Karun Petrochemical Company in Khuzestan Province has indigenized another polyurethane product, which is the 19th item localized by the company.
The KLM100-C product has been manufactured in collaboration with the knowledge-based company Manapolymer, the Oil Ministry’s news agency Shana reported.
“The annual domestic market demand for this product is about 4,000 tons and Karun Petrochemical Company has the capability to supply this amount. Currently, about $2,500 are spent on importing each ton of this product. Producing 4,000 tons of the item will save about $10 million,” KPC Managing Director Alireza Seddiqizadeh said.
Noting that the item is used for laminating adhesives and is mostly used in food packaging, he added that with the production of this product, the country will no longer need to import it.
Polyurethane laminating adhesives are used in a number of packaging applications that require strong bonding and quick curing times.
In the past few years, Karun Petrochemical Company, in the southwestern port city of Mahshahr in Khuzestan, has indigenized several polyurethane products.
To complete the value chain, diversify products and meet domestic demand, the company has produced KHR-45 and methylenedianiline (MDA), the first of its kind in Iran.
Polyurethane is a polymer used in the manufacture of high-resilience foam seating, rigid foam insulation panels, spray foam, durable elastomeric wheels and tires, high-performance adhesives, surface coatings and sealants, synthetic fibers, hard-plastic parts and hoses.
KHR-45 products comply with international norms and compete with their foreign peers.
MDA products were monopolized by the US and imported under various brands. Now Iran is the world’s second producer of the items.
“The company seeks to produce all grades of polyurethane required in the country and by the end of the current Iranian year [March 2023], the production of two more items will be finalized,” Seddiqizadeh said.
Isocyanate Products
Karun Petrochemical Company also produces three isocyanate items, including MTDA, KMT-10 and KLM100B (L) grades, largely for the automotive, office, footwear, paint and resin sectors.
Isocyanates are a family of highly reactive, low molecular weight chemicals widely used in the manufacture of polyurethane foams, insulation, household refrigerators and board or laminate form, residential sheathing or commercial roofing, floor finishes, wood finishes and paint, adhesive and sealant compounds, automobile parts, shoe soles, roller skate wheels, pond liners and blood bags.
KPC is the first producer of isocyanates in the Middle East. It is also the first to complete the polyurethane value chain in the region. Half the output is exported.
Karun’s production of toluene diisocyanate, which is its main product, amounts to 40,000 tons a year.
The company also produces petrochemicals like methylene diphenyl diisocyanate (40,000 tons), chlorhydric acid (116,000 tons), nitric acid (92,000 tons), ortho toluenediamine (11,000 tons), meta toluenediamine (31,000 tons), nitrobenzene (40,000 tons) and aniline (30,000 tons).
Companies in Iraq, Turkey, India, Russia, Azerbaijan, Albania, Greece, Sweden, Peru, Kenya, Nigeria and Italy are the main foreign clients. The company uses chlorine, carbon monoxide, hydrogen, toluene and nitric acid as raw material? to produce basic petrochemicals and final products with higher value added.
Karun receives its feedstock from Bandar Imam, Bu Ali Sina, Fanavaran, Arvand, Razi and Shahid Rasouli petrochemical plants.
