Malaysia's Lotte Titan unexpectedly shut its 115,000 t/yr high-density polyethylene (HDPE) unit late last week because of technical issues, with the unit expected to remain shut for four weeks. The unit operates using Japanese firm Mitsui Chemicals' bimodal technology.
The shutdown could possibly delay the producer's January export shipments to its customers and is expected to tighten regional HDPE supply.
The producer operates another 220,000 t/yr linear low-density polyethylene/HDPE swing plant, which solely produces HDPE.
Lotte Titan also shut its olefins conversion unit (OCU) in mid-December for around one week because of technical issues. The OCU, which can produce up to 115,000 t/yr of propylene, was restarted on 21 December and the producer's downstream polypropylene production is likely only mildly affected.
