Finolex is one of the largest PVC manufacturers in India based on imported Ethylene di-chloride (EDC) and Ethylene and manufactures suspension PVC as well as emulsion / paste PVC, some of which is used in its own downstream facilities. Finolex also owns and operates its open sea cryogenic jetty for import of its raw materials, i.e. EDC and ethylene. Finolex is expanding their capacity from 130,000 tonnes per annum (tpa) to 260,000 tpa in both the VCM and PVC plants.

With a contract value to Aker Kvaerner of approximately EUR1 million for the basic design, the project expects to double the VCM production capacity by installation of a new VCM line, utilizing OxyVinyls technology. This will ultimately maximize PVC production in the existing PVC facility itself. The basic design for the VCM plant will be executed from Aker Kvaerner's Zoetermeer office in the Netherlands, and the detailed engineering from Aker Kvaerner's Mumbai office, namely Kvaerner Powergas India (KPGI) under a separate contract. KPGI will also be providing the design for the expansion of the OSBL (outside battery limit) facilities to accommodate the additional capacity.

Wim van der Zande, President, AK Process, Aker Kvaerner's European Process business, said: "We are delighted with this award which reconfirms our technology-driven focus and our in-depth knowledge of VCM technology requirements. Aker Kvaerner is committed to delivering a successful project utilizing our global Project Execution Model to meet the highest international standards for safety, quality and efficiency."

The preliminary project work started early in January 2004.

In OxyVinyls licensed technology, VCM is produced from EDC in a low pressure pyrolitic process. VCM is then polymerized to produce PVC. There are three basic polymerization processes used to produce PVC commercially - bulk, emulsion and suspension. The suspension process is the most widely used and the technology is also licensed by OxyVinyls. The advantages of OxyVinyls licensed technologies make them the leading licenser for VCM and PVC with more than 90 plants licensed worldwide. Aker Kvaerner is an approved member of the OxyVinyls club of engineering contractors authorized to market and design their VCM and PVC technologies.

PVC is an extremely versatile thermoplastic resin. This unique polymer is one of the oldest established plastics, with applications in insulation of cables, in pipes and hoses, agricultural products, windows and profiles, flooring tiles used in the building industry, blister packaging, films and sheets, foamed leather cloth, curtains, tarpaulins, and also for medical use - for IV, blood bags, etc.

ENDS