Honeywell has started operations at its hydrofluoroolefins (HFO) manufacturing plant in Geismar, Louisiana, on Tuesday.
The company invested $300 million in the project, which it says is now the largest global site for HFO-1234yf production. Honeywell told CW that the plant’s capacity will not be disclosed for “confidential and proprietary reasons.”
HFO-1234yf, a hydroflurocarbon refrigerant for automobiles, is a “more environmentally preferable technolog[y] without sacrificing performance,” says Ken Gayer, vice president and general manager of Honeywel’s fluorine products business. Honeywell initially announced the investment toward building a HFO-1234yf plant in December 2013.
Ray Will, an analyst at IHS Chemical, told CW that there is “very strong double digit ramp in consumption” for HFO-1234yf as environmental impact becomes a growing global concern. Honeywell says that its HFO-1234yf refrigerant is currently adopted in 20 million vehicles and expected to reach 40 million vehicles by year’s-end.
By Jing Chen
Source: Chemical Week
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