Silicones manufacturer Elkem says it has achieved an important milestone by successfully completing the trial production phase of its Chinese plant, Phoenix, at its Xinghuo site, Xinghuo Industrial Park in Yongxiu County, Jiangxi Province.
The project involves the construction of a 200,000-tonne silicone monomer production plant and related equipment. The rigorous testing phase culminated in flawless performance by the monomer synthesis plant, meeting all design specifications, it claims.
It also added, “the quality of the products produced at the plant exceeds industry standards, marking an extraordinary and unique start-up success for the plant”. Elkem adds that it has now solidified its position as the world’s top supplier of comprehensive silicone products.
Elkem approved the strategic expansion of the Xinghuo Silicones plant in China to strengthen Elkem’s position in the fastest growing silicones market and to further support the specialisation strategy.
The EUR380 million Phoenix project was approved in 2021 and it was completed in January 2024. After the Xinghuo plant is fully put into operation, the total production capacity of silicone monomers will reach 700,000 tonnes/year.
In addition, downstream process and specialty product capacity will reach 300,000 tonnes/year.
Elkem adds that its innovative technologies ensure low energy consumption, high purity, high conversion rates and minimal emissions. The project will also significantly improve the environmental performance by reducing the energy consumption by 57%, reducing use of raw materials by 11% and giving a 30% reduction of solid waste. Improved environmental performance was one of the key decision parameters for Elkem, in line with the company’s high ambition level on Environment, Social and Governance (ESG) factors.
The project is also said to strictly adhere to EHS standards. The high-quality raw materials will enhance downstream product manufacturing and reinforce Elkem’s innovation-driven specialisation strategy, it adds further.