On June 30, a grand signing ceremony for interim delivery of the 200,000 t/a EVA unit was held at the project site of Tianli Hi-tech Petrochemical Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as “Tianli Hi-tech Petrochemical”), marking that the high-level and full interim delivery of CNPC’s first EVA unit jointly developed by Sinochem Commerce and KraussMaffei has been completed.
Work Together to Boost the Development of Key Projects by Drawing on Each Other’s Strengths
It is CNPC’s first EVA unit and a key project for transformation and upgrading of state-owned enterprises in Dushanzi. It is expected to have a positive effect on giving full play to the geographical and resource advantages and promoting coordinated development of local enterprises and economy. Since its launching, the project has attracted great attention from local governments and relevant enterprises.
Sinochem Commerce and KraussMaffei under Sinochem Holdings fully leveraged the internal collaborative advantages to provide the project with strong support and considerate services. The two sides collaborated closely with each other to deepen innovation-driven development and market applications and worked together to promote the development of China’s petrochemical industry.
Sinochem Commerce has served the petrochemical industry on a long-term basis and enjoys a relatively high position in the industry and good market reputations. In the project, as a business agency of Tianli Hi-tech Petrochemical, Sinochem Commerce coordinated the suppliers in a timely manner in terms of technical services, installation, commissioning, acceptance inspection, and after-sales service. On March 8, 2020, Sinochem Commerce signed a contract with KraussMaffei for purchasing extrusion granulator units for the 200,000 t/a EVA unit of Tianli Hi-tech Petrochemical Co., Ltd., marking the official start of its involvement in the project.
KraussMaffei boasts rich industry experience and leading and unique single screw extrusion technology in the EVA field. Moreover, the project features excellent technological design and short lead time. In the project, KraussMaffei provides the EVA unit of Tianli Hi-tech Petrochemical with whole-line engineering design, manufacturing, installation and adjustment services for the extrusion granulation system, including auxiliary and downstream equipment such as dryer, pressurized water treatment system, and screening plant, etc.
Cooperate Closely to Overcome Difficulties and Ensure Successful Interim Delivery
In October 2021, the project equipment were put in place. In February 2022, two Chinese engineers from KraussMaffei began to work permanently at the project site to independently conduct the installation and commissioning work. In June 2022, the interim delivery of the project was successfully achieved, and the first granule was cut by the extrusion granulation unit. According to the plan, the project will go into operation at the end of this September and eventually reach a production capacity of 200,000 tons/year.
Although there were many challenges due to such factors as COVID-19 and short supply, Sinochem Commerce and KraussMaffei cooperated closely with each other to overcome the difficulties thanks to the advantages of internal synergy of Sinochem Holdings .
Especially, at the critical stages of installation and commissioning of the project, the project was influenced by the unexpected Russia-Ukraine conflict and the Covid-19, Aura, the German subcontractor of the hot-oil system of the extrusion granulator unit, failed to dispatch any engineers to offer onsite guidance services, posing risks to completing the overall project on schedule. Sinochem Commerce communicated with CNCE and KraussMaffei in a timely manner to develop a work plan, and relevant parties cooperated closely with each other to act upon it. Sinochem Commerce communicated closely with Tianli Hi-tech Petrochemical, kept a tab on the progress of the project and solved difficulties. The CNCE KraussMaffei team and KraussMaffei China team actively coordinated the resources of the headquarters of Aura in Germany and its team in China, and advanced the implementation of the project. Thanks to the efforts of relevant parties, the Aura China service team eventually arrived at the site of the project in a timely manner, completed equipment installation and adjustment of the hot-oil system on schedule and ensured on-time interim delivery of the overall project.
Enhance Collaboration and Localization to Promote Industrial Development
Due to the increasing global energy crisis and environmental pollution and China’s efforts for achieving the “carbon peaking/carbon neutrality” goals, the solar PV industry develops rapidly and the domestic demands for EVA keep growing. The EVA project of Tianli Hi-tech Petrochemical produces EVA resins by using the ethylene resources in Dushanzi and can provide raw materials for high-end foam products, solar PV coating and UHV wires and cables, which have relatively low degree of self-sufficiency in China.
The successful implementation of the project reflects that Sinochem Holdings has capabilities of product manufacturing, business agency, engineering services and manufacturing of core equipment in the EVA industrial chain.
At present, Sinochem Holdings, by relying on its abundant industrial chains and hierarchy, actively strengthens the synergy between its subsidiaries and ensures that its subsidiaries effectively integrate their respective advantageous resources, further enhance the safety and anti-risk capability of the supply chain, and make joint contributions to the development of China’s petrochemical industry.
It has created more market opportunities for CNEC’s subsidiaries including KraussMaffei. In recent years, KraussMaffei has made efforts to explore the Chinese market, actively made deployments in local industries, fully engaged in internal & external collaboration of the industrial chain of Sinochem Holdings, and provided key equipment R&D and manufacturing, engineering design, technical support and services for various basic and modified chemical materials in different technological phases.
KraussMaffei China Deputy General Manager Yuan Yiping stated: “In this project, by drawing on the experience in installation and commissioning across the world, our Chinese team has for the first time taken a lead in completing the overall installation and commissioning services of the EVA extrusion granulation system, and achieved high-level and full interim delivery of the project. KraussMaffei has high capabilities of local technical support and service. In the future, we will continue to enhance our ability to provide local technical support and service, engage more deeply in Sinochem Holdings’ coordination within and beyond the industrial chain, and make joint efforts to rapidly expand the production capacity of the petrochemical industry.”