January 15, 2001
Infineum, the petroleum additives
enterprise, today announced that its joint venture company Jinzhou
Jinex Lubricant Additive Co Ltd (Jinex) has successfully started
up its 30,000 tonnes polyisobutylene (PIB) unit in Jinzhou China
to make international quality lube oil additives.
Jinex was established
in 1995 as a lubricant additive blending joint venture between ExxonMobil
Petroleum & Chemical Holdings, Inc, an affiliate of Exxon Mobil
Corporation, and Jinzhou Petrochemical Company. Pending the approval
of the relevant authorities in China, ExxonMobil has agreed to transfer
its equity in Jinex to Infineum.
Construction
of the Jinex PIB plant began in January 1999. The plant uses Infineum's
proprietary PIB technology licensed to Jinex. This is the first
of several phases to enable Jinex to become the first domestic integrated
additive plant offering international standard additive products
in China. Initial plant production is being used in China and export
sales in Asia Pacific are under negotiations.
"The completion
of Jinex's PIB unit marks an important milestone for the joint venture
company to become a world class additive manufacturing base. I expect
Jinex to establish market leadership with quality products, local
manufacturing and superior customer service. Infineum is committed
in growing Jinex to become a leading additive manufacturing base
in China," said Mr Somchai Kornkanitnan, Infineum's General Manager,
Asia Pacific.
Mr Lu Wen Jun,
General Manager of Jinzhou Petrochemical Company said: "The startup
of the new PIB unit will provide our customers with international
quality lube oil additive. This, coupled with an improved delivery
system and efficient logistics capability all over China will help
to increase overall customer satisfaction."
"We are very
pleased with the completion of our new PIB unit, which is based
on the latest technologies and equipment and is the largest of its
kind in Asia Pacific. This is a tremendous achievement for us, thanks
to the dedication and cooperation from both Jinzhou Petrochemical
Company and Infineum," said Mr Kit Ho, General Manager of Jinex.
The PIB manufactured
at the Jinex plant is used as the key raw material for the manufacture
of dispersant additives. Dispersants are used in lubricants to reduce
wear, inhibit oxidation as well as varnish formation and disperse
sludge. PIB is also used in the low smoke two-stroke motorcycle
oil as a viscosity improver and in sealants, adhesives, cables and
wires and many other industrial applications.
Notes to
journalists:
Jinzhou Petrochemical
is one of China's largest manufacturers of lubricant additives with
more than 30 years of research and development experience. Its production
capacity and sales volume account for a significant share of the
domestic market. It operates one of the nation's major petrochemical
complexes, and has an extensive domestic market network.
Infineum is
one of the leading companies in the development, manufacture and
sales of petroleum additives for fuels and lubricants. Formed as
a joint venture between ExxonMobil Chemical Company, a division
of the Exxon Mobil Corporation, The Shell Petroleum Company Ltd
and Shell Oil Company, Infineum became fully operational on 1 January
1999. The company has its worldwide office in Theale in the UK,
with three regional business centres located at Milton Hill in UK,
Linden in USA and in Singapore. In addition, Infineum has four technology
centres; 19 manufacturing sites plus sales and marketing representation
in over 70 countries around the world.
For more information,
contact:
Lim Siew Tin
Marketing Communications
Infineum Singapore Pte. Ltd.
Tel: +65-895 6887
Fax: +65-895 6909
Malcolm Rose
Infineum Worldwide Marketing Communications Manager
Milton Hill, Oxon.
United Kingdom
Tel: +44 (0)1235 549509
Fax: +44 (0)1235 549511
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