The construction of a polyvinyl chloride (PVC) unit, with a production capacity of 300,000 tons a year, at the Arvand Petrochemical Company in Mahshahr, Khuzestan Province, is making headway, managing director of the company said.
“When the unit becomes fully operational in about two years, the plant’s current production capacity of PVC at 320,000 tons will almost double,” Mohammad Reza Karimi was also quoted as saying by the National Petrochemical Company's news website Nipna.
“Providing downstream industries with raw materials is one of the goals of Arvand Petrochemical Company,” he said, adding that supporting knowledge-based companies and strengthening self-sufficiency in the production of various chemicals are among other missions of the company.
The managing director noted that the complex was overhauled last year by Iranian experts, engineers and knowledge-based companies, which helped save over $3.7 million.
Referring to the company’s growing sales both in the domestic and foreign markets, he said, “The sales of the company's products increased from 867,000 tons in 2017 to over 1 million tons last year. While the company’s sales amounted to $50 million five years ago, the figure reached $475 million in 2021.”
Karimi noted that the gross profit of Arvand increased from 17 million in 2017 to more than $560 million last year, of which the net profit was $203 million, which figure is unprecedented in the history of the company.
Arvand is the largest producer of PVC in the Middle East. With an annual production capacity of 2.8 million tons of various products, it also produces VCM, chlorine, sodium hydroxide, suspension polyvinyl chloride, ethylene dichloride and caustic soda.
An estimated 730,000 tons of PVC are produced in Iran annually, of which 50% are manufactured by Arvand Petrochemical Company.
Because of rising demand in the domestic market and low market capacity in neighboring countries, the new unit will be built at the complex.
In addition to meeting domestic demand, the company exports a part of its PVC and caustic soda output to some Middle Eastern countries such as Turkey.
PVC is the world's third-most widely produced synthetic plastic polymer (after polyethylene and polypropylene). About 40 million tons of PVC are produced annually.
It is a versatile material used in window frames, drainage pipe, water pipe, medical devices, blood storage bags, cable and wire insulation, flooring, roofing membranes, stationery, automotive interiors and seat coverings, footwear and packaging.
