Rustam Minnikhanov takes part in a ceremony of launching construction of the largest catalysts production in Russia

On 26 June the Rais (Head) of Tatarstan Rustam Minnikhanov, the Director General of the SIBUR Company Mikhail Karisalov and other officials took part in a ceremony of launching construction of the largest catalysts production plant in Kazan.

Its own production of catalysts for base polymers will make it possible for SIBUR to organize a complete cycle of innovations from lab developments to industrial production of modern synthetic materials. About 90 per cent of petrochemical industry also needs catalysts which have an impact on qualities of material and the end products. 

Speaking at the ceremony, Rustam Minnikhanov said: “Today we are giving start to the construction of the most modern and largest catalyst production plant in the country. Our SIBUR colleagues are building a whole chain which ensures competitiveness of the domestic product. We are very grateful to the administration of the SIBUR for having implemented a number of strategic projects in the republic. But the most important are specialists which should be trained starting from school. That is why the Physics and Chemistry Breakthrough we are launching this year is a very important and needed decision.”

The first facilities to be built within the project will be for the production of chromium catalysts and at the second stage it will be the production capacity for metallocene catalysts used for production of polyethylene of particularly strong grades

 All in all there will be six technological production lines and Mikhail Karisalov said: “The beginning of the plant construction in Kazan is an important step on the way of creating the complete cycle of innovations in petrochemical industry where science becomes the starting point of development. Today we are creating an innovational platform combining fundamental research, applied engineering, digital solutions and industrial competences. Of course we are not starting from a scratch. Tatarstan has a huge industrial, scientific and human capacity and we will continue attracting gifted specialists for working at modern productions.”

The catalyst plant becomes a key element of the national technological infrastructure which will ensure technological independence of base polymers production in Russia and give an opportunity to supply catalysts to nearby regions.