Arkema commissions methyl acrylate plant in Texas

Arkema, on July 28, 2014, started production of methyl acrylate - an acrylic acid derivative used in the manufacture of polymers for water treatment, elastomers and engineering polymers – at its new plant in Texas. This investment, on its Clear Lake site in Texas, represents the last phase of a $110 million investment plan intended to strengthen Arkema’s rankings in the US acrylics market.
 
Following the commissioning of a 2-ethyl hexyl acrylate (2EHA) production plant in Bayport in 2012 and the opening of an acrylic acid capacity expansion in Clear Lake in June 2013, the start-up of a 45 KT methyl acrylate plant announced today represents the last phase of the revamping and capacity increase plan for Arkema’s acrylics business in Texas announced in November 2010.
 
This commissioning now makes Clear Lake one of the world’s leading manufacturing sites for acrylic acid and derivatives. With the completion of this investment program, Arkema aims to fully capitalise on the growth of acrylic acid and derivatives in the fast-growing markets of water treatment, superabsorbents and enhanced oil and gas recovery.
 
"With the finalisation of this investment plan in the US, our world-class site in Carling, France, and our project for the acquisition of Jurong’s acrylics assets in China due to be closed early September, Arkema more than ever ranks among the world’s acrylics leaders and is well positioned to serve its customers around the world from competitive and reliable production sites,” said Marie-Pierre Chevallier, Global Group President for Arkema’s Acrylics business unit.