Borealis and Borouge, leading providers of innovative, value-creating plastics solutions, are strengthening their global leadership in the wire and cable industry through two major Borlink™ investment projects - the recently announced expansion of the crosslinked polyethylene (XLPE) production facilities in Stenungsund and the ongoing Borouge 3 project in Abu Dhabi. These two projects demonstrate commitment to ensuring the global availability of high-quality compounds required for the most demanding applications in power cables. Borealis and Borouge will use the 2014 Wire Düsseldorf (April 7 – 11) as a platform to present both these significant investment projects and three innovative new products: Borlink LS4201EHV and Borealis LE0563 for power cables and Borealis PP4874 for communication cables.
To meet the rising demand for energy in the world, existing transmission lines must be refurbished and new ones installed. As energy generation gradually shifts towards renewable sources such as wind and solar, these sources must be integrated into the existing grids. Borealis and Borouge are helping the wire and cable industry to meet this demand by offering high quality and innovative polyolefin compounds. Investments in cutting-edge facilities are essential in order to guarantee reliable and global supply. After Borealis’ significant investment into a highly advanced high pressure low density polyethylene plant in Stenungsund, Sweden, inaugurated in 2010, Borealis is now investing in an XLPE capacity increase at the Stenungsund plant. This investment, which increases overall capacity by 20 kilotonnes, is being applied directly to Borlink extra high voltage (EHV), high voltage direct current (HVDC) and high voltage (HV) polyethylene compounds produced in closed or controlled loop processes. Borlink technology is the key response from Borealis and Borouge to guarantee the highest cleanliness to customers and the value chain. The capacity increase is scheduled to come on stream in the course of 2015 and will emphasize Borealis’ global leadership in the EHV and HV markets.
"Our largest investment to date in Europe was the high pressure low density polyethylene plant in Stenungsund, which was inaugurated in 2010," explains Gilles Rochas, Borealis Vice President for Energy & Infrastructure. "This most recent Stenungsund investment is another clear signal of our commitment to ensuring global supply of high quality compounds used for the most demanding applications in power cables and will bolster our standing as a reliable and innovative leader in the wire and cable industry.”
Borouge is currently expanding its polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP) manufacturing capacity in Ruwais, Abu Dhabi, from 2 million to 4.5 million tonnes per year (t/y). This development is one of the largest and most integrated polyolefin expansions in the history of the petrochemical industry and is positioning Borouge among the top producers in the Middle East. The wire and cable industry will reap the concrete benefits of this growth with relevant grades produced at a 350,000 t/y high pressure, low density polyethylene (LDPE) plant, a significant addition similar to Borealis’ LDPE plant in Sweden. This investment in LDPE production spearheads Borouge’s ability to manufacture innovative Borlink and Visico™ XLPE solutions for the global wire and cable market, assuring the same superior product performance of the Ruwais-produced wire and cable compounds.
"The present Borouge development enables our customers in the Middle East and Asia in particular to benefit from the great product performance and high productivity levels delivered by our super clean XLPE compounds as well as the reactor-made Visico XLPE base resin. This will also allow our customers to be served regionally by our Ruwais-produced Borlink XLPE compounds," says Roland Janssen, Borouge Vice President Marketing Centre Wire and Cable. “Other integral aspects of the overall Borouge expansion include logistic hubs such as the new Ruwais Distribution Centre in Abu Dhabi and the establishment of innovation centres in both the UAE and China.”
"Borealis and Borouge continue to maintain global leadership in the wire and cable industry by investing in cutting-edge production facilities and in innovation in all areas of the world where we do business,” adds Gilles Rochas, Borealis Vice President for Energy and Infrastructure.
In addition to showcasing investments in Sweden and the UAE, Borealis and Borouge are officially launching three new products for the wire and cable industry at this year's Wire Düsseldorf.
“At Borealis and Borouge, we are proud to be leading innovators in the wire and cable industry,” comments Anton Wolfsberger, Borealis Marketing Manager for Energy and Infrastructure. “Our product innovations, such as these, are inspired by our customers’ needs and our mission is to help them in Bringing Energy All Around.”
Visit Borealis and Borouge at Wire Düsseldorf from April 7-11 at hall 10, stand D72.
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For further information please contact:
Virginia Mesicek
External Communications Manager
Tel. +43 (0)1 22 400 772 (Vienna, Austria)
e-mail: virginia.mesicek@borealisgroup.com
For nearly 50 years, Borealis has been a leading supplier of advanced energy & infrastructure plastics solutions for the pipe and fittings industry as well as for the wire and cable and capacitor film industries. Thanks to its unique and proprietary technologies, Borealis provides a large portfolio of innovative products and services which create real value for customers and partners and enable step-changing innovations. The unique Borstar® technology supports applications in the fields of water and gas distribution, wastewater and sewage disposal, irrigation systems, chemical and industrial pipelines, in-house plumbing and heating as well as pipe systems for oil and gas exploration and transportation. The unique Borlink™ technology enables Borealis to offer a wide range of sophisticated extra-high, high and medium voltage cable applications as well as semicon products. Borealis delivers effective Visico™ solutions in low voltage energy transmission and distribution cables and offers world-class innovations in providing, installing and extending the lifetime of cable systems.
Borealis is a leading provider of innovative solutions in the fields of polyolefins, base chemicals and fertilizers. This year, Borealis already celebrates its 20th anniversary. With headquarters in Vienna, Austria, Borealis currently employs around 6,400 and operates in over 120 countries. It generated EUR 8.1 billion in sales revenue in 2013. The International Petroleum Investment Company (IPIC) of Abu Dhabi owns 64% of the company, with the remaining 36% owned by OMV, the leading energy group in the European growth belt. Borealis provides services and products to customers around the world in collaboration with Borouge, a joint venture with the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC).
Building on its proprietary Borstar® and Borlink™ technologies and 50 years of experience in polyolefins, Borealis and Borouge support key industries including infrastructure, automotive and advanced packaging.
The Borouge 3 plant expansion in Abu Dhabi will be fully operational in 2014. Borouge 3 will deliver an additional 2.5 million tonnes of capacity when fully ramped up, bringing the total Borouge capacity to 4.5 million tonnes. Borealis and Borouge will then have approximately 8 million tonnes of polyolefin capacity.
Borealis offers a wide range of base chemicals, including melamine, phenol, acetone, ethylene, propylene, butadiene and pygas, servicing a wide range of industries. Together with Borouge the two companies will produce approximately 6 million tonnes of Base Chemicals in 2014.
Borealis also creates real value for the agricultural industry with a large portfolio of fertilizers. The company distributes approximately 2.1 million tonnes per year. This volume will increase to more than 5 million tonnes by the end of 2014.
Borealis and Borouge aim to proactively benefit society by taking on real societal challenges and offering real solutions. Both companies are committed to the principles of Responsible Care®, an initiative to improve safety performance within the chemical industry, and contribute to solve the world's water and sanitation challenges through product innovation and their Water for the World™ programme.
For more information visit:
www.borealisgroup.com
www.borouge.com
www.waterfortheworld.net
Borstar is a registered trademark of the Borealis Group.
Borlink, Visico and Water for the World are trademarks of the Borealis Group.
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