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Grace Announces Successful Start-Up of Two UNIPOL® PP Lines at Oriental Energy

COLUMBIA, Md., Dec. 13, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- W. R. Grace & Co., the leading independent supplier of polyolefin catalyst technology, polypropylene (PP) process technology, and technology services, announced the successful start-up of two 400 KTA UNIPOL® PP process technology lines at Oriental Energy in Ningbo, China. This brings the total UNIPOL® PP operating capacity in China to more than 6.3 million tons per annum in the last twelve years making homopolymer, random and impact copolymers to serve the growing market for high performance plastics in China. As of today, we expect another 2 million tons per annum to come on stream in the next few years from UNIPOL® PP Process Technology in China.

“The safe and successful start-up of the two UNIPOL® PP lines at the Ningbo facility is an exciting moment for Oriental Energy. It comes at a critical time as the global economy bounces back from the pandemic and customer demand in the region rises. We are committed to our Chinese customers and look forward to supporting Oriental Energy for years to come to ensure their continued success,” said David Hartill, Vice President of Global Licensing and Services.

Mr. Wu, Yinlong, General Manager of Oriental Energy, remarked, “We appreciate the technical support that Grace provided during design, construction, and commissioning of these important PP assets. These lines are critical to our corporate vision and success in polyolefins, and we look forward to working with Grace to further optimize their performance.”

Oriental Energy currently has the largest UNIPOL® PP process technology operating capacity in China, and there are plans to build additional polypropylene lines at their sites in Ningbo and Maoming in the coming years. They anticipate producing several grades of homopolymers, random and impact copolymers with these newest lines to meet the expanding resin requirements of their customers in the region.

About Grace’s UNIPOL® PP Technology

Grace's all gas-phase UNIPOL® PP technology delivers innovative solutions for a Plant Lifetime Performance™ commitment to its licensees, allowing them to successfully participate in today’s highly competitive global polypropylene resin market. The UNIPOL® PP technology community, with over 100 reactor lines licensed worldwide, manufacture the broadest range of PP homopolymers, random and impact copolymers, plus terpolymers in the industry with a choice of close to 300 standard grades.

The UNIPOL® PP technology is a state-of-the-art engineering solution that achieves mechanical and operational simplicity and delivers lower total installed cost and lower operating expense, accelerated project schedules, fast startups, adaptable grade transitions, and business results for our customers. The technology, coupled with Grace’s proprietary CONSISTA® catalyst and donor systems and the UNIPOL UNIPPAC® software, allows for maximum performance.

Product and economic performance are derived from the unique combination of Grace’s proprietary UNIPOL® PP technology, CONSISTA® catalyst and donor systems, UNIPOL UNIPPAC® process control software, and global technical service & support. This provides all licensees with an unparalleled advantage that enables them to achieve optimum Plant Lifetime Performance™ and better business results.

UNIPOL® and UNIPOL UNIPPAC® are trademarks of The Dow Chemical Company or an affiliated company of Dow. W. R. Grace & Co.-Conn. and/or its affiliates are licensed to use the UNIPOL® and UNIPOL UNIPPAC® trademarks in the area of polypropylene. CONSISTA® and PLANT LIFETIME PERFORMANCE™ are trademarks of W. R. Grace & Co.-Conn.

About Grace

Built on talent, technology, and trust, Grace, a Standard Industries company, is a leading global supplier of catalysts, engineered materials, and fine chemicals. The company’s two industry-leading business segments—Catalysts Technologies and Materials Technologies—provide innovative products, technologies, and services that enhance the products and processes of our customers around the world. With more than 4,500 employees, Grace operates and/or sells to customers in over 100 countries. 

This press release contains forward-looking statements, that is, information related to future, not past, events. Such statements generally include the words “expects,” “outlook,” “believes,” “plans,” “will,” or similar expressions. Forward-looking statements include, without limitation: expected financial positions; results of operations; cash flows; competitive positions; and markets for securities. Like other businesses, Grace is subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause its actual results to differ materially from its projections or that could cause other forward-looking statements to prove incorrect. Factors that could cause such differences include, without limitation: risks related to foreign operations, currency exchange rate changes; public health and safety concerns; natural disasters and force majeure events; changes in laws and regulations; the cost and availability of raw materials and energy; Grace’s legal and environmental proceedings; costs of compliance with environmental laws and regulations (including those pertaining to climate change); cyberattacks; the economics of its customers’ industries; and shifting consumer preferences. Past results should not be considered as an indication of future performance. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on Grace’s forward-looking statements, which speak only as the dates originally made. Grace undertakes no obligation to publicly release any revision to the forward-looking statements contained in this press release or to update them to reflect events or circumstances occurring after the date of their publication herein.