Southeast, Mid-Atlantic Point to $6 Billion in Chemical Projects Nearing or Under Construction

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Researched by Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas)--Chemical industry projects along the U.S. East Coast are catering to needs across multiple industries, from makeup and skincare products to aircraft components. Methanol, silica and other substances are being manufactured for both domestic and international consumers. Industrial Info is tracking more than $2 billion worth of chemical projects nearing or under construction in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeast regions.

Click on the image at right for a graph detailing chemical projects in the U.S. Mid-Atlantic and Southeast regions that are nearing or under construction, by state.

The Mid-Atlantic region includes Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia and West Virginia. The Southeast region includes Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, Tennessee, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.

Four projects in the regions highlight chemical products used in everyday household goods. Wacker Chemical Corporation, a subsidiary of Wacker Chemie AG (Munich, Germany), is at work on a $150 million addition to its fumed silica plant in Charleston, Tennessee, which is expected to produce more than 31,000 pounds per year after it wraps up next summer, while Evonik Industries AG (Essen, Germany) is building a $120 million precipitated silica plant in Goose Creek, South Carolina, to supply its product to the tire manufacturing industry. Fumed silica is an ingredient in cosmetics and toothpaste, while precipitated silica is used in coatings, paints, inks and adhesives.

Allied New Technologies, a subsidiary of Allied Universal Corporation (Conshohocken, Pennsylvania), is preparing to begin construction on a $60 million bleach plant in Palmetto, Florida, which would use membrane-cell technology to produce a yet-to-be-determined amount. And Hexcel Corporation (NYSE:HXL) (Stamford, Connecticut) is preparing to begin a $100 million addition to its polyacrylonitrile plant in Decatur, Alabama, to meet growing demand for the product in the aerospace and industrial markets. Carbon fibers from polyacrylonitrile are widely used in aircraft, as well as hot gas filtration systems and items made with high-durability cloth, such as tents.

For more information, see Industrial Info's reports on the fumed silica, precipitated silica, bleach and polyacrylonitrile projects.

Methanol demand is expected to continue its global growth, and two related projects in the Mid-Atlantic region are under construction and set to be completed next year: US Methanol LLC's (Charleston, West Virginia) $200 million LibertyOne plant overhaul in Institute, West Virginia, which will replace an existing property with a 175,000-metric-ton-per-year facility, and Symrise GmbH & Company KG's (Holzminden, Germany) $55 million addition to its flavors and fragrances plant in Goose Creek, South Carolina, which is expected to double production of the L-methanol chemical to 1,000 metric tons per year. For more information, see Industrial Info's reports on the LibertyOne and Symrise projects.

Eastman Chemical Company (NYSE:EMN) (Kingsport, Tennessee) is following a trend in the Power Generation Industry with a $100 million coal-to-natural gas boiler conversion at its chemicals complex in Kingsport, Tennessee. Five boilers are to switch fossil-fuel sources by the end of the year, to comply with MACT requirements. For more information, see Industrial Info's project report.

Polymer resin producer AdvanSix Incorporated (Parsippany, New Jersey) also is working to meet regulatory requirements with $60 million in environmental upgrades at its ammonia and caprolactam plant in Hopewell, Virginia. As part of a two-year program to reduce NOx emissions by 80% annually, AdvanSix is installing new systems and modernizing existing ones at the plant, which produces 425,000 metric tons per year of ammonia, 390,000 metric tons per year of sulfuric acid and 882 metric pounds per year of caprolactam. For more information, see Industrial Info's project report.

Industrial Info Resources (IIR), with global headquarters in Sugar Land, Texas, six offices in North America and 12 international offices, is the leading provider of global market intelligence specializing in the industrial process, heavy manufacturing and energy markets. Industrial Info's quality-assurance philosophy, the Living Forward Reporting Principle™, provides up-to-the-minute intelligence on what's happening now, while constantly keeping track of future opportunities. Follow IIR on: Facebook - Twitter - LinkedIn. For more information on our coverage, send inquiries to info@industrialinfo.com or visit us online at http://www.industrialinfo.com/.