Elastomer Producer in Texas has Selected Engineering Firm for Major Debottleneck and Expansion Plans

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Researched by Industrialinfo.com (Industrial Information Resources, Incorporated; Houston, Texas). Septon Company of America Corporation (Pasadena, Texas), a subsidiary of Kuraray Company, Limited (Osaka, Japan), has approved plans for an expansion of its Pasadena styrenic elastomers plant. Civil site construction started this month and BHP Engineering & Construction LP (Corpus Christi, Texas) has been secured to provide engineering, procurement, and construction management (E+P+C/M) services for the estimated $12 million expansion project.

This project will make available nearly 6,000 metric tons per year of new capacity, in response to strong demand for styrenic elastomers as an alternative to vulcanized rubber and polyvinyl chloride products. When complete in the late summer of 2006, the plant’s total capacity is planned to reach 18,000 metric tons per year of hydrogenated styrenic elastomers.

Kuraray built the Septon plant as a grassroot site only a few years ago, beginning commercial operations in July of 2002 at a cost estimated of $85 million. Kuraray also owns a neighboring sister plant to Septon operating under the name EVAL Company of America. Construction began earlier this year for a major $150 million expansion of that site. See related Industry Alert titled - Texas Chemical Producer Select Contractor for Major Expansion.

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