Bayer, Baytown, Tex. 210 Bayer, New Martinsville, W.Va. 110 BASF, Geismar, La. 175 Dow, La Porte, Tex.
Commercial production is from aniline, which isreacted with formaldehyde to form a polyamine.
A BASF expansion projectwill boost MDI capacity at Geismar to 250 million pounds when completedin the second quarter of 1997. BASF's joint venture in Korea with HanwhaChemical is expanding its MDI capacity at Yeochon from 110 millionpounds to 175 million pounds. Dow added 30 million pounds of capacityat its La Porte plant in 1995 and another 30 million pounds in the firstquarter of 1996 through debottlenecking and turnaround operations. Completion of a major expansion at Dow's MDI facility at Stade, Germany,has increased capacity from 190 million pounds to a level of 290 millionpounds annually. ICI Americas raised its capacity by 30 million poundslast year and will complete another expansion in the fourth quarter.