Sasol to outlay US$70 mln to twice hard wax production capacity; sees completion of two contracts for PP plant

06-Sep-08

South African synthetic fuel producer, Sasol has agreed to invest R558 mln (approx. US$69.81 mln) to twice its hard wax production capacity at its Sasolburg-based Sasol Wax operations by leveraging its proprietary technology. The project will be completed in two phases with the phase-1 slated to complete by 2011 and phase-2 to start operations by 2013. The synthetic waxes, which are manufactured through Sasol's proprietary technology in South Africa have wide applications in hot-melt adhesives, polymers, inks and high performance bitumen modifiers. Moreover, the project will also boost production of medium waxes, mostly used for the candle industry in Southern Africa along with increasing production of liquid paraffins used in a number of industrial applications. Besides, two separate contracts for Sasol's polypropylene plant 2 have been completed by Grinaker-LTA mechanical and electrical. Technip, a team of consulting engineers also played an important role in completion of the contracts. The first contract awarded in Oct 2004 involved underground and above-ground piping, painting, insulation and scaffolding. The second contract involved electrical and instrumentation installation, including sub station equipment, field equipment, cabling, cable racking, light fixtures, instruments and analysers.