Three of Brazil's naphtha based crackers plan to shutdown for scheduled maintenance in 2008 for maintenance and capacity expansion. The only producer that does not have a scheduled shutdown is Rio Polímeros, with gas based production.
Copesul, with a capacity of 685,000 tpa of ethylene, will shutdown one of its units for maintenance on March 31 for about 30 days.
One of Braskem's two units in Bahia with 740,000 tpa ethylene capacity is planned to shut down next for 30 days in April.
The third shutdown is scheduled for an expansion in capacity of PQU in São Paulo. The plant currently has a nominal capacity of 500,000 tpa. The shutdown will last 45 days to expand capacity by another 200,000 tpa.
