China adding €300m EPDM rubber project

Dongying, China – China’s Lihuayi is advancing a Yuan2.28 billion (€290 million) project to establish 50 kilotonnes per annum of EPDM rubber capacity in Shandong province.

The project, being developed by Lihuayi (Lijin) Engineering Plastics Co. Ltd, will establish a 50ktpa EPDM unit at the company's existing site in the Lijin Binhai New Area Chemical Industrial Park.

To be completed in two 25ktpa phases, the project is scheduled for start-up in December 2027, according to an environmental notice issued 19 Aug by Dongying Ecology & Environment Bureau.

The project initially received environmental approval from Dongying Ecology & Environment Bureau in January but Lihuayi submitted a revised version in May to reflect “major changes” in detailed design.

Based on the latest filing, Lihuayi is increasing planned ethylene storage capacity from 3,000 cubic metres to 6,500 cubic metres and raising wastewater discharge from the washing process from 15 cubic metres/h to 75 cubic metres/h.

Lihuayi has also added 1,224 sq.m. of land for a new flare system.

The revised project will meanwhile have four ethylene unloading positions, up from two, as well as an additional unloading position for hydrochloric acid.

Lihuayi had previously said the project would use solution-polymerisation technology supplied by Italy's FasTech.

According to the company, the facility is expected to generate annual sales of Yuan1.7 billion and annual profit and taxes of Yuan460 million once operational.