Heavy rains force S Korean Kumho to cut runs at two solvent lines

Chemical News: Heavy rains force S Korean Kumho to cut runs at two solvent lines

https://www.chemnet.com Jul 20,2011 Platts
South Korea's Kumho P&B Chemicals has been operating its solvents lines at Yeosu at about 70-80% of capacity since July 6, a source close to the company said Tuesday.

The run cuts followed flooding caused by heavy rains and a disruption in steam and power supply, the source said, adding that the company hoped to ramp up to full capacity again by the end of the month.

On July 13, the Korea Meteorological Administration said that about 563 millimeters of rain had fallen since the start of the rainy season on June 22, about 2.8 times the average for the period over 1981 to 2010.

Steam and power supplied by parent company Kumho Petrochemical was disrupted for two-three days, the source said, but gave no further details.

The company has three solvents lines but the 30-year-old No. 1 line, with the capacity to produce 30,000 mt/year of phenol and 20,000 mt/year of acetone, was scrapped in 2008 because of poor margins.

The No. 2 line can make 135,000 mt/year of phenol and 84,000 mt/year of acetone while the No. 3 line can deliver 205,000 mt/year of phenol and 123,000 mt/year of acetone.
Print | add to Favorites | Close