Toyo-China wins contract for a new ETA plant

Toyo Engineering Corp. China, a wholly owned subsidiary of Toyo Engineering Corp. (Toyo; Chiba, Japan; www.toyo-eng.co.jp), has been awarded a contract for an ethanolamine (ETA) production plant to be constructed in Jiaxing, Zhejiang Province, China, by Honam Petrochemical Corp. (Korea; www.hpc.co.kr). The 50,000-ton/yr plant is scheduled for completion in the first quarter of 2012. The ETA project is the third contract that Toyo Group has received from HPC, following a polypropylene plant project awarded in 1977 and an ethylene plant project in 1989. The past successful projects and supports from Toyo Group including Toyo-Korea have led to the award. The plant will produce ETA, which will be used in pharmaceutical and cosmetic products, detergents, and so on. HPC has conducted a project feasibility study aimed at the huge Chinese market that is continuing to experience growth. As a result of bidding, Toyo-China has won the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract after successfully competing against other contractors in China and Korea.