Rubber & Plastics News (A Crain publication)
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