Braskem (São Paulo / Brazil; www.braskem.com) is to build a new global export hub at the port of Charleston, South Carolina / USA with a capacity to support export shipments of up to 204,000 t of polypropylene and speciality polymers annually. The facility will provide packaging, warehousing and export shipping services to support Braskem’s US PP production plants. Design and development work is underway, and the hub is expected to be completed by Q3 2020.

Ahead of the facility’s completion, Braskem said it will continue to use its existing international export capabilities out of Houston, Texas / USA, which will also be maintained following the launch of the Charleston export hub. The new hub will complement Braskem’s existing network of global export hubs in North America, South America and Europe, the company added. Mark Nikolich, Braskem America CEO, said, “The build out of our new global export hub in South Carolina allows us to leverage our feedstock advantaged, polymer production assets in the US Gulf Goast, Pennsylvania and West Virginia, to best meet our international clients’ needs.”

Braskem is partnering with warehouse provider Frontier Logistics, which will construct, lease and provide services to Braskem under a five-year agreement. The Brazil-based group said construction of the hub will involve approximately 150 development and construction workers contracted by Frontier to design and construct the facility as well as 60 permanent employees employed by Frontier after start-up.

The Brazilian polyolefins producer said its new PP production project in La Porte, Texas, is nearing completion, with commercial production scheduled to begin in Q3 2020 (see Plasteurope.com of 06.07.2017). As a result of the coronavirus crisis, the company had reduced its PP production in the US to around 85% (see Plasteurope.com of 12.06.2020).