Perstorp Oxo has selected Axens to supply the Esterfip-H™ biodiesel technology for a 160,000 ton per year plant to be erected in Stenungsund, on Sweden’s southwestern coast approximately 50 km north of Gothenburg. The plant will be commissioned during the first quarter of 2007, well before the year 2010 goal set by the European Directive concerning biofuels, 2003/30/EC Article 3(1), which targets a 5.75% biofuel content in diesel and gasoline motor fuel pools.

Biodiesel is composed of fatty acid methyl esters (FAME) resulting from the esterification of various vegetable oils such as rapeseed, soybean or sunflower oil. The Esterfip-H process was developed by the French Institute of Petroleum (IFP) and is designed and commercialized by Axens.

Esterfip-H represents a major advancement in the area of biofuels as it ensures the production of biodiesel meeting European specification EN 14214, and at the same time directly produces glycerin of unequalled purity. This solid catalyst process enables a significant reduction in waste streams compared to other processes.

Perstorp
Perstorp Oxo, part of the Perstorp Group, was formed through the merger of Perstorp and Neste Oxo in 2001. Perstorp Oxo’s main production site is Stenungsund, where aldehydes, alcohols, and acids are produced for further processing by the coatings and plastic-processing industries. Specialty chemicals accounts for some 50 percent of the total production volume. Perstorp is a world leader within its selected niches in the specialty chemicals market.