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Korea’s Hanwha TotalEnergies Petrochemical has completed construction of a polyolefin elastomer (POE) pilot plant, representing a significant step in the expansion of the value-added materials business. This is the company’s first joint project with Hanwha Solutions, a Hanwha affiliate, and TotalEnergies, its shareholder.

Image courtesy of Hanwha TotalEnergies Petrochemical.

Alongside major executives from TotalEnergies and other stakeholders, the CEOs of Hanwha TotalEnergies Petrochemical, Hanwha Impact, and Hanwha Solutions attended the opening ceremony for the newly constructed POE pilot plant.

The 200 tonnes/year of POE produced and major processes tests undertaken at the new plant will lay the foundation for the construction of a commercial plant capable of producing 100,000 tonnes of POE annually in the future.

POEs are used widely as impact modifiers in automotive and consumer goods such as footwear, and more recently as an encapsulation material for solar modules. This fast-growing application is driving demand for POEs, with the global market forecast to grow at 7.2% between 2020 and 2030, according to estimates from MLT Analytics, to reach a value of $6.3 billion. Solar encapsulant market growth is forecast to exceed 20% per annum.

“The POE pilot project is meaningful as it is the first time Hanwha TotalEnergies Petrochemical and the two stockholders worked together synergistically,” said Laurentius Na, CEO of Hanwha TotalEnergies Petrochemical. “We plan to focus on expanding our high-value-added product manufacturing capabilities to secure sustainable competitiveness.”

The construction of the plant began at Hanwha TotalEnergies Petrochemical’s Daesan campus in August 2021. Upon completion of the construction, an opening ceremony for the plant took place on June 29 of this year.

Hanwha TotalEnergies Petrochemical led the construction and will oversee operation of the pilot plant. Hanwha Solutions offered its expertise in POE production process technology, and TotalEnergies provided the catalyst technology necessary for product production.