Braskem marks 16 years of renewable ethylene production at Triunfo plant

Braskem's renewable ethylene plant at the Triunfo Petrochemical Complex in southern Brazil has reached 16 years of operation since 2010, with more than 4.6 million tons of CO2 removed by using sugarcane-based ethanol as feedstock. The plant now has an annual capacity of 275,000 tons, 37% above the original 2010 projection. Its ethylene feeds bio-based polyethylene, EVA and polyethylene wax, sold under the I'm greenT bio-based portfolio with more than 40 grades across over 40 countries.

Key facts

Market context

Ethylene is one of the largest-volume petrochemical building blocks, used to make polyethylene, ethylene vinyl acetate and many other polymers. Polyethylene goes into flexible and rigid packaging, films, and containers, while EVA is used in footwear soles, adhesives, hot-melt systems, and cosmetic and personal care applications. Demand for these downstream products generally tracks consumer goods, food packaging, and construction activity. Bio-based ethylene is made from ethanol rather than naphtha or natural gas, so it offers a route to lower fossil-carbon content in finished polymers without changing their performance or processing behavior. Brand owners with sustainability targets increasingly seek such drop-in materials, which can support premium pricing relative to conventional grades. Because the ethanol feedstock is tied to agricultural supply and sugarcane markets, producers of bio-based ethylene also carry exposure to feedstock price swings. Operating capacity of this kind adds to the limited pool of renewable ethylene globally.

Source: official release on braskem.com.br. Summary and context written by Market Krystal.