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IAC is a limited liability company registered in January, 2006, owned 87% by Sipchem, 10% by Helm Arabia and 3% by Ministry of Endowments. IAC is intended to build, own and operate the Acetic Acid (AA) plant. Helm Arabia is a special purpose company established in Hamburg, Germany between Helm AG of Germany, a leading multinational producer and distributor of petrochemical products and Thales International Offsites, a subsidiary of Thales Company of France, a leading international electronics and systems group, serving government and business customers worldwide.
The plant is designed to produce up to 460 thousand mtpa of acetic acid and up to 50 thousand mtpa acetic anhydride, that will start commercial operation in early 2009.
The feedstock, namely methanol, carbon monoxide and hydrogen will be provided internally by other Sipchem affiliates, viz. International Methanol Company (IMC) and
United Industrial Gases Company (UIGC), thus ensuring an uninterrupted supply of feedstock.
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Products
IAC’s product line comprises of Acetic Acid (AA) and Acetic Anhidride (AAnh).
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Applications
Acetic Acid is used in the production of vinyl acetate, pure terephthalic acid and acetate esters.
Acetic Anhydride is used for the production of cellulose acetate which is used for filters, fabrics, etc. other applications for acetic anhydride include cellulose acetate polymers, including cellulose acetate molding resin, cellulose acetate propionate and cellulose acetate butyrate. In addition, it is widely used to add the acetyl group in the synthesis of surfactants, drugs, pesticides, dyes and additives.
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Technology
Eastman Chemical Company, USA is providing the technology. |
Marketing
Sipchem and Helm AG will offtake the products. |
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