據烴加工2021年6月9日報道，美國陶氏化學公司計劃在其位于德克薩斯州自由港的世界規模生產基地建造一個綜合二苯基甲烷二異氰酸酯（MDI）蒸餾和預聚物設施。這項投資支持了下游聚氨酯系統產品不斷增長的需求，并提高了陶氏化學公司在建筑、消費和工業市場中具有吸引力的應用領域的領先地位，這些領域的增長將超過國內生產總值（GDP）。

　　新建的自由港MDI工廠將取代陶氏化學公司目前在德克薩斯州La Porte的北美產能，也將能夠為陶氏化學業公司客戶提供額外30%的產品。隨著MDI新工廠的啟動，陶氏化學公司將在2023年關閉其在La Porte的聚氨酯資產。

　　陶氏化學公司工業中間體和基礎設施運營部門總裁Jane Palmieri表示：“此次MDI投資優化了我們現有的資產基礎設施，增強了我們在全球聚氨酯領域的領導地位，進一步使我們能夠支持下游系統客戶的增長。”“在自由港基地的背面集成創造了一個具有成本競爭力的上游聚氨酯原材料供應，確保了一個可靠的供應位置，以支持我們在下游高價值聚氨酯市場的增長，并提供了一個更可持續的生產過程。”

　　位于自由港的新MDI工廠將減少陶氏化學公司的碳足跡和水的使用量：

　　? 通過利用自由港基地現有的熱能，消除對火力發電的需求，

　　? 通過提高生產效率減少取水量和廢水的排放，

　　? 取消運輸原材料的需要。

　　陶氏化學公司廣泛的聚氨酯系統特許經營升級關鍵聚氨酯組件，以生產剛性、半剛性和柔性泡沫，以及涂料、粘合劑、密封劑、彈性體和復合材料，應用范圍從工業和基礎設施解決方案，到消費者舒適的地板、家具、床上用品和鞋，汽車內飾解決方案，節能隔熱材料。

　　李峻 編譯自 烴加工

　　原文如下：

　　Dow to build MDI distillation and prepolymers facility

　　Dow plans to build an integrated MDI distillation and prepolymers facility at its world-scale manufacturing site in Freeport, Texas. This investment supports increasing demand for downstream polyurethane systems products and advances Dow’s leading positions in attractive applications in construction, consumer, and industrial markets that are growing above GDP.

　　The new Freeport MDI facility will replace Dow’s current North America capacity in La Porte, Texas, and will also be capable of supplying an additional 30% of product to Dow’s customers. In coordination with the start-up of the new MDI facility, expected in 2023, Dow will shut down its polyurethane assets at the La Porte site.

　　“This MDI investment optimizes our existing asset infrastructure and enhances our global polyurethanes leadership position, further enabling us to support downstream systems customers’ growth,” said Jane Palmieri, president of Dow’s Industrial Intermediates & Infrastructure operating segment. “The back integration at the Freeport site creates a cost competitive supply of key upstream polyurethane raw materials, ensures a reliable supply position to support our growth in downstream high-value polyurethane markets and delivers a more sustainable production process.”

　　The new facility in Freeport will reduce Dow’s carbon footprint and water usage by:

　　?eliminating the need for the generation of thermal power by utilizing existing thermal energy from the Freeport site,

　　?reducing water intake and wastewater discharge (through production efficiencies), and

　　?eliminating the need for transport of raw materials.

　　Dow’s extensive Polyurethane Systems franchise upgrades key polyurethane components in order to produce rigid, semi-rigid and flexible foams, and coatings, adhesives, sealants, elastomers and composites for applications that range from industrial and infrastructure solutions, to consumer comfort solutions in flooring, furniture, bedding and footwear, to automotive solutions for vehicle interior, and energy-efficient insulation materials.