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Approval process begins in April 2010:
EUR 150 million investment in the future / New production process was developed in Dormagen / Energy savings of up to 60 percent versus conventional plants
Dormagen, March 1, 2010 - Bayer MaterialScience plans to invest roughly EUR 150
million in a new high-tech production plant for TDI (toluene diisocyanate) at
Chempark Dormagen. TDI is a precursor for the production of polyurethane
flexible foam. The new plant will have a capacity of 300,000 tons per year and
will replace the existing plants in Dormagen and Brunsbüttel. The background
behind the project is the company's European-wide optimization of isocyanate
production. "This investment is a clear commitment to North Rhine-Westphalia as
an industrial location. It is intended to strengthen Dormagen as a global TDI
technology center and to provide long-term security for the competitiveness of
Chempark Dormagen and the jobs at the plant and in the region," declares Dr.
Tony Van Osselaer, member of the Bayer MaterialScience Board of Management.
The innovative and patented TDI process technology to be used in the planned
facility sets new standards worldwide for efficient and climate-friendly TDI
production. "The expertise that flowed into our TDI process innovation
originated in Dormagen, which is a source of great pride to us here," says
Dieter Kuhne, Head of TDI Production in Dormagen. "Our process enables us to
achieve energy savings of up to 60 percent compared with a conventional plant
of the same size. Furthermore, the technology requires up to 80 percent less
solvent. These factors contribute to a significantly better energy and
environmental balance," adds Kuhne.
Start of the approval process
Bayer MaterialScience first presented plans to erect a new TDI production plant
in Dormagen in December 2008. The second phase of the project is scheduled to
begin in April 2010 with the "scoping" hearing, to which the Cologne regional
government is invited as the regulatory authority. Subject to political
acceptance and approval being granted by the authorities, the world-scale plant
will be built on the site of the coal-fired power plant, which will be torn
down. The new TDI production plant is currently scheduled to go on stream in
2014. Dormagen will then be the sole Bayer MaterialScience site in Europe for
the production of TDI. Plans call for the production of raw materials for
polyurethane rigid foams to be expanded in Brunsbüttel.
Chempark Dormagen offers ideal conditions
Chempark Dormagen was chosen as the site for the TDI plant in a Europe-wide
selection process, with the availability of raw materials and precursors as
well as the existing infrastructure being key factors in the decision. The
significantly greater production capacity of the planned plant means that it
will also require correspondingly greater quantities of raw materials. Whereas
chlorine is already available in sufficient quantities in Dormagen, a new
reformer must be built to cover the increased demand for carbon monoxide. The
starting materials required for this are also available in Dormagen.
Furthermore, the hydrogen produced as a byproduct of carbon monoxide production
can also be further processed directly on the site.
"We are very pleased that Bayer MaterialScience has chosen Dormagen for this
important investment. A plant of this size will also bring with it a series of
follow-up investments, thus securing our competitiveness for the long-term,"
says Dr. Walter Leidinger, Head of Chempark Dormagen. The site offers the
infrastructure required for these investments.
From process innovation to large-scale production
TDI has been produced in Dormagen since 1964. "We have decades of experience
with the production of TDI," notes Kuhne. The new world-scale plant will use an
innovative process technology that has proved itself over the last six years in
a Dormagen pilot plant. The new TDI process - a quantum leap in terms of energy
efficiency, environmental compatibility and productivity - meets the most
stringent safety standards. A large-scale plant based on this process currently
under construction in Caojing, near Shanghai, China, is scheduled to go on
stream in mid-2011.
TDI - a raw material with a future
TDI is an important precursor for the production of polyurethane flexible
foams. It is used to produce durable and high-quality comfort products that
have become integral parts of modern daily life. Examples include
sleep-friendly cold foam mattresses, high-end chairs and seating, and
back-friendly cushions for office chairs and automobile seats, but also
precision-fit protective packaging, protective cushioning for microphones and
headphones and numerous other applications in the sports and leisure segment.
Bayer MaterialScience expects the demand for TDI to continue to increase. With
the efficient and sustainable TDI process, Bayer MaterialScience hopes to
further expand its leading competitive position in this global market, which is
expected to experience long-term growth.
About Bayer MaterialScience:
With 2008 sales of EUR 9.7 billion, Bayer MaterialScience is among the world's
largest polymer companies. Business activities are focused on the manufacture
of high-tech polymer materials and the development of innovative solutions for
products used in many areas of daily life. The main segments served are the
automotive, electrical and electronics, construction and sports and leisure
industries. Bayer MaterialScience has 30 production sites around the globe and
employed approximately 15,100 people at the end of 2008. Bayer MaterialScience
is a Bayer Group company.
Find more information at www.bayermaterialscience.com.
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