Hitachi Plant Technologies Ltd. has been awarded the licensing and basic engineering order for PBT production process by China Petrochemical International Co. Ltd. (Sinopec). Hitachi will license its polybutylene terephthalate (PBT) production process for use in a plant with 60,000 tpa capacity as well as carry out basic engineering work related to this project. Plant construction and the production of PBT polymer are scheduled to start in February 2010 and early 2011, respectively.
PBT is a highly-functional thermoplastic polyester produced through esterification1 and polycondensation2 of terephthalic acid3 and 1,4-butanediol4. In addition to high levels of both heat and weather resistance, it benefits from excellent dimensional stability and molding flexibility; accordingly, this material is widely employed in the manufacture of automobile electrical components, general electrical and electronic components, and many other products. As the corresponding industries are currently undergoing particular expansion in China and Southeast Asia, the market for PBT polymer in these areas is expected to grow rapidly.
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