Evonik to Triple Its Isobutene Capacity with New Production Facility in Antwerp

At its large site in Antwerp, Belgium, Evonik Industries plans to build a new production facility for manufacturing isobutene by splitting MTBE. The facility, with a projected annual output of 110,000 metric tons, is scheduled to become operational in the fourth quarter of 2010. The investment, in the high two-digit million-euro range, will triple Evonik’s isobutene capacity and will solidify the company’s position as one of Europe’s leading providers.

“We plan to keep improving the efficiency of our C4-based integrated production system. The additional isobutene capacity will significantly enhance our flexibility in controlling the product streams, while the alternative applications of isobutene decrease our dependency on fluctuations in the fuel market,” said Dr. Alfred Oberholz, member of Evonik’s Executive Board.

The new isobutene plant is part of an integrated C4 production facility in Antwerp that manufactures high-value source materials and intermediates from the C4 cuts obtained by processing petroleum. In the future, Evonik plans to provide its customers with ultrapure isobutene, as an indispensable raw material for their further growth, from the Antwerp plant.

Isobutene is used in the production of rubber for the tire industry as well as in manufacturing processes for plastics, antioxidants, and fine chemicals. Additionally, isobutene is the source material of polyisobutene, which is a precursor material for lubricant and fuel additives as well as adhesives and sealants.

Using its globally unique shared production systems in Marl and Antwerp, Evonik utilizes all components of the C4 cut to manufacture isobutene, butadiene, the anti-knock agents MTBE and ETBE, 1-butene, oxo alcohols, and plasticizers.