Amoco raises PTA capacity

Amoco raises PTA capacity

CHICAGO (Reuter): Amoco Corp said Tuesday its new purified terephthalic acid (PTA) plant in Kuantan, Malaysia is building up to its full capacity of 500,000 tons annually.

Amoco said it plans to increase capacity to 600,000 tons per year in 1997.

It said the plant, operated by Amoco Chemical (Malaysia), was completed in under two years for US$400 million.

Initially, 50 percent of the production will be absorbed within the Malaysian polyester manufacturing market, with the rest going for export to other regional customers.

Other Amoco plants making PTA in South East Asia include joint venture facilities in Taiwan (1.4 million tons) and in South Korea (850,000 tons).

Amoco also is constructing a joint venture PTA plant in Indonesia with a planned capacity of 350,000 tons and recently announced a 250,000 ton unit to be built at Zhuhai in southern China.