Katoen Natie Secures Chevron Phillips as First Customer for $100 Million Polymers Terminal Complex Under Construction in Houston

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Researched by Industrialinfo.com (Industrial Information Resources, Inc; Houston, Texas) Katoen Natie Gulf Coast, Incorporated (Houston, Texas), a subsidiary of The Katoen Natie Group (KTN) (Antwerp, Belgium), is constructing a $100 million polymers terminal complex, located on a 75-acre tract at Highway 225 and Miller Cut-Off Road in LaPorte, Texas. Since acquiring Interpak Terminals Incorporated in 1997, KTN has swiftly become a major player in the construction and operation of specialized operational platforms for the North American petrochemical industry. In the three years since their North American debut, KTN has doubled their warehouse capacity to 2.4 million square feet and anticipates tripling that amount over the next four years.

Chevron Phillips Chemical Company LP (Houston, Texas) was the first customer to line up for the complex, having contracted with KTN to build a polymer resins compounding facility for their Ryton. line of polymer resins, duplicating another Ryton. facility that KTN built for Chevron Phillips in Belgium. Chevron will purchase the equipment for the facility and KTN will construct and operate it.

The entire complex will feature 300,000 square feet of warehousing, including temperature controlled space along with a 400-railcar capacity storage yard with its own switch engine. A direct rail link with the Port of Houston's Barbour's Cut Container Terminal will be available, offering heavy load export container capability. Groundbreaking occurred July 2001 and completion scheduled for spring of 2002.

The Katoen Natie Group is privately held and headquartered in Antwerp, Belgium. Founded in 1855, Katoen Natie provides engineering, technology, construction, and port operations to the chemical, automotive, electronics, and consumer goods industries. It currently operates in 22 countries and employs approximately 6,000 people.

Formed in July 2000, Chevron Phillips Chemical Company LP is one of the world's top producers of olefins and polyolefins and has assets of more than $6 billion. They are also a leading supplier of aromatics, alpha olefins, styrenics, and specialty chemicals.