Celanese and Mitsui Announce Joint Venture for Methanol Production at Clear Lake, Texas, Facility
Celanese Corporation (NYSE:CE), a global technology and specialty
materials company of Dallas, Texas, and Mitsui & Co., Ltd. (NASDAQ:
MITSY), of Tokyo, Japan, today announced that the two companies have
signed an agreement to establish a 50:50 joint venture for the
production of methanol at Celanese’s integrated chemical plant in Clear
Lake, Texas.
The planned methanol unit will utilize abundant, low-cost natural gas in
the U.S. Gulf Coast region as a feedstock and will benefit from the
existing infrastructure at Celanese’s Clear Lake facility. As a result,
the total shared capital and expense investment in the facility is
estimated to be approximately $800 million. Celanese’s portion of the
investment is estimated to be approximately $300 million, in addition to
the previously invested assets at the Celanese Clear Lake facility. The
planned methanol facility will have an annual capacity of 1.3 million
tons and is expected to begin operations in mid-2015.
“We are excited to expand our Clear Lake operations to include the
strategic upstream production of methanol. The attractive economics of
natural gas in the U.S. Gulf Coast region, combined with our existing
infrastructure and an outstanding strategic partner in Mitsui, provides
Celanese with this unique growth opportunity,” said Mark Rohr, Chairman
and Chief Executive Officer, Celanese Corporation.
Masami Iijima, President and Chief Executive Officer, Mitsui & Co., Ltd.
said: “We are very pleased to have Celanese as a strategic joint venture
partner for the U.S. methanol project. Mitsui will be able to generate
additional value in the gas product chain starting from our shale gas
reserve we possess in the U.S. to methanol with Celanese’s
state-of-the-art capabilities in manufacturing, operations and safety.
This partnership should be long-term and be expanded towards further
joint projects in the future.”
About Celanese Corporation
Celanese Corporation is a global technology leader in the production
of differentiated chemistry solutions and specialty materials used in
most major industries and consumer applications. With sales almost
equally divided between North America, Europe and Asia, the company uses
the full breadth of its global chemistry, technology and business
expertise to create value for customers and the corporation. Celanese
partners with customers to solve their most critical needs while making
a positive impact on its communities and the world. Based in Dallas,
Texas, Celanese employs approximately 7,600 employees worldwide
and had 2012 net sales of $6.4 billion. For more information about
Celanese Corporation and its product offerings, visit www.celanese.com
or our blog at www.celaneseblog.com.
About Mitsui & Co. Ltd.
Mitsui & Co., Ltd is one of the most diversified and comprehensive
trading, investment and service enterprises in the world, with 151
offices in 67 countries as of March, 2013. Utilizing the global
operating locations, network and information resources, Mitsui is
multilaterally pursuing business that range from product sales,
worldwide logistics and financing, through to the development of major
international infrastructure and other projects in the following fields:
Iron & Steel Products, Mineral & Metal Resources, Infrastructure
Projects, Integrated Transportation Systems, Chemicals, Energy, Food
Resources, Food Products & Services, Consumer Service, and Innovation &
Corporate Development. Mitsui is actively taking on challenges for
global business innovation around the world. More information about
Mitsui can be found at www.mitsui.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
This release may contain “forward-looking statements,” which include
information concerning the company's plans, objectives, goals,
strategies, future revenues or performance, capital expenditures,
financing needs and other information that is not historical
information. When used in this release, the words “outlook,” “forecast,”
“estimates,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “projects,” “plans,” “intends,”
“believes,” “may,” “can,” “could,” “might,” “will” and variations of
such words or similar expressions are intended to identify
forward-looking statements. All forward-looking statements are based
upon current expectations and beliefs and various assumptions. There can
be no assurance that the company will realize these expectations or that
these beliefs will prove correct, including that the new facility will
be constructed on the schedule or with the productivity desired by the
company. There are a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause
actual results to differ materially from the results expressed or
implied in the forward-looking statements contained in this release.
These risks and uncertainties include, among other things: changes in
general economic, business, political and regulatory conditions; changes
in the price and availability of raw materials; the ability to improve
productivity by implementing technological improvements; the ability to
obtain governmental approvals and to construct facilities on terms and
schedules acceptable to the company; unavailability of required
materials and equipment; unanticipated operational or commercial
difficulties, including failure of facilities or processes to operate in
accordance with specifications or expectations; the ability to
achieve and maintain plant utilization; ability of third parties,
including our commercial partners, suppliers or others, to comply with
their commitments to us; the cost or availability of capital necessary
to fund plant construction; compliance and other costs and potential
disruption or interruption of production or operations due to accidents,
cyber security incidents, terrorism or political unrest or other
unforeseen events or delays in construction or operation of facilities,
including the occurrence of acts of war or terrorist incidents or as a
result of weather or natural disasters; potential liability for remedial
actions and increased costs under existing or future environmental
regulations, including those relating to climate change; potential
liability resulting from pending or future litigation, or from changes
in the laws, regulations or policies of governments or other
governmental activities in the countries in which we operate; changes in
interest rates; and various other factors discussed from time to time in
the company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Any
forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which it is
made, and the company undertakes no obligation to update any
forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the
date on which it is made or to reflect the occurrence of anticipated or
unanticipated events or circumstances.
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