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Chemical Management

Univation Technologies and Axens Sign Agreement to Improve Efficiency of Linear Alpha Olefins and Polyethylene Resins Production

Axens and Univation Technologies have entered into a cooperation agreement with the purpose of developing improved capital and operating efficiencies for the production of on-purpose linear alpha olefins (LAO) – including both 1-butene and 1-hexene – for use in manufacturing polyethylene resins with the UNIPOL™ PE Process. The alliance is expected to identify and deliver quantifiable synergies to benefit polyethylene producers globally for new UNIPOL™ PE Projects as well as provide for retrofit opportunities for UNIPOL™ PE Plants already in operation.

Univation and Axens will collaborate to identify and capture capital and operating cost reduction opportunities as well as optimize process requirements for both Axens' LAO technology platforms and Univation's UNIPOL™ PE Process to deliver value to polyethylene producers. These synergies and optimization will be carried out during the early process design phase of the project.

The alliance focuses on capturing synergies between Axens' linear alpha olefins process & Univation's UNIPOL PE Process

"We look forward to cooperating with Univation Technologies and bring additional values to our customers by developing synergies."

Jean-Luc Nocca, Executive Vice-President at Axens, and responsible for the Commercial Business Division

Luis Cirihal, President of Univation Technologies, LLC, also added his comments, "Univation is pleased to collaborate with Axens to enhance value to our mutual customers by enabling even greater cost advantaged production of polyethylene resins with the UNIPOL™ PE Process."

About Axens
Axens is a group providing a complete range of solutions for the conversion of oil and biomass to cleaner fuels, the production and purification of major petrochemical intermediates, the chemical recycling of plastics and all natural gas treatment and conversion options. The offer includes technologies, equipment, furnaces, modular units, catalysts, adsorbents and related services. Axens is ideally positioned to cover the entire value chain, from feasibility study to unit start-up and follow-up throughout the entire unit cycle life. This unique position ensures the highest level of performance with a reduced environmental footprint. Axens' global offer is based on highly trained human resources, modern production facilities and an extended global network for industrial, technical supports & commercial services. Axens is an IFP Group company. Axens is the world's leading technology licensor for the production of on-purpose high purity 1-butene using AlphaButol® and on-purpose high purity 1-hexene using AlphaHexol™. Both belong to a family of technologies based on homogenous catalysis for which extensive research and development has been performed since the mid-60's.

About Univation Technologies, LLC
Univation Technologies is the global leader in licensed polyethylene technology. Univation has a proven track record of delivering process, product and catalyst technologies as well as related technical services to the global polyethylene industry for more than 50 years. More than one-third of all HDPE and LLDPE resins produced globally is supplied by the industry-leading UNIPOL™ PE Process. Univation is also the world's leading manufacturer and supplier of conventional and advanced polyethylene polymerization catalysts designed specifically for the UNIPOL™ PE Process.

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