ATOFINA is the chemical branch of the TotalFinaElf group. It was formally established in April 2000 from the merged petrochemicals and chemicals activities developed by Total, Petrofina and Elf Aquitaine (Elf Atochem) before two consecutive mergers, in 1998 and in 1999, led to the creation of TotalFinaElf, the world's fourth largest oil company and fifth largest chemical company.
Petrochemicals and commodity polymers
The merger between TOTALFINA and Elf Aquitaine has allowed ATOFINA to become the leading petrochemicals producer in Europe. Thanks to integration of petrochemicals and refining sites, and the good industrial fit between the two partners' spread of activities and production platforms, the new combined ATOFINA is in a position to generate synergies in a number of areas, thus giving it additional growth potential.
The efficiency of ATOFINA turns on the use of 5 large, integrated platforms within Europe :ー 4 in France : Gonfreville (Normandy), Carling (Moselle), Feyzin-Balan (Ain) and Lavera-La Mede (Bouches-du-Rhone)
ー 1 in Belgium : Antwerp.
The new actual capacity make it the leading manufacturer of propylene and the second-largest supplier of ethylene, benzene, and xylene in Europe. In the polymers segment, TotalFinaElf will rank fourth worldwide, with a portfolio of activities well balanced both internationally and business-wise. Buidling on the good geographical match between production in the United States and Europe, the Group will be the world's fourth-largest supplier of polystyrene.
BASIC PETROCHEMICALS
Products :Ethylene、Propylene、Butadiene、Benzene、Toluene、Xylene
Resources:
ATOFINA operates one of the most powerful production facilities in Europe:7 steamcrackers (ethylene, propylene):
・Carling, an industrial base supplying northern Europe,
・Anvers, jointly with Exxon,
・Feyzin, in association with Solvay,
・Gonfreville, on the English Channel,
・Lacq, in partnership with Elf Aquitaine Exploration-Production France,
・Lavera on the Mediterranean, in association with BP Chemicals,
・Umm Said (Qatar) in partnership with the State of Qatar and Enichem2 refining propylene purification plants:
・Donges on the Atlantic, a joint venture with Elf Antar France,
・Feyzin, at the heart of the Rhone-Alpes region chemical centre.
POLYOLEFINS
Products:Polyethylene、Low content ethylene vinyl acetate copolymers、Polypropylene、
Converted polyethylene
CVM, PVC AND CONVERTING
Products:VCM (vinyl chloride monomer)、General purpose PVC and special PVC、
Chlorinated PVCResources:
With total production capacities of 740,000 tpa, ATOFINA is n° 1 producer in France and n° 1 in Europe for PVC.
In order to weather the current crisis in the general purpose PVC sector in Europe, the Company has secured the means to consolidate its competitiveness significantly, by combining 3 initiatives:the consolidation of its downstream PVC activities, with the acquisition of Italy's 2nd largest compounder, IGS. ATOFINA's PVC benefits from a very sound integration, upstream in the chlorine/ethylene sector, and downstream with its pipes, profiles and compounds operations. The acquisition of IGS has strengthened the compounds activities
the reduction of transport logistics costs by using river-sea barges on the Rhone river from the Mediterranean to the Lyon area
the recentring of its PVC production on its Balan and Saint-Fons sites by the year 2000.In addition, ATOFINA continues to play an active role in the progression and recovery of materials. The Company is currently studying the feasibility of recycling PVC waste from building sites, to replace the recycling of PVC mineral water bottles, which are now being phased out.
As part of the Autovinyle association created in January 1997, ATOFINA also takes part in the recycling of automotive PVC shredder lights as well as PVC parts from end-of-life vehicles.
Vinyl Thermoplastics
Products :Plasticised PVC compounds、Rigid PVC compounds、
Thermoplastic elastomers、Special vinyl compounds
ResourcesAs Europe's leading producer of vinyl compounds with production capacities exceeding 280,000 tonnes (including 230,000 tpa for NakanR thermoplastics), ATOFINA benefits from outstanding industrial coverage throughout Europe, operating in six countries and therefore in a position to meet its customers' requirements in terms of service.
Its comprehensive product range, in particular its speciality vinyl compounds, allows ATOFINA to stand out from its competitors in terms of offer.
PVC Pipes and Connections, PVC Profiles
STYRENE, POLYSTYRENE, ELASTOMERS
Products: Ethylbenzene、Styrene、Crystal and impact polystyrene and compounds
FERTILISERS
Nitrogen and Compound Fertilisers
HISTORY
ATOFINA combines the
strengths of Elf Atochem and TOTALFINA's chemical activities.
Elf
Atochem
At the beginning of
the 80's, the French chemical industry was hard hit, both by the
aftermath of the 1973 and 1978 oil crises and by recession in its
own sector.
To get back on its feet in the increasingly competitive international market, restructuring was essential, and the decision was taken to re-group, with a major share of the industry going to Elf Aquitaine. The objective was clear: to construct a chemical industry which could withstand the ups and downs of the changing economy.
The result was the creation, in 1983, of the Atochem Company, a subsidiary of Elf Aquitaine, composed of Ato Chimie, Chloé Chimie and the greater part of PCUK (Produits Chimiques Ugine Kuhlmann). In 1989, Atochem was joined by the US. company Pennwalt. In 1990, a new stage in the restructuring of the French chemical industry was set in motion with the addition of the main chemical activities of Charbonnages de France (Orkem, Norsolor). In 1992 , Atochem became Elf Atochem.
This same year, Elf Atochem entered into a worldwide agreement with Rohm & Haas, which resulted in the setting up of a common affiliate, AtoHaas. In 1998, with the acquisition of Rohm & Haas' share in AtoHaas (renamed Atoglas), Elf Atochem became the worldwide leader in the polymethyl methacrylate market.
In 1992, Elf Atochem also purchased German corporation Schering's plating division, in order to group it with its M&T Harshaw affiliate within a new Atotech affiliate, now one of the world leaders in that industry.
At the end of 1994, Elf Atochem and Union Carbide set up Aspell Polymères, a joint venture in the polyethylene sector.
In 1996, with the purchase of Findley Adhesives, Inc., as well as of the adhesives and sealants activities of the British company Laporte LPC., Elf Atochem acquired a genuinely worldwide dimension in the adhesive industry.
TOTALFINA
In 1999, TOTAL and
Petrofina were
merged to form the group TOTALFINA.
PetroFina
25 February 1920,
the Compagnie Financière Belge des Pétroles
(Belgian Petroleum Finance Company), Petrofina, is founded by a
group of investors from Antwerp.
The primary objective of the post-war period: industrial
integration through control of the refining process. The Société Industrielle
Belge des Pétroles - SIBP - (Belgian Industrial
Petroleum Company) is founded in Antwerp in 1949 and begins
production in 1951.
PetroFina, having
embarked on exploration and production, now makes major
discoveries such as the one in Mexico. Similar successes follow
in Canada, Angola and Egypt. The 1950s see the growth of the
company worldwide.
In 1954, Petrofina takes its first steps in the field of
chemistry. Indutrial integration proceeds at the dawn of the
plastic age. Located near SIBP, the Petrochim factory augments
the installations at Antwerp. The same year, the acquisition of
Cosden Chemicals marks the entry of Petrofina into the
petrochemicals sector in America.
In the 60's, Belgochim
is established at Feluy. This marks the beginning of activities
in Belgium's Centre region. Soon Labofina - the future Fina
Research - Montefina and Sigma are also established there.
Petrofina diversifies into paints, a successful venture. The
Dutch nucleus of Sigma continues its expansion into Europe which
it began in the 1960s.
In 1988, by buying back all shares in Société Industrielle Belge des Pétroles,
Petrofina focuses on its refining activities. Fina Raffinaderij
Antwerpen becomes the heart of an integrated petroleum and
petrochemical network.
In the chemical industry, Petrofina backs three star products in Europe and the United States: PS, PP and HDPE.
Cray
Valley
Acquired by TOTAL in
1990, the Resins Division was regrouped in Europe under the
banner Cray Valley, and rests in the United States on two
companies: Sartomer Cook Composites & Polymers.
Hutchinson
In the TOTAL group
since 1991, the expansion of the Hutchinson group came true from
its previous history by a combination of internal and external
growth with an intensification of its positions on its basic
activities, and by internationalization at first in Europe and
then in America and in Asia.
Bostik
Created in the end
of XIXth century, the Bostik company is today one of the world
leaders in the field of adhesives and sealants.
SigmaKalon
SigmaKalon is one of
Europe's leading manufacturers of decorative paints.
October 2001
ATOFINA increases its polypropylene
capacities in Europe
The merger of TotalFina's activities with those of Elf Aquitaine
and the investments launched within the new ATOFINA entity are
positioning the latter in 3rd place among the world's
polypropylene producers. With the debottlenecking of the
Gonfreville L’Orcher plant
(France) and the start-up at the beginning of 2002 of the new
plant in Feluy (Belgium), ATOFINA will boast overall
polypropylene production capacities of 2.1 million tpa.
The Feluy and Gonfreville L’Orcher
capacity extensions are consolidating ATOFINA's presence in
Europe, and will mean a virtually equal split of its world
capacities between this region and the United States:
- 1.1 million
tpa in Europe, including
800,000 tpa in Feluy, 200,000 tpa in Gonfreville L’Orcher, and 135,000 tpa in Lavera
(France),
- 1 million
tpa in the United States in
La Porte, Texas.
The Gonfreville L’Orcher
plant operates a gas phase technology developed by ATOFINA. The new
380,000 tpa Feluy plant
uses the Spheripol®
technology. Both technologies produce homopolymer and copolymer
polypropylene, and will allow new grades to be developed, in
particular high rigidity and high impact copolymers, which will
afford further progress in thickness reduction for injected parts
and thermoformed components.
Polypropylene has been recording the strongest growth among
commodity polymers, with a European average of 5.2 % p.a. over
the period 1997-2001 and a forecast close to 6 % over the next
few years. This success can be explained by the versatility of
polypropylene which can be injected, extruded, thermoformed,
drawn or blow-moulded, thereby making it an ideal and
straightforward substitute to traditional materials (wood,
aluminium, glass, etc.) as well as to other plastics.
The characteristics of the new polypropylene generations bring
new opportunities with applications hitherto the domain of other
materials. Polypropylene grades produced with metallocene
catalysts, for example, lead to very fine, flexible and soft
fibres, comparable to nylon, polyester or cotton fibres, and
hence new outlets in hygiene applications (babies' diapers,
female hygiene products, etc.) and clothing manufacture.
Similarly, the latest developments in extrusion blow moulding are
producing highly transparent packaging particularly sought after
by the cosmetics and pharmaceuticals industries.
2002/6/5 Platts
Atofina inaugurates new PP Belgium unit
Atofina, TotalFinaElf's chemicals arm, last Friday inaugurated its new polypropylene production unit at Feluy, Belgium.
The unit had been commissioned in March 2002 and was designed to deploy the metallocene catalyst technology developed by the Atofina Research laboratories near the plant, said a statement accompanying Wednesday's inauguration announcement.
The new 380,000 mt/yr unit is the world's largest and takes total PP production capacity to at the site to 800,000 mt/yr. The expansion is in line with TotalFinaElf's petrochemical strategy to concentrate growth at large facilities to improve competitiveness. The Feluy unit also produces polyethylene and polystyrene, with a total capacity of 1.1-mil mt/yr.
April 3, 2003 ATOFINA
ATOFINA increases capacity at its Antwerp polyethylene plant in
Belgium
ATOFINA inaugurated on 3rd April 2003, new industrial facilities
for increased Polyethylene (HDPE) production at its Antwerp plant
in Belgium. The 160,000 tpa increase brings the site's overall
capacity up to 510,000 tpa, and consolidates ATOFINA's position
as a producer of specialized Polyethylene grades.
Developed from the Company's own innovative state of the art
production technologies, this investment allows the Antwerp plant
to produce new bimodal grades for various applications, resins
from metallocene catalysts, and a wide range of coloured resins
for pipe, in addition to conventional Polyethylene grades. This
project will also enable ATOFINA to improve and expand its
logistics operations. These are handled jointly with Katoennatie,
which has set up its largest logistics platform adjacent to the
Polyethylene plant to provide worldwide customer service.
The Antwerp Polyethylene plant accounts for 10% of Polyethylene
(HDPE) consumption in Western Europe (13% when taking into
account the Feluy plant, also in Belgium), and is the largest
single production site for coloured HDPE resins.
2003/2/25 Atofina
Atofina announces plans to expand styrene monomer facility in
Carville (USA)
Atofina announced plans to modernize and expand its joint venture
Cos-Mar
Styrene Monomer facility located near Carville, Louisiana. This
project will increase styrene capacity from 900,000 tons per year to 1,150,000 tons per year. Completion is
planned for third quarter 2004.
Cos-Mar is a
50/50 joint venture between Atofina Petrochemicals, Inc. and
General Electric Petrochemicals, a wholly owned subsidiary of General
Electric, and a division of its GE Plastics business. Atofina
operates the Cos-Mar facility, which is one of the largest
styrene monomer plants in the world.
The project includes upgrading the ethylbenzene and styrene
production technologies, allowing reductions in energy and
feedstock consumption and in plant air emissions.
This expansion enhances the world-class position and the
competitiveness of the Cos-Mar facility in the global styrene
market. Atofina's
wholly owned Polystyrene Plant located adjacent to the Cos-Mar
facility will
consume their share of the new capacity.
Atofina is the World's 3rd largest Polystyrene producer with a
total capacity of 1.5 million tons per year, and the 4th largest
styrene producer with a total capacity of 1.2 million tons per
year.
December 2000
ATOFINA
ATOFINA builds new polystyrene compounding plant in Thailand for
the teletronics market
ATOFINA is investing in a new 12,000 tpa polystyrene compounding plant near Bangkok in Thailand,
at a cost amounting to Euro 4 M.
The new plant is operational and primarily supplies
flame-retardant compounds for the Asian teletronics market
(audio-video and office equipment), in which Thailand is the main
producer among the countries of South-East Asia.
This buoyant market is regulated by increasingly stringent
fireproofing regulations in Asia requiring virgin resins to be
replaced by resins containing fire-retardant additives.
The new plant allows ATOFINA to consolidate the existing 13,000 tpa polystyrene
compounding capacity of its Singapore site in line with its
customers' development.
ATOFINA, the world's 4th largest polystyrene producer with plants
in France (Gonfreville and Carling), Spain (Prat de Llobregat),
the United Kingdom (Stalybridge), the United States (Carville)
and in Asia (Singapore) thereby confirms its standing among the
world's polystyrene leaders.
Platts 2003/8/20
France's Atofina defers China, Singapore PS expansions to 2006
France's Atofina plans to defer its polystyrene expansions in China and Singapore by two years to 2006 due
to concerns about over-supply in the region and poor profit
margins, an industry source said Wednesday.
February 19, 2004 Atofina
Proposed reorgainization of Total's
chemicals branch
Proposed creation of a new
Chlorochemicals, Intermediates and Performance Products
Organization
http://www.total.com/ho/en/library/press/2004/pr3.htm
Like Europe's other chemical actors,
Total's Chemicals branch is facing a difficult environment. It
has to contend with acute competition in a climate of weak
demand, high energy and raw materials costs, and a major
depreciation of the dollar relative to the euro.
In the light of this situation, the
Group is studying a reorganization of its Chemicals Branch which
would entail lighter functional organizations as well as the
creation, alongside Petrochemicals and Specialties, of a
decentralised organization consolidating the Chlorochemicals,
Intermediates and Performance Products assets.
This new organization will be in a
position to adapt to market trends with more flexibility through
a structure which is closer to its customers and more reactive in
its decision-making processes, and which relies on coherent
industrial activities. It will be run by Thierry Le Henaff (*),
and will enjoy significant operational autonomy.
The performance of these businesses
is affected by the current economic climate in Europe, and,
accordingly, the new company's priority will be to improve
results. On the strength of these improvements, it will pursue
its development, in particular in Asia.
The new company will aim to become a
competitive and independent actor. With a sound financial
structure, it will have the opportunity to play an active role in
the consolidation of the chemical industry.
Petrochemicals continue to implement synergies with
Refining, and should speed up their expansion in Asia.
Specialties demonstrate their ability to maintain a
satisfactory performance, despite an increasingly harsh
environment.
With sales of some Eruo 5 billion in
2003, the
Chlorochemicals, Intermediates and Performance Products business includes thirteen activities in which
Atofina holds leading positions in Europe and, in some cases, in
the World. This is the case of Thiochemicals (World leader),
Fluorochemicals and Oxygenated Products (N°2 and 3 respectively in the World),
Acrylics and PMMA (N°3 in
the World), and Engineering Polymers (N°3 in the World).
(*) 40 year old Thierry Le Henaff is
a graduate of the Ecole Polytechnique and of Ponts et Chaussees;
he also holds an MBA from Stanford University (USA). After
beginning his career with Peat Marwick Consultants, he joined
Total's Adhesives Division in 1992 where he held a number of
management positions throughout the world. In July 2001, he
became Chairman and Managing Director of Bostik Findley, the new
group created from the merged Adhesives businesses of Total and
Elf Atochem.
On January 1, 2003, he became a
member of the Executive Committee of Atofina (the Chemicals
Branch of the Total Group), in charge of three Divisions:
Agrochemicals, Fertilisers and Thiochemicals. He also oversees
International Affairs, Purchasing and Research.
The proposal has been presented to
employee representatives.
Dow Jones April 8, 2004
Total Sees Third Of Chem Business As Stand-Alone By Oct 1
Atofina, the chemicals division of French oil major Total S.A.
(TOT), Wednesday said it plans to have a third of its business
legally set up as a stand-alone company by Oct. 1.
Bernard Boyer, who is in charge of Atofina's strategy,
acquisitions and divestitures, also said Total targets a spin off
the company - comprising the chlorochemicals, intermediates and
performance products units - in two or three years.
"When the company has been able to produce a true return to
profitability...then (it) will leave Total, most probably through
a spin-off," Boyer told reporters at a presentation in
London.
Boyer said Total might pursue a public offering of the company,
but this wasn't the first choice. The stand-alone company has yet
to be named, but is being referred to in the meantime as CIP.
Total announced in February that it would revamp its chemicals
division to reduce its exposure to a highly cyclical industry in
which profit margins are often squeezed between high raw material
costs and low sale prices.
In particular, sustained high oil prices - which have benefitted
parent company Total - and the weakening dollar over the past
year have hit the chemicals business, Boyer said.
The company's petrochemicals, fertilizer and specialty chemicals
business will remain under Total's aegis.
The chemicals divisions of all major oil companies have been
feeling the pinch, but Boyer said market conditions have hit
Total especially owing to the relatively large size its chemicals
unit, cobbled together from the acquisitions of Elf and Fina in
the late 1990s.
"We have a part (chemicals unit) that is still a bit too
integrated for an oil company," Boyer said.
He added that it is proving "a bit challenging" for the
chemicals division to reach a return on capital employed target
of 12% with continued weakness in the dollar.
2007/12/7 UOP
UOP LLC and Total Petrochemicals to Integrate Methanol-to-Olefins
and Olefin Cracking Processes
Demonstration plant in Belgium to come on stream in 2007
http://www.uop.com/pr/releases/Total%20MTO.pdf
UOP LLC, a subsidiary of
Honeywell, and Total Petrochemicals announced today they have
signed agreements for a joint development program to integrate
technology aimed at increasing the production of light olefins,
the basic chemical building blocks for many commonly used plastic
products.
Under the agreements, Total Petrochemicals will construct a
demonstration plant at its petrochemicals complex in Feluy,
Belgium. The demonstration plant will consist of a UOP/HYDRO
methanol-to-olefin (MTO) process unit and a Total
Petrochemicals/UOP Olefin Cracking process unit. The integrated
plant will feed an existing, large-scale polymerization pilot
plant. The basic engineering for the demonstration plant is
complete and detailed engineering, procurement and construction
activities are scheduled for kick off prior to the end of this
year. The demonstration plant is expected to come on stream in
2007. The program is anticipated to allow further optimization of
the combined processes that Total Petrochemicals intends to apply
to a commercial plant.
“This
is a significant milestone in demonstrating a lower cost
alternative to crude oil-based production of light olefins,”
said Carlos
Cabrera, UOP president and CEO. “We value our relationship with
Total Petrochemicals as both a joint development partner and a
leading producer of light olefins.”
The UOP/HYDRO MTO
process converts methanol to ethylene and propylene along with
some heavier olefins. The Total Petrochemicals/UOP Olefin
Cracking process converts these heavier olefins predominantly to
propylene with some associated ethylene.
By integrating the two processes, Total Petrochemicals and UOP
will demonstrate a very significant increase in the production of
light olefins, particularly propylene.
“We
believe that gas-to-olefins will play an important role in the
future production of petrochemicals in a high-price oil world,”
said Jean-Bernard
Lartigue, President of Total Petrochemicals. “The integration of the Total
Petrochemicals/UOP Olefin Cracking Process with the UOP/HYDRO MTO
Process provides a truly economical route for production of light
olefins from methanol.”
UOP also remains
active in MTO joint development with Hydro of Norway. Hydro has
successfully operated an MTO demonstration unit in Norway since
1995.
UOP LLC, headquartered in Des Plaines, Illinois, USA, is a
leading international supplier and licensor of process
technology, catalysts, adsorbents, process plants, and technical
services to the petroleum refining, petrochemical, and gas
processing industries. UOP is a wholly owned subsidiary of
Honeywell Specialty Materials, a strategic business group of
Honeywell. Find out more at www.uop.com.
Total Petrochemicals, the chemical branch of the oil group Total,
is one of the major producers of base chemicals and
petrochemicals in the world. Total Petrochemicals' activities are
structured into four core businesses: Base Petrochemicals,
Polyethylene, Polypropylene, and Styrenics. Find out more at
www.totalpetrochemicals.com.