Production of polypropylene in Unipetrol RPA reached over 5,000,000 tons

Within last days of November, Unipetrol RPA has achieved an important milestone when the company reached over the border 5,000,000 tons of produced polypropylene.

"We are the only producer of polypropylene in the Czech Republic and produce about 50 types of polypropylene for a wide range of products. It can be found for example in nonwoven textile, which is used in production of baby diapers, in building industry or agriculture," explains Artur PaŸdzior, Chief Executive of Unipetrol RPA. Polypropylene is also used in automotive industry, in production of toys, swimming pools, as well as for food packaging – different types of pots.

Polypropylene has been producing in Chempark Záluží for 38 years and there are six people responsible for the production, who has been working in Litvínov already at the beginning of operation of the original polypropylene unit. The first 250 tons of the Czech polypropylene with the trade name Mosten were produced on 27th October 1975. The original polypropylene unit was shut down in October 2002, one month before opening of new polypropylene unit, and was dismantled for scrap in 2004. New polypropylene unit has a higher performance, it produces up to 900 tons of polypropylene every day.

Another type of polymer produced by Unipetrol RPA is polyethylene. The limit of 5 millions tons of produced high-density polyethylene Unipetrol RPA was achieved during November 2011, even though the company has been starting the production of polyethylene a year later than the production of polypropylene, in 1976.

UNIPETROL, a.s. is a group of companies operating in the petrochemical industry in the Czech Republic. In 2005 UNIPETROL became a part of the PKN ORLEN Group, the largest oil processor in Central Europe. The UNIPETROL Group is oriented mostly towards oil processing, fuel distribution and petrochemical production. In all of these business areas the UNIPETROL Group is among the key players both in the Czech Republic and on the Central European market. The Group ranks among the leading firms in the Czech Republic in terms of its revenues, and employs 3,700 people.