BASF, Huntsman, Shanghai Huayi, Shanghai Chlor-Alkali Chemical, and SINOPEC Group started the construction of a new plant with a production capacity of 240,000 metric tons of crude MDI (diphenylmethane diisocyanate) per year. The new plant is planned at the Shanghai Chemical Industry Park (SCIP) in Caojing, adjacent to the existing integrated isocyanates complex, Shanghai Lianheng Isocyanate Co. Ltd. (SLIC).
SLIC has a production capacity of 240,000 metric tons of crude MDI per year and includes manufacturing facilities for the precursors aniline and nitrobenzene. Commercial production started in 2006.
With the new plant, the MDI capacity at this site will be doubled to 480,000 metric tons per year. In addition, the partners plan to build a HCl (hydrogen chloride) recycling plant for the production of chlorine, a precursor for MDI. The facility is expected to start up 2017.
The project is subject to further approval of the Chinese Ministry of Commerce.
MDI is an important precursor in the manufacture of polyurethanes.
- BASF SE, Ludwigshafen, Germany
- Huntsman Corporation, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
- Shanghai Huayi (Group) Company, Sahanghai
- Shanghai Chlor-Alkali Chemical Co. Ltd., Shanghai
- China Petrochemical Corporation (Sinopec Group), Peking, China
