Lotte Chemical’s HEC Plant in Yeosu Starts Production

After the facility's completion, Lotte Chemical Corporation officially started production at the Hecellose manufacturing plant in Yeosu. The factory is now expected to produce about 10,000 tons of high-value specialty products for Lotte Fine Chemical, the specialty materials manufacturing arm of the Lotte Group.

Lotte Chemical said on Monday, Feb. 19, that as it completes the construction of its factory in Yeosu, it has started the commercial production of Hydroxy Ethyl Cellulose or Hecellose this month. The plant is located in South Jeolla Province.

Production of Key Material

According to The Korea Economic Daily, Lotte Chemical built the Hecellose production facility in its development site in the said territory. It specializes in manufacturing essential specialty products delivered to Lotte Fine Chemical Co.; in this case, it is the Hecellose.

This type of cellulose material is made from ethylene oxide and pulp. It is an additive in different industries, including water-based paints, cosmetics, household goods, etc. It is used to provide viscosity and moisture retention on the products.

Moreover, as Lotte Chemical's Yeosu Hecellose plant is completed, the company expects the whole process - from sourcing raw materials to production - to be done in one place. This will speed up the process, allowing the company to produce more materials.

Production Consignments

Finally, Korea's Mail Ilbo reported that through the construction of this plant, Lotte Chemical has established a consignment production system to safely supply ethylene oxide (EO), the primary raw material for HEC products, to the new plant through piping rather than existing land transportation.

"We will continue strong growth by creating a high-value-added business based on our specialty material capabilities, which are the basis of various industries, and building solid growth momentum," said Lee Hoon Ki, Lotte Chemical's chief executive officer.

Photo by: Lotte Chemical PR Room