Europe’s Most Advanced PX/PTA Complex Launched in Wloclawek

June 3, 2011 Polish Prime Minister opened, yesterday in the northern Polish town of Wloclawek, Europe's most advanced petrochemical complex for paraxylene and terephthalic acid production (PX/PTA). The new complex, which is Poland's first and the most efficient complex of its kind in Europe, comprises facilities located at PKN Orlen's plant in Plock (paraxylene production) and in Włocławek (terephthalic acid production). The project was completed in a record short time of three years and cost more than 1billion euros. PTA is the key feedstock in the production of PET (polyethylene terephthalate), used to make packaging and polyester fibers. Demand for PTA is growing at the most robust rates in Central and Eastern Europe and - since a majority of PTA consumers are located in close proximity to PKN Orlen's plant - this means a convenient access to an extremely prospective market. Large amounts of PTA are also consumed by the Chinese, Indian and Western European markets. Orlen's PX/PTA complex' production capacities amount to 400 thousand tons of paraxylene and 600,000 tons of terephthalic acid per year, which represents 20% of Europe's total output."' "Given the scale of production, pioneering use of cutting-edge technologies and capital invested, the new complex is a project of strategic importance for the whole Polish petrochemical industry. Jacek Krawiec, CEO of PKN Orlen said. Source: The Warsaw Voice