Information about Formosa Plastics Group

Introduction of Formosa Plastics Group

(From the official introduction in traditional Chinese)

The Company was founded in 2004, and after more than 50 years of hard work, the current capitalization is 57.2 billion yuan, and the Company's current business and products are introduced as follows: in the area of plastic raw material products, including PVC powder, VCM, liquid alkali, hydrochloric acid, plastic modifier, high-density polyethylene, polyvinyl acetate/low-density polyethylene, linear low-density polyethylene, and other products. Polyethylene, polyethylene vinyl acetate / low-density polyethylene, linear low-density polyethylene and other products, of which the annual production capacity of PVC powder of one million three hundred thousand one hundred thousand metric tons, not only is the largest production plant in Taiwan, if you include the United States and the mainland investment in the company's annual production capacity of two million nine hundred and twenty-two thousand metric tons, is the world's largest PVC powder one of the largest production plants. In line with the government's environmental protection policy, the production method of the alkali plant has been changed from the mercury method to the ion exchange membrane method, with an annual production capacity of 1.6 million metric tons of liquid alkali. Plastic modifiers are our own successful products, including MBS impact modifier with an annual production capacity of 19,700 metric tons, PA processing aids with an annual production capacity of 25,000 metric tons, with a total annual production capacity of 44,700 metric tons, which is helpful for the development of high value-added products in China. The annual capacity of HDPE is 530,000 metric tons, which is the largest production plant in China, and the annual capacity of PEVA/LDPE is 240,000 metric tons, that of LLDPE is 264,000 metric tons, and that of polypropylene is 400,000 metric tons.

In terms of processed plastics, in line with the production of HDPE, a processing plant has been set up in the Xingang factory to produce market bags, shopping bags, garbage bags, breathable films, etc., with an annual production capacity of 15,000 metric tons. In line with the needs of environmental protection, the company supplies plastic bags containing calcium carbonate for incinerators, biodegradable plastic bags, and products printed with water-based ink, which are sold to Japan, Australia, and other regions.

In terms of fiber products, including acrylic cotton and carbon fiber, the annual production capacity of acrylic cotton is 72,000 metric tons, which is the largest production plant in China. Carbon fiber annual production capacity of 3,950 metric tons, the production process of raw silk required by the Company's own successful development, is one of the few manufacturers in the world to contribute to the development of the domestic high-tech industry.

In line with the government's development of high value-added products and the precision chemical industry, the Company also produces specialty chemicals, including acrylic acid and its esters, hydrochlorofluorocarbons, acrylonitrile, methyl methacrylate, epichlorohydrin, and methyl tertiary butyl ether, with an annual capacity of 262,000 metric tons of acrylic acid and its esters, which is the only one in China; and with the production of acrylic acid esters, the Company produces high purity acrylic acid (HPAA), which is produced in Xinkang. At the same time, in conjunction with the high purity acrylic acid (HPAA) produced by the acrylic ester plant, the company has set up a plant in Xingang to produce highly absorbent resins, with an annual production capacity of 40,000 metric tons, which is the only plant in China. HCFC is the only plant in China, supplying refrigerant for air-conditioners, refrigerators, freezers, PU, PS blowing agents and cleaning of electronic information products, which are important chemicals for modern life. Acrylonitrile annual production capacity of 280,000 metric tons, is the largest production plant in Taiwan, supplying to Tailailor-Land for its own use and the ABS plant of the related company, Formosa Chemical Corporation, Methyl Methacrylate annual production capacity of 98,000 metric tons, is the second largest production plant in Taiwan, Epichlorohydrin annual production capacity of 100,000 metric tons, is the largest production plant in Asia, mainly supplying to EPOXY plant of Nanya, Methyl Tertiary Butyl Ether annual production capacity of 174,000 metric tons, is the largest production plant in Asia, mainly supplying to EPOXY plant of Nanya. Methyl Tertiary Butyl Ether has an annual capacity of 174,000 metric tons and is mainly supplied to Formosa Plastics Petrochemical Company as a gasoline additive. In addition, we produce engineering plastics polyacetal resin (POM) in our Xingang plant, which is a technology developed by us, with an annual production capacity of 25,000 metric tons. Calcium Carbonate products, including calcium carbide, calcium carbide, quicklime, and light calcium carbide, are the only production plant in China.

The Company also has a Public Works Department, which is responsible for engineering design and planning, as well as supplying utility fluids to various plants. In addition, in line with the huge piping project under the Sixth Light Project of the Company, the Company has set up a prefabricated piping factory, which employs automated machinery and equipment for construction, thus enhancing work efficiency and quality.

Fire incident

The fire broke out at Formosa Plastics Group's Nanya Plastics' pearlescent paper factory in Tahoe City, Chiayi County, on the 3rd of July, and was extinguished in the early morning of the 4th after 17 hours of prolonged burning. This is the third major fire in just three months after two fires at the six light Mai Liu olefin plant and the heavy oil hydrodesulfurization plant of Formosa Plastics Group in July, triggering social concern. Wu Jiazhao, general manager of the plastics plant, who traveled south to Chiayi the day before to sit in command, also returned to Taipei that night.

The fire area of nearly 7,000 square meters

The fire point for the Nanya Plastics 2 plant electrical control room, the initial factory smoke, high temperature, Chiayi County firefighters received the alarm 12 minutes later rushed to the scene, and has been deployed, including the Tainan County, Yunlin County **** 50 fire trucks, but also the helicopter was deployed from the air to rescue.

Firefighters said the cause of the fire, was the morning of the site work employees saw a machine below the hot kerosene leakage smoke and rapid extension of the fire, employees once held a fire extinguisher to extinguish the fire, but failed to work.

South Asia Plastics Chiayi plant **** there are 7 plants, the fire occurred in the second plant is the main factory in Taiwan production of pearl paper, the scene for the 5-storey high closed warehouse and plant, stacked with finished products and kerosene and other flammable materials, an area of nearly 7,000 square meters. The fire department said, according to the fire department professional and personnel safety considerations, they decided to let the fire plant completely burn, and then do the aftermath. Fortunately, the fire did not extend to other plants.

The heat at the fire reached more than 1,000 degrees Celsius "This is the biggest fire ever in Chiayi County!" Lu Qinghai, acting chief of the Chiayi Fire Department, who has been involved in firefighting for 25 years, said at the scene.

Lu Ching-hai pointed out that the scene burned all the pearl paper, similar to the home to put bundles of plastic wrap raw materials, coupled with a confined space, hot kerosene instantly burst open, the scene of high temperature of 1,100 degrees Celsius, the firefighters once wore protective clothing to enter the desire to extinguish the fire, but "it is too hot to bear", and back out, otherwise the members may have burned themselves. The team could have suffered burns.

A firefighter who joined the rescue said, "The heat was so intense that the fire was more than 1,000 degrees Celsius, and it was difficult to get close to the 50-meter range." Firefighters wear clothes can only prevent 200 degrees Celsius, "we can not approach the fire", can only break the window, smoke, cooling, around the water line, to prevent the extension of the burn.

The fire burned for 17 hours, finally extinguished at 00:53 on the morning of the 4th, but firefighters still dare not be careless, stayed in a large number of people and cars, all night to deal with the remnants of the fire, while additional large excavating machinery and other equipment to clean up the fire.

Air pollution led to local residents protested

The fire torched more than 6,000 square meters of the plant. At the time of the fire, thick smoke blanketed the cities of Yunlin and Chiayi counties, and even black rain fell, which was later confirmed to be granular pollutants that drifted and fell from the fire. Fortunately, the accident did not result in any casualties, but the fire led to severe air pollution, which at one point triggered protests from local residents. Chiayi County government has fined the factory 1 million (NTD, the same below) and ordered to stop work.