Technological watch

Nova PE expansion in Ontario set for 2022 production start

Nova Chemicals Corp. is on track to add 1 billion pounds of new polyethylene resin capacity next year in Ontario.

Officials with Calgary, Alberta-based Nova said in an April 12 news release that its new Advanced Sclairtech technology PE unit in St. Clair Township and an expansion of its steam cracker in Corunna both are 65 percent complete. Both projects will reach full completion by the end of 2022. The first of eight electrical substations also was safely energized in March.

In addition to 1 billion pounds of PE capacity, the cracker expansion — which will provide ethylene feedstock to the new PE unit — will expanding the existing site's current ethylene capacity by more than 50 percent. Nova is investing C$2.5 billion (US$2 billion) on the combined projects.

"We're proud to bring Canadian ingenuity to the North American and global marketplace, especially as the plastics and chemicals landscape evolves around the world," President and CEO Luis Sierra said in the release.

He added that Nova "will continue to be an innovator in developing a circular economy for plastics, which includes reducing plastic waste in our environment, by bringing new, premium-value plastics that support sustainable packaging solutions to the marketplace."

According to Sierra, the COVID-19 pandemic and the severe cold weather in February on the U.S. Gulf Coast "have reminded us how Nova's products and geographic locations can provide our customers with security of supply and more choices."

Publication date: 13/04/2021

Plastics News - packaging

This project has been co-funded with the support of the LIFE financial instrument of the European Union [LIFE17 ENV/ES/000438] Life programme

The website reflects only the author's view. The Commission is not responsible for any use thay may be made of the information it contains.
Last update: 2022-01-31