13 February 2011
Iran launched the development plan of Tabriz Petrochemical Company (TPC) in an effort to boost the production of polystyrene.
Oil Minister Masoud Mirkazemi attended the opening ceremony of the project on Thursday, Mehr News Agency reported.
The development plan includes the production of polystyrene in the TPC, which is located in the northwestern part of the country.
It is expected that the new project would produce 54,000 tons of polystyrene annually, generating $76 million per year in its final stage.
About $21 million have been invested for the design, construction, and implementation of the polystyrene project with cooperation of the private sector.
The project, which would meet the country's requirements, began five years ago. Tabriz Petrochemical Company currently produces about 15,000 tons of polystyrene annually while the country's requirement is about five-fold. Importing the product would be cut following the launch of the project.
Polystyrene is a type of polymer with thermoplastic properties produced from the petroleum-derived monomer, styrene.
In solid form, polystyrene is a colorless and rigid plastic and it may also be returned to a liquid by heating and used again for molding or extrusion.
Polystyrene is used to produce many products for industrial and consumer use. In fact, its presence as a plastic in everyday life is second only to polyethylene.
Petchem Exports at $8.7b
Iran has exported $8.7 $billion worth of petrochemical products in the first ten months of the Iranian year (March 21- January 20), indicating a 61 percent increase in value compared to the same period of last year, Mirkazemi said.
Mirkazemi added that despite the sanctions and international pressure on Iran the petrochemical industry succeeded in producing more than 1.5 billion liters of gasoline.
The minister who was attending the inauguration ceremony of the strengthened polystyrene plant in Tabriz Petrochemical Company added that in this period Iran exported 13.2 million tons of petrochemical products.
"In this period sales of petrochemical products to foreign countries increased 27 percent compared to last year," he said.
Mirkazemi noted that domestic and foreign sales increased 51 percent during this time and hit $12.8 billion.
Iran launched the development plan of Tabriz Petrochemical Company (TPC) in an effort to boost the production of polystyrene.
Oil Minister Masoud Mirkazemi attended the opening ceremony of the project on Thursday, Mehr News Agency reported.
The development plan includes the production of polystyrene in the TPC, which is located in the northwestern part of the country.
It is expected that the new project would produce 54,000 tons of polystyrene annually, generating $76 million per year in its final stage.
About $21 million have been invested for the design, construction, and implementation of the polystyrene project with cooperation of the private sector.
The project, which would meet the country's requirements, began five years ago. Tabriz Petrochemical Company currently produces about 15,000 tons of polystyrene annually while the country's requirement is about five-fold. Importing the product would be cut following the launch of the project.
Polystyrene is a type of polymer with thermoplastic properties produced from the petroleum-derived monomer, styrene.
In solid form, polystyrene is a colorless and rigid plastic and it may also be returned to a liquid by heating and used again for molding or extrusion.
Polystyrene is used to produce many products for industrial and consumer use. In fact, its presence as a plastic in everyday life is second only to polyethylene.
Petchem Exports at $8.7b
Iran has exported $8.7 $billion worth of petrochemical products in the first ten months of the Iranian year (March 21- January 20), indicating a 61 percent increase in value compared to the same period of last year, Mirkazemi said.
Mirkazemi added that despite the sanctions and international pressure on Iran the petrochemical industry succeeded in producing more than 1.5 billion liters of gasoline.
The minister who was attending the inauguration ceremony of the strengthened polystyrene plant in Tabriz Petrochemical Company added that in this period Iran exported 13.2 million tons of petrochemical products.
"In this period sales of petrochemical products to foreign countries increased 27 percent compared to last year," he said.
Mirkazemi noted that domestic and foreign sales increased 51 percent during this time and hit $12.8 billion.
© Iran Daily 2011
