Dow UNIPOL™ PP Business Celebrates 25 Years of Success
It was exactly 25 years ago - on May 27, 1985 - that Dow's first commercial polypropylene (PP) plant based on the UNIPOL™ PP process came on-line in Seadrift, Texas. Since then, the technology has continued to evolve and has gained notoriety for its simple design, reliable performance and the broad range of resins it can produce.
Mark Cooke, current production leader at the Seadrift plant, worked at the facility when the new technology was just taking root. During his time at the plant, he witnessed two expansions as well as developments in the UNIPOL PP process that helped resin and licensing customers stay competitive in the changing plastics market. Says Cooke, "Over the years, we've enhanced our catalyst technology to make a greater variety of products at Seadrift and to better serve our customers."
Three Decades of Progress
In 2010, Dow also celebrates the 30th anniversary of UNIPOL PP Technology. A look back at the history of UNIPOL PP Technology reveals an ongoing investment in innovation and product development. In the 1990s, technological advancements helped the UNIPOL PP process expand and meet the demand for products with greater strength and flexibility that could also resist impact, heat and chemicals. The launch of a series of SHAC™ catalysts helped producers significantly improve product performance and increase plant capacity.
Dow entered the donor market in 2004 with SHAC ADT 3000 Series Donor and introduced new proprietary donors in 2005 and 2006. Custom-engineered for the UNIPOL PP process, the SHAC catalysts and Advanced Donor Technology (ADT) allow manufacturers to upgrade process operability while at the same time maintaining or improving product performance properties thanks to the integrated capabilities of the technology platform.
Beginning in 2001, the business strengthened its focus on sustainability with several new launches such as INSPIRE™ Performance Polymers for high melt strength, high stiffness and clarity, as well as SHAC HMF Donor Systems for the production of high melt flow polypropylene.
Today the world's largest single-train polypropylene plant licenses UNIPOL PP Technology, as do three of the top five polypropylene producers worldwide.
Looking Ahead
In March of 2010, Dow released CONSISTA™ D7000 Donor, the first product in the new CONSISTA portfolio of advanced catalyst systems. Developed to optimize high-melt impact copolymer PP resins, CONSISTA D7000 improves the performance characteristics of the finished product, allows for a smoother transition between product grades and reduces manufacturing costs by decreasing the use of peroxide. After proven performance in customer trials, the technology is now helping PP manufacturers enter premium markets with products that can meet specific quality requirements such as an improved polymer taste/odor profile in food applications and reduced C emissions for automotive markets.
Tracy Cleckler, global commercial director for Basic Plastics Licensing and Catalysts, attributes the longstanding success of UNIPOL to the simplicity, efficiency and cost-effectiveness of the process. "The UNIPOL PP process requires the fewest reactors, fewest moving parts, and minimal pieces of equipment - resulting in the highest operating uptime in the PP industry. In India, Southeast Asia, China, Russia, the Middle East, and all across the globe, producers are achieving maximum economic benefits with the help of UNIPOL PP Technology."
Jerry Pritchett, global business director, PP and Licensing, sees the flexibility of the technology fueling future growth. "After 25 years of success, the innovation and product differentiation continue to provide sustainable advantages in the marketplace," says Pritchett.
Adds Cleckler, "We're very proud to have achieved this milestone in the business. We've worked hard to get to this point, but we are most grateful to our customers who have trusted in the technology and challenged us to keep moving the bar higher along the way."