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Propylene oxide and derivatives: a Shell history
For over 50 years, Shell Chemicals has been growing into a globally recognised supplier to the propylene oxide and derivatives businesses.
Currently, Shell Chemicals number among the top four global players in the PO and derivatives sector. This substantial capacity growth has been fuelled by continual developments in our proprietary SMPO technology, and manifested in world-scale, integrated assets that are strategically placed to meet customer needs. It is this same commitment to our customers that drove the establishment of our polyurethanes research and technology centre in Bangalore, India, providing our key clients with practical advice and research findings on the issues that matter to their industries.
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| 1957 | First propylene oxide plant acquired in Carrington, UK |
| 1959 | First polyether polyols produced in Carrington |
| 1964 | New polyol plant starts up in Pernis, The Netherlands |
| 1970 | New TDI / MDI joint venture plant starts up in Antwerp, Belgium (halted production in 2003) |
| 1971 | Major polyol plant expansion at Pernis, The Netherlands |
| 1980 | First SMPO plant starts commercial production in Moerdijk, The Netherlands |
| 1988 | New "product" laboratory opened in Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium |
| 1990 | Polyols and SMPO de-bottlenecking in The Netherlands |
| 1997 | Shell Seraya Research Laboratory opens in Singapore |
| 1997 | SMPO/Polyols/MPG plants start up in Singapore |
| 1998 | New rigid polyols facility starts up at Pernis, The Netherlands |
| 1999 | New SMPO plant starts up in Moerdijk, The Netherlands |
| 1999 | New polymer polyol capacity becomes available |
| 1999 | Shell/Huntsman Strategic Alliance on Rigid foam Urethanes |
| 2002 | New SMPO/Polyols plant starts up in Singapore |
| 2003 | New styrene acrylonitrile (SAN) polymer polyol plant in The Netherlands |
| 2006 | SM/PO and derivatives plants come on-stream at CSPCL Nanhai in China |
| 2007 | Closure of CARADOL* polyether polyols plant at Carrington UK |
| 2008 | Opening of new R&D centre in Bangalore, India. Expansion of polyols plant at Pernis, The Netherlands. |
| 2009 | Shell Chemicals celebrates 50 years of polyols (see link to feature article) |
| 2011 | Modifications at Pernis increase capacity of CASE polyols |