OCI to Build Third Carbon Black Plant

Korea’s OCI Company Ltd. has announced plans invest 75 billion won in expanding its carbon black manufacturing facilities. A third plant will be built in Gunsan, where the company’s polysilicon manufacturing facilities are located. Construction will begin in the second half of this year and when the plant enters operation late in 2011 it is projected to have a 70,000 tonne capacity. This will be increased to 100,000 tonnes by the end of 2014. When full capacity is reached the combined capacity of the Gunsan site and OCI’s existing carbon black production facilities in Pohang and Gwangyang will be 310,000 tonnes per annum – a quantity sufficient to make OCI Korea’s leading carbon black manufacturer.

“This expansion is to efficiently respond to the increase in Carbon Black demand according to the growth of automobile and tyre industries,” said a company official.