One of the most important tasks of the Russian chemical industry today is to work on import substitution under sanctions.

AO GC Titan, one of the largest petrochemical companies in Siberia, is approaching the challenge to reduce Russian dependence on imports in a comprehensive way. Complicated economic and geopolitical conditions have just contributed to the accelerated development of the company's innovative activities and large-scale projects.

CHEMICAL DRIVER

"Titan has been engaged in innovation much more than one year to create competitive products that can be sold in Russia and the CIS, as well as in other countries. The company's innovation activity primarily consists of developing and improving its own production chains, including by means of modernization, establishment of new production facilities for chemical synthesis products relating to both large-tonnage, small-tonnage and medium-tonnage products.

"Now we see the need to accelerate the implementation of innovative projects, especially those related to low- and medium-tonnage chemistry, as these products are not currently produced in sufficient quantities in our country, while having a defining role for multi-tonnage products. I believe that effective state support measures for the industrial sector will enable us to implement our projects as quickly as possible. Today, we need import substitution products to enter the Russian market within the shortest possible time," Olga Tarasenko, General Director of the AO GC Titan, said.

The company is sure that the chemical industry will be able to become one of the drivers of the domestic economic growth. The AO GC Titan's enterprises already produce products that are superior in many ways to their foreign counterparts, and in the nearest future their range will be significantly expanded.

ALCOHOL OF STRATEGIC IMPORTANCE

In 2022, one of GC Titan's enterprises, the AO "Omsky kauchuk", will celebrate its 60th anniversary. Today, this plant has implemented an important import-substituting project for the production of isopropyl alcohol (IPA), which is of strategic importance to the economy. Many important industries are interested in its supply: chemical, oil, woodworking, etc.

Strong antiseptic properties make it an important product in the production of cosmetics and medical goods, including antiseptics. Before the GC Titan launched the IPA production unit, three existing Russian manufacturers of the product produced not more than 20 thousand tons of IPA annually with the capacity of the Russian market of 50-55 thousand tons per year. Thus, more than half of the total volume of IPA consumed by Russian enterprises accrued to import.

"Our plant is the largest unit capacity and is capable of producing up to 60,000 tons of high-quality alcohol per year. Just last year, with Omsk products entry into the market, the import share in Russian consumption of isopropyl alcohol decreased from 50-60% to a little over 30%," Sergey Ivanilov, General Director of "Omsky kauchuk" plant, said.

In January 2021, at the opening ceremony of the new isopropanol production facility, RF Minister of Industry and Trade Denis Manturov said: " Due to new facilities, the output of isopropyl alcohol in our country will increase more than 2.5 times - up to almost 100 thousand tons per year. This will significantly reduce import share in this sector".

To produce IPA, "Omsky kauchuk" uses Russian raw materials - it is made from acetone produced at the plant - and technologies providing high quality alcohol production. The product is often produced by propylene hydration, which requires sulphuric acid, and the product has mostly a distinctive pungent odour.

"Omsky kauchuk" plant uses a high-tech method of IPA production – acetone hydrogenation - which makes it possible to produce isopropanol virtually odourless. The project has also high environmental effect: the isopropyl alcohol production technology provides for a complete absence of effluents and minimal impact on the environment

POLYMERS IN FOCUS OF ATTENTION 

The first phase of the TitanPolymer plant specialising in the production of BOPET films and PET pellets is under construction in the Moglino SEZ in Pskov Region. PET (polyethylene terephthalate) is one of the most sought-after polymers in the world, used in many industries: food, light industry, construction, electrical engineering, automotive industry.

Even in medicine - for suture filaments, heart and vessel valves, endoprostheses, etc. However, PET production for plastic bottle containers and packaging prevails in Russia, while polyethylene terephthalate for polyester fibres and filaments (including medical) fabrics, as well as nonwoven materials are not currently produced in Russia.

"The fact that we do not have enough domestic raw materials restrains the development of other industries. Therefore, establishment of such production will have a multiplicative effect due to development of related production facilities for radioelectronics, fibers and yarns, nonwoven materials, flexible packaging, printed goods, plastic products and other things. We will provide the necessary raw materials for ourselves, as well as support other manufacturers," German Petrushko, General Director of Titan-Polymer LLC, said.

The plant will produce about 140,000 tons of PET pellets and about 72,000 tons of BOPET film per year. To date, more than RUB 8.5 billion has already been invested in the implementation of the first project phase. The first stage, which is planned to be completed by the third quarter of 2022, includes commissioning of biaxially-oriented PET film production (BOPET) and off-site facilities necessary for BOPET production operations.

The implementation of the second phase implies that the raw material for BOPET films (PET pellets) will be produced by the Titan Polymer plant itself. In addition, the product line will include textile PET and PET film. German Petrushko believes that "sanctions strike" will give a jump-start to the domestic industry: "We should not think that European companies are the panacea for all technological processes. Russia is the holder of many key technologies," the General Director of Titan-Polymer, LLC, assured. - The time has come for Russian industrialists. We can produce whatever one likes!"

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