German polyurethane manufacturer Covestro has announced a ‘mid to high double-digit million euro’ investment in the modernisation of its toluene diisocyanate (TDI) plant in Dormagen, Germany.
The plant hosts the largest TDI production plant in Europe. TDI is a key building block of polyurethane flexible foams. It is also used in the production of polyurethane coatings and adhesives. The Dormagen facility was commissioned in early 2015 and has an annual capacity of 300,000 tonnes. It uses gas phase technology developed by Covestro, an alternative to liquid phase polymerisation which even before modernisation required up to 60% less energy and up to 80% less solvent than conventional processes, according to Covestro.
The modernisation work will include the installation of a new reactor that will enable its energy to be used for energy-efficient steam generation. The plant will continue to operate as modernisations measures are gradually implemented until spring 2025.
After modernisation, the plant is expected to consume up to 80% less energy than conventional processes to produce TDI. Greenhouse gas emissions should be reduced by a further 22,000 tonnes per year.
"We want to continue to grow in Germany and drive forward the transformation to climate-neutral production,” said Dr. Thorsten Dreier, Chief Technology Officer at Covestro. “Nevertheless, the general conditions, especially the high energy prices, are making it increasingly difficult for us to make such investments. Policy-makers must finally take effective measures to restore Germany's competitiveness in terms of energy prices and ensure a reliable basis for the climate-neutral transformation of industry,” he argued.
This September, the German government failed to commit to a bridge electricity price for industry, in a blow to the country’s chemical manufacturing. Covestro was one of the German companies that sat with Germany’s chancellor Olaf Scholz during the summit.