Chemical Firm Begins 50,000-Ton-Per-Year Hydrofluoric Acid Project in Jiangxi Province

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Researched by Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas)--The Jiangxi Datang Chemical Company (Jiangxi Province) has recently started a hydrofluoric acid project in eastern China's Jiangxi Province. The $74.3 million project, located in a chemical-fiber base in Jiujiang, is designed to produce 50,000 tons per year of hydrofluoric acid. The project was signed in December 2006 between Jiangxi and Japan Daikin Industries Limited, and Phase I is targeted for completion in January 2009.

The project consists of five 10,000-ton hydrofluoric acid production lines. Upon completion, the project will yield a yearly production value of an estimated $99.3 million. The project will also produce other fluorochemical products and conduct related research and sales.

Jiangxi Datang is a joint venture of Japan Daikin Industries and Zhejiang Centralfluor Industries Group. Daikin Industries, a world leader in the manufacture of fluorochemicals and a renowned air-conditioner producer, will provide the project with leading technologies and hold 55% of Jiangxi Datang's shares. Zhejiang Centralfluor Industries is dedicated to fluorite processing.

China's fluorochemical industry has greatly developed in recent years. Reports show that yearly demand of fluorochemicals has increased at a rate exceeding 12%. China is rich in fluorites, the main material for fluorochemicals production. But since April 2001 when the country began to strictly control fluorite exports, the number of export licenses has been greatly reduced.

The overall production capacity across the country has reached 800,000 tons per year. Fluorochemical plants are mainly located along China's eastern coast, including Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Shandong provinces, and in Shanghai.

Experts say the country will focus on researching technology related to clean and safe production, and protection and control of the unrenewable resource.

Daikin has already set fluorochemical plants and service centers in Shanghai, Changshu (Jiangsu) and Ningbo (Zhejiang). The company also plans to further cooperate with Jiangxi in the research and production of air conditioners, its managing director said.

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