Celanese Corp has announced preliminary plans to expand its emulsion polymers derivatives business to extend the value of its global acetyl chain. These focused investments allow Celanese to implement integrated capital deployments to capture disproportionate growth in the global Emulsions market.

The strategic steps being announced include implementing a series of capital efficient VAE (vinyl acetate ethylene) expansion and debottlenecking projects from now through the year 2023, including significant expansions of Celanese’s Geleen, Netherlands, and Nanjing, China, VAE emulsions production sites.

“As a world leader in the acetyls and derivatives space, Celanese has an unparalleled, globally integrated production, distribution and sales network to maximize the acetyl chain’s downstream optionality and capture growth in key regions and end uses,” said Todd Elliott, senior vice president, Acetyls. “Building on a commitment to our global customer base to be the partner of choice by solving their most critical needs, Celanese will begin key investments in facility expansions as well as expand on our green technology product development to deliver on the global growth demands of our customers.”

The strategic steps being announced today include implementing a series of capital efficient VAE (vinyl acetate ethylene) expansion and debottlenecking projects from now through the year 2023, including significant expansions of Celanese’s Geleen, Netherlands, and Nanjing, China, VAE emulsions production sites.

The projects include: 

Nanjing, China Emulsions Facility VAE Capacity Expansion

Celanese is starting a debottlenecking project at its Nanjing VAE production facility of 20,000 metric tons per annum by 2022. Celanese will further expand VAE production capacity at its Nanjing facility by 65,000 metric tons per annum by adding a third VAE reactor by late 2022, taking the total Nanjing VAE capacity from 130,000 to 215,000 metric tons per annum. These expansion steps support emulsions growth plans in Asia through Celanese’s sustainable products and solutions in end uses such as redispersible powders and waterproofing. 

Geleen, Netherlands Emulsions Facility VAE Capacity Expansion

Celanese is implementing a debottlenecking project of its Geleen VAE production unit of 20,000 metric tons per annum by 2021. Celanese will further expand VAE production capacity at its Geleen facility by 50,000 metric tons per annum with an additional VAE reactor by early 2023, taking the total Geleen VAE capacity from 130,000 to 200,000 metric tons per annum. This expansion will support growth while enhancing operating flexibility within the region.

In addition to the Geleen and Nanjing VAE expansions, further capacity unlocking projects have been evaluated to add an estimated 25,000 metric tons per annum in incremental capacities at other Celanese emulsions sites in all three operating regions. We expect this expansion program to be fully implemented by 2023.