South Korea's Daelim Industrial started up its new 200,000 t/yr linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE) unit at Yosu at the end of February, raising its total LLDPE production to 410,000 t/yr.
Current operating rates at its new unit are unclear, with Daelim expected to gradually ramp up production. South Korean producers typically operate their new production units at 60-70pc during the early stages of starting up.
Daelim expanded production capacity at its first 160,000 t/yr LLDPE unit at Yosu to 210,000 t/yr in the second half of 2020. The 410,000 t/yr complex produces only metallocene LLDPE grades.
Daelim operates two other high-density polyethylene lines, each with a capacity of 150,000 t/yr.
Its polyethylene complex receives feedstock from YNCC, a 50:50 joint venture between Daelim Industrial and Hanwha Chemical.
YNCC in mid-January completed a scheduled turnaround that started in late October 2020, where it also simultaneously debottlenecked its naphtha-fed cracker. The expanded cracker can now produce up to 880,000 t/yr of ethylene and 440,000 t/yr of propylene.
