Kraton to open HSBC plant in Taiwan

Houston, Texas – Kraton Corp is officially opening a 30 kilotonne per annum (ktpa) hydrogenated styrenic block copolymer (HSBC) plant in Mailiao, Taiwan on 12 May.

In a 9 May statement, the producer of speciality polymers and styrenic block copolymers said the Mailiao plant will support its innovation-grade business, particularly low molecular weight HSBC products.

The plant is currently in commercial production after a trial productions period.

The facility, said Kraton, features “a process and product laboratory with capabilities for manufacturing low-viscosity products.”

"The Mailiao plant will enable Kraton to serve the growing Asian and export markets more effectively than ever before through higher production capacity of our differentiated grades of HSBC," said Kevin Fogarty, Kraton's president and CEO.

The Mailiao plant is owned and operated by Kraton Formosa Polymers Co., a joint venture between Kraton and Formosa Petrochemical Corp.

Polymers produced at the plant are being targeted for automotive, medical and film applications.