Celanese starts production at new Singapore VAE emulsions unit

Continuing the company’s strategy to add production facilities close to growing demand, Celanese Corporation, the US-based technology and specialty materials company, on September 21, 2016 started production in its new vinyl acetate ethylene (VAE) production unit. The unit, located at the Celanese manufacturing facility on Jurong Island (Singapore), will support the growing demand for ecologically friendly materials in the Southeast Asia region including Australia, India and New Zealand.

The Singapore location’s proximity to raw material suppliers offers excellent transportation logistics and gives Celanese the opportunity to increase production capacity to supply more high-demand, high-quality VAE emulsions products in Singapore as well as across Asia, an area focusing on low-emission products and production. 

“Southeast Asia and India are leading the world’s construction demand - especially for infrastructure projects - which drives the region’s heavy demand for important materials such as VAE. Over the last two decades, Celanese has focused on developing our VAE expertise and a reliable foundation in Singapore so Celanese can be the first-choice, long-term partner for manufacturers across Asia,” said Mark Oberle, senior vice president and head of Asia operations, Celanese.

Celanese VAE technology produces clean, ecologically friendly, water-based emulsions that the building, construction and paper industries worldwide use to meet quality, marketing and economic goals. Manufacturers use VAE to produce environmentally friendly products including paints, architectural coatings, carpet backings and adhesives for woodworking and paper packaging as well as apparel and textile finishing. One of the highest-demand products is Celanese’s EcoVAE, an emulsion that can be formulated into low-odour and low-to-near-zero VOC (volatile organic compounds) interior paints and coatings. EcoVAE addresses formulation and regulatory concerns and appeals to environmentally conscious consumers. 

The new unit adds a third facility to the company’s VAE investment in Asia and the fourth production unit within this Singapore plant. The first Celanese VAE unit began production at the company’s Nanjing, China integrated chemical complex, and the second unit started producing VAE emulsions at the same Singapore complex. Celanese announced the groundbreaking of this new Singapore VAE unit in April 2015. 

Celanese leads the world in VAE production and sales and is the only producer of a low-emissions emulsion.