Jonathan Kwok, Straits Times 10 Nov 09;
CHEMICALS maker Lucite International yesterday officially opened a US$250 million (S$348 million) production plant on Jurong island that will more cheaply and safely produce a key ingredient used in transparent plastics.
The new facility is the first industrial-sized plant in the world to use Lucite's revolutionary Alpha technology to make methyl methacrylate (MMA), a chemical compound used in a wide range of products including car tail- light mouldings, mobile phone screens and LCD backlit panels.
MMA can also be used to make paints, coatings and adhesives.
The global MMA market is worth US$5 billion annually, and Lucite is the world leader with a 25 per cent market share.
About five years ago, Lucite completed development of the Alpha technology which, it says, is about 40 per cent cheaper and more environmentally friendly than other methods of manufacturing MMA.
The main by-product of the Alpha process is water, a huge advance on the established technologies that produce hazardous by-products such as sulphuric acid and hydrogen cyanide.
The plant here began commercial production using this technology in February this year.
It has a capacity of 120 kilotonnes a year and employs 75 technical and administrative staff.
Lucite shortlists Singapore for second facility
Felda Chay Business Times 10 Nov 09;
LUCITE International has shortlisted Singapore as one of the locations for its second facility that uses its patented Alpha technology to produce acrylic in a high-yield, low-cost manner, the company said yesterday at the official opening ceremony of its environmentally friendly Alpha 1 plant at Jurong Island.
The wholly owned subsidiary of Japan's Mitsubishi Rayon Company (MRC) also said that its Alpha 1 facility, which uses Alpha technology to produce methyl methacrylate (MMA) plastics - used mainly in home appliances and furnishings - will see a total investment of US$250 million, including the US$190 million that it spent to build the facility. The plant is not only Lucite's first factory in Singapore, it is also the company's first plant to use its patented Alpha technology.
Currently, production at Alpha 1 has exceeded the original long-term production target of 120,000 tonnes per annum. The plant, which has been in operation for a year, has hit a production rate of 125,000 tonnes per annum. It currently employs 75 people.
Said Lucite's chief executive Ian Lambert: 'We chose Singapore as the location for our first Alpha plant because of its proximity to the Asian market and its established position within the global chemical industry.'
Production at Alpha 1 will complement its existing facilities in China, US, Europe, Japan and Taiwan, 'and the technology will be central to the success of Lucite and MRC's strategy for global growth', Lucite International said in a statement. Its global operations consist of 14 manufacturing sites with 2,000 employees.
Senior Minister of State for Trade and Industry S Iswaran said at the opening ceremony that the Alpha 1 plant will allow Jurong Island to become the largest MMA manufacturing site globally. 'This is an important milestone for Singapore in the development of our speciality chemicals sector. With the opening of Lucite's pioneer Alpha 1 plant, Singapore's MMA manufacturing output will be further boosted and Jurong Island is set to become the largest MMA manufacturing site in the world.'
