Huntsman Corporation has commemorated the official start-up of a new 22,000-ton TEROL® aromatic polyester polyols plant at its systems house in Kuan Yin, Taiwan, with an opening ceremony at the site that was attended by key customers and employees.
The 3,600-square meter polyols plant, completed in May, expands Huntsman’s downstream polyurethanes capabilities in the Asia-Pacific region and marks the first time Huntsman has manufactured its TEROL® polyols outside the United States.
Polyols for MDI-based PU Insulation System
TEROL® polyester polyols are critical components in the production of MDI-based polyurethane insulation systems – the most effective insulants available in the market, as measured by R-value. Insulation products based on TEROL® polyols, include polyisocyanurate (PIR) boardstock systems, spray polyurethane foam (SPF) and pour-in-place applications, including entry doors, garage doors, coolers, refrigerators and commercial freezers.
To produce its TEROL® polyols, Huntsman utilizes a proprietary process that upcycles scrap polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles, some of which otherwise would have ended up in landfills, rivers and oceans.
In remarks at the opening ceremony, Peter Huntsman, chairman, president and chief executive officer of Huntsman Corporation, said: “
The work we are doing in Taiwan and throughout the Asia Pacific region will truly transform our industry. By recycling the equivalent of nearly half a billion PET bottles from the oceans, landfills and refuse facilities, we are creating the building blocks that transform plastic waste into something of real value – highly efficient insulants that help conserve energy and reduce emissions.”
Taiwan - A Critically Important Base for Huntsman
Huntsman manufactures TEROL® polyols for the Americas and European regions from its plant in Houston, Texas, where it upcycles the equivalent of one billion 500ml PET bottles per year. Additionally, Huntsman manufactures polyols from scrap PET bottles at its Huntsman Building Solutions site in Boisbriand, Canada.
Commenting on the new facility, Tony Hankins, president of Huntsman’s polyurethanes business and CEO of Asia Pacific said: “
Taiwan is a critically important base for the achievement of our strategic objectives in the region, which are focused on moving downstream and creating more differentiated solutions for our customers. Huntsman is now able to effectively supply energy-efficient SPF systems to customers throughout Asia-Pacific, leveraging the TEROL® polyols from the Taiwan plant. We see significant growth opportunities for SPF in the cold chain, modern agriculture, and the insulation of buildings.”
Source: Huntsman Corporation