PTT Chemical to step up oleochemical production

PTT Chemical plans to step up its production of oleochemicals that serve as raw materials for products like detergents.  The new company, whose principal shareholder is the PTT group, was formed in December 2005 from the merger of major Thai petrochemical and chemical industry players National Petrochemical and Thai Olefins. The PTT group has set its sights on diversifying its business by making a full-scale entry into the oleochemical materials sector. For raw material, the plant will procure ethylene oxide from the PTT group and source fatty alcohols from Thai Fatty Alcohol, another equally owned joint venture between PTT Chemical and Cognis Thailand. Thai Fatty Alcohol will start producing 100,000 tons per year of fatty alcohols in the last quarter of 2007. (December 7, 2006)