Indorama expands US naphthalates business; now world’s largest producer of PNDA
Thailand-based Indorama Ventures Xylenes & PTA, LLC (IVXP), a subsidiary of global chemical producer Indorama Ventures Public Company Limited (IVL), announces new PNDA (Purified 2,6-Naphthalene Dicarboxylic Acid) production unit, making IVXP the world’s largest PNDA producer. The unit is located at IVXP’s integrated manufacturing site in Decatur, Alabama, US.
The company used in-house technology to design and develop the new unit, which was built with equipment mostly made in the US IVXP’s PNDA maintains the highest 99.8% purity level, with extremely low levels of metals and other organics. The unit can produce enough PNDA to fulfil current and forecast global demand for the next 10 years.
IVL is the only large-scale commercial producer of NDC (Dimethyl 2,6-Naphthalene Dicarboxylate) monomers. In addition to PNDA and NDC production, it offers a wide range of naphthalate polymers such as PEN (Polyethylene Naphthalate), PEN-Copolymers, PBN (Polybutylene Naphthalate), and other specialty naphthalates.
DK Agarwal, CEO of Combined PET, IOD and Fibers Business at Indorama Ventures, said, “The additional PNDA production extends IVL’s specialty chemical portfolio. Along with NDC, the new unit will serve high-end polyester markets. This is part of our continuous commitment to providing our customers with a reliable and integrated source of important monomers for their specialty polymer production. This helps our customers to capture the growth in 5G and related end-use markets.”
PNDA is the carboxylic acid counterpart to NDC, which is also produced at IVXP’s Decatur facility. The product is produced as a white solid powder and is used to make specialty polyester polymers for electronic and electrical parts, packaging, high-temperature performance polymers, chemical intermediates as well as liquid crystal chemicals and polymers. Samples are available for testing, qualification, and product development in metric ton quantities.
PNDA is listed on various chemical inventories, such as the US Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) and other global equivalents. It is also registered under EU REACH. Polymers made from PNDA can be used in food contact articles under FDA regulations. Following the US Hazardous Materials Identification System (HMIS) and the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), PNDA’s hazards are minimal, with health, flammability and reactivity ratings of 1, 1 and 0 respectively. It does not require any hazard warning on the label under the US Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) criteria and is not regulated under the US Department of Transportation and other global transportation counterparts. PNDA’s Harmonized System (HS) code is 2917.39 and is under the US Export Administration Regulations (EAR). It is not on the Commerce Control List (CCL), thus is designated EAR99.
