New Low-Viscosity PAO Unit in Belgium

New Low-Viscosity PAO Unit in Belgium

Chevron Phillips Chemical to build new low-viscosity PAO unit in Belgium to address growing worldwide demand.

Chevron Phillips Chemical (CPChem) announced plans to expand its polyalphaolefins (PAO) business by building a new unit at its Beringen, Belgium facility. Following local permit approvals, this significant investment will double the company's PAO production capacity in Belgium to 120,000 MT, with a targeted start-up in 2024.

For more than 40 years, CPChem has been a leader in developing high-quality PAOs marketed under the Synfluid® brand. PAOs are specially designed chemicals made from alpha olefins.

They are used in many synthetic products such as lubricants, greases and fluids, and have emerged as key components in applications including automotive, industrial, cosmetic, technology and military use.

Mitch Eichelberger, Vice President responsible for Polymers and Specialties, said, "Our Beringen facility has a long history of safe, reliable PAO production and serving our customers excellently.

"Construction of a new unit near our existing assets will allow us to leverage strong local expertise and benefit from Belgium's central location to serve customer needs globally."

Synfluid® PAOs offer significant advantages due to their unique properties and support the company's commitment to accelerating change toward a sustainable future. PAOs help reduce energy consumption through efficient lubrication; by reducing friction, they can lower fuel consumption and emissions.

Growing demand for PAOs is driven by the performance of these molecules at extreme temperatures and by new applications such as electric and fuel-efficient vehicles and heat transfer fluids.

Antoine Janssens, General Manager of the Europe Africa region, said, "The increased production from this new investment will be critical to support growing demand at a time when there are major innovations across many sectors requiring PAOs."

With an ideal location in the heart of Europe, the new PAO unit will benefit from significant advantages in infrastructure, raw material availability and operational expertise. CPChem currently operates PAO units in Beringen, Belgium and Baytown, Texas. With this new investment, the company reinforces its commitment to being the preferred supplier for its growing global customer base.