MEDIA RELEASE PR41211
Albemarle Builds in South Korea To Meet Regional Growth in Metallocene Polyolefin Market and High
Brightness LEDs
BATON ROUGE, La., Sept. 14, 2010 /PRNewswire-AsiaNet/ --
- mPO Catalyst Lab/Pilot Facilities in 4Q 2010
- Commercial High Purity Metal Organics (HPMO) Facility in early 2011
- Commercial mPO Catalyst Facility including production of
methylaluminoxane (MAO) in 2012
Albemarle Corporation (http://www.albemarle.com) (NYSE: ALB), announced today that it has begun its largest
capital investment in the fast growing Asia Pacific region of Yeosu, South Korea.
The Yeosu site contains existing R&D as well as pilot plant equipment
that will be modified to enable customer qualification efforts in 2010. The
site will effectively mirror Albemarle's world scale metallocene polyolefin
catalyst and Trimethyl Gallium (TMG) capabilities located in Baton Rouge,
Louisiana.
Albemarle will build on its leading supply and technology position in
metallocene catalysts by leveraging its breakthrough ActivCat(TM) technology
for polyolefin production. The company will also leverage its 50+ years of
production experience in metal organics to supply High Purity Metal Organics
(HPMOs) such as TMG to the High Brightness LED (HBLED) market.
Mark Rohr, Albemarle's Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, commented,
"This strategic investment signifies our commitment to expand our footprint
in regions that provide substantial growth opportunities for Albemarle and
its customers. By providing local manufacturing and Albemarle's renowned
excellence in technical service and support, we are giving our customers a
competitive advantage in a growing market. We thank the governor of
Jeollanam-do province and the mayor of Yeosu city for their support and
advice as we undertake this important project."
The Yeosu site will be capable of producing mPO catalyst lab samples
followed by pilot samples for qualification trials with local customers this
year. Intermediate commercial operations will begin in mid-2011, with the
commercial facility being fully operational in 2012. The site will produce
finished catalysts, activators like methylaluminoxane (MAO) and organoborons,
as well as metallocene components. The site will also purify metal organics,
creating a portfolio of HPMOs for electronic applications. TMG production
will begin in early 2011, with other HPMOs phased into the project throughout
2011.
"We are excited to announce the quick startup of this new facility and
look forward to meeting our Asian customers' current needs through local
supply in both the mPO industry as well as the HBLED industry. The premier
location of this new manufacturing site will give Albemarle a strong
competitive advantage in Asia Pacific and secures our position as the global
leader for metallocene Polyolefins catalysts," said Amy Motto, Division Vice
President, Polyolefin and Chemical Catalysts."
Albemarle is a global supplier of catalysts and components to the $2
billion polyolefins market. Albemarle's market leading technologies include
metal organics, organoboron activators, electron donors, metallocenes,
Ziegler PE and supported metallocene PE and PP catalysts.
About Albemarle
Albemarle Corporation, headquartered in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, is a
leading global developer, manufacturer, and marketer of highly-engineered
specialty chemicals for consumer electronics, petroleum refining, utilities,
packaging, construction, automotive/transportation, pharmaceuticals, crop
protection, food-safety and custom chemistry services. The Company is
committed to global sustainability and is advancing its eco-practices and
Polymer Solutions (
Responsibility Magazine recently selected Albemarle to its prestigious "100
Best Corporate Citizens" list for 2010. Albemarle employs approximately 4,000
people and serves customers in approximately 100 countries. To learn more,
"Safe Harbor" Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform
Act of 1995: Statements in this press release regarding Albemarle
Corporation's business that are not historical facts are "forward-looking
statements" that involve risks and uncertainties. For a discussion of such
risks and uncertainties, which could cause actual results to differ from
those contained in the forward-looking statements, see "Risk Factors" in the
Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K.
SOURCE: Albemarle Corporation
CONTACT: Vivien Kilian, +32-10-483992, Vivien.Kilian@albemarle.com, or
Investor Relations Contact: Sandra Rodriguez, +1-225-388-7654,
Sandra.Rodriguez@albemarle.com
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