Huntsman And Sinopec in Joint Venture

Huntsman Corporation HUN today announced that it has entered into a joint venture agreement with Sinopec Jinling Company, a subsidiary of Sinopec.  The joint venture, Nanjing Jinling Huntsman New Materials Co., Ltd. will build and operate a world scale Propylene Oxide (PO) and Methyl Tertiary Butyl Ether (MTBE) facility in Nanjing, China.  The facility is expected to be completed by the end of 2014 and it will utilize Huntsman's proprietary PO/MTBE manufacturing technology.  PO is an intermediate compound used to make high value polyurethane materials ranging from energy efficient home insulation and building materials to comfort foams for automobiles and furniture.  MTBE is a clean burning fuel additive that improves gasoline engine performance and reduces air pollution. Huntsman will own 49 percent of the joint venture, and Sinopec will own 51 percent.  The facility will produce 550 mm lbs of PO and 1.6 billion lbs of MTBE at a capital cost of approximately $750 million.  Other details of the joint venture were not disclosed.  Commenting on the agreement, Peter R. Huntsman, President and CEO said, "This partnership provides a tremendous opportunity for us to further our global expansion and create shareholder value.  We See full press release