Honeywell's UOP Selected to Provide Technology to Expand the Production of Detergents in China

DES PLAINES, Ill., March 22, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- UOP LLC, a Honeywell (NYSE: HON) company, announced today that its technology has been selected by Great Orient Chemical for a new petrochemicals complex in China that will produce the key ingredient for biodegradable household laundry detergents.

Great Orient Chemical expects the new complex to produce up to 100,000 metric tons per year of linear alkylbenzene (LAB). Honeywell UOP's LAB technology is used to produce more than 85 percent of the world's detergents.

"This facility will help to meet the growing demand for detergents in China and around the world," said Iskandar Tanu, president of Great Orient Chemical. "We are confident that UOP technology is the right solution to support this effort."

China is one of the world's largest consumers of detergent, and demand is expected to grow 5 to 6 percent annually, according to Chinese detergent industry figures. Basic engineering of the unit, which will include the UOP Pacol™, UOP DeFine™ and UOP Detergent Alkylation processes, is under way, and the project is expected to come on-stream in the second quarter of 2012.  

Great Orient Chemical Pte. Ltd., wholly-owned by the Singapore GOC Pte. Ltd, is a joint venture between Indonesian Salim Group and Korean ISU Chemicals focused on expanding detergents capacity in China.

"We have had a long and successful relationship with both Salim Group and ISU Chemicals, and we have designed several LAB plants for them in various locations," said Pete Piotrowski, senior vice president for UOP's Process Technology and Equipment business unit. "Our detergent technologies are designed to provide maximum yield at minimum production cost, which is ideal for this new venture."

UOP offers a full suite of technologies and catalysts for LAB production, including processes that remove hydrogen from paraffins to generate mono-olefins.

Great Orient Chemical joint venture partner Salim Group is the largest conglomerate in Indonesia, with approximately 100 affiliates through Southeast Asia. ISU Chemicals of Korea, also a joint venture partner, specializes in the production and distribution of synthetic detergents.

UOP LLC, headquartered in Des Plaines, Illinois, USA, is a leading international supplier and licensor of process technology, catalysts, adsorbents, process plants, and consulting services to the petroleum refining, petrochemical, and gas processing industries. UOP is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Honeywell International, Inc. and is part of Honeywell's Specialty Materials strategic business group. For more information, go to www.uop.com.

Honeywell International (www.honeywell.com) is a Fortune 100 diversified technology and manufacturing leader, serving customers worldwide with aerospace products and services; control technologies for buildings, homes and industry; automotive products; turbochargers; and specialty materials. Based in Morris Township, N.J., Honeywell's shares are traded on the New York, London, and Chicago Stock Exchanges.  For more news and information on Honeywell, please visit www.honeywellnow.com.

This release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. All statements, other than statements of fact, that address activities, events or developments that we or our management intend, expect, project, believe or anticipate will or may occur in the future are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based on management's assumptions and assessments in light of past experience and trends, current conditions, expected future developments and other relevant factors. They are not guarantees of future performance, and actual results, developments and business decisions may differ from those envisaged by our forward-looking statements. Our forward-looking statements are also subject to risks and uncertainties, which can affect our performance in both the near- and long-term. We identify the principal risks and uncertainties that affect our performance in our Form 10-K and other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

SOURCE UOP LLC, a Honeywell company