Japan“s Asahi Glass Co. has begun talks with Arco Chemical Co. of the United States for a joint project in Indonesia to produce tolylene diisocyanate (TDI), a raw material for polyurethane. They are …
Japan“s Asahi Glass Co. has begun talks with Arco Chemical Co. of the United States for a joint project in Indonesia to produce tolylene diisocyanate (TDI), a raw material for polyurethane. They are expected to finalise detailed plans for the project early this year. The project was originally studied jointly by Asahi Glass and another US firm, Olin Corp. However, Olin announced last October that it would sell its isocyanate business to Arco Chemical. Arco Chemical has basically agreed with Asahi Glass to carry out the project, as originally designed, to build a 50,000-tonnes/year plant at a facility belonging to Asahi Glass“s Indonesian affiliate, PT Asahimas Subentra Chemical. The TDI plant is expected to use chlorine produced by Asahimas at the site. Asahi Glass and Olin have been operating a joint venture producing polyol, a raw material for polyurethane, in Kashima, Japan. However, Olin also plans to sell off its polyol business.