INEOS’ Hull manufacturing facility. Photo courtesy of INEOS.
INEOS Oxide is planning a multi-million pound expansion of its Hull manufacturing facility to increase production of ethyl acetate (EtAc) by 100 Mtpy. The additional capacity is expected to be available by the end of next year.
EtAc is in high demand for use in pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, inks and flexible packaging, and the Hull plant is already at full capacity. This new investment will enable the company to continue to serve customers acrossEurope for many years to come.
This is the first major UK investment decision to be made following the Brexit vote and reflects INEOS’ confidence in the UK economy and its ability to continue to deliver for its customers.
The Hull site will also benefit from INEOS’ $1 billion decision to import US shale gas to Scotland. A pipeline linking INEOS’ petrochemicals plant at Grangemouth with INEOS Oxide in Hull means the site will be able to use ethylene produced from imported US shale gas, as its main raw material.
The Hull plant was originally built with expansion in mind, so the project should be completed quickly and economically.