Evonik opens hydrogen peroxide plant in China

Evonik Industries commenced operations at a new hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) plant, having an annual capacity of 2,30,000 metric tonnes, in Jilin, China, on July 8, 2014. Evonik has invested over Euro 100 million in the site, thereby raising its current global capacity for hydrogen peroxide production to more than 9,00,000 metric tonnes per annum.
 
“This investment further consolidates our market leadership for hydrogen peroxide and sees us resolutely pursuing our growth strategy in Asia,” said Dr Klaus Engel, Chairman of the Executive Board of Evonik Industries.
 
Evonik will supply H2O2 from Jilin straight to the neighbouring propylene oxide plant run by Jishen Chemical Industry Co Ltd, which has likewise been newly erected. Jishen will use the hydrogen peroxide to manufacture propylene oxide on the basis of the HPPO process. Propylene oxide is used predominantly to make the polyurethane intermediates that are used in the manufacture of products such as upholstery for car seats and furniture or insulation material for the construction and refrigeration industry.
 
“We are registering a great deal of demand around the world for our efficient HPPO process. The Jilin plant represents another milestone on the way to establishing hydrogen peroxide as an eco-friendly oxidant for the process of chemical synthesis. The project is also proof of how we use new technologies to systematically drive forward our growth,” said Gregor Hetzke, Head of the Advanced Intermediates Business Unit at Evonik.
 
Evonik developed the HPPO process together with ThyssenKrupp Uhde GmbH. The new plant in Jilin is the second of its kind. Evonik, ThyssenKrupp Uhde, and a Korean chemicals company as the licensee were the first companies worldwide to use the HPPO process on an industrial scale back in 2008 in Ulsan (Korea). To date, hydrogen peroxide has been used mainly as a bleaching agent by the textile and pulp industry. The HPPO process now allows this eco-friendly oxidant to also be employed in the direct chemical synthesis of propylene oxide. The benefits of the new method are that it requires much lower investment costs, has high production efficiency, and has excellent environmental compatibility.