IRPC’s US$100 mln investment to increase ABS capacity by 70,000 tons as part of "Phoenix" investment program

10-Feb-11

In a move a move to serve growing demand from the automotive and electronics industries, IRPC, plans to invest about US$100 mln to more than double acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS) production capacity. The new investment will increase the ABS capacity by 70,000 tpa from 2012 from the current 40,000-50,000 tpa at Rayong. This expansion is part of IRPC’s (an integrated petrochemical arm of PTT Plc) US$1.8 bln 5 year "Phoenix" investment program through 2014 aimed to double revenue contribution from specialty products to 40% by 2014. The Phoenix program aims to turn IRPC into one of Asean's most fully integrated petrochemical companies when the investments are completed. Last year, IRPC launched green ABS, an environmentally friendly product which replaces synthetic rubber (butadiene) with natural rubber in ABS manufacturing. The product has since attracted a good response from customers. Together with petrochemical projects, IRPC has planned to develop a green industrial estate in Ban Khai, Rayong, on an area of 2,500 rai. The project will be constructed in phases over three years starting with about 700 rai.