ECI Group’s technology to be used at commercial scale fossil-free LDPE facility
ECI Group’s proprietary autoclave technology is set to be used in Vioneo’s new facility that is being built in Antwerp, Belgium. The technology will help to produce 110,000 tonnes of LDPE each year from certified green methanol. A.P. Moller and Repsol, ECI Group’s product partner, are backing the venture and providing market knowledge and product expertise.
“We’re proud to have been selected to support Vioneo’s vision to create the world’s first green LDPE plant and the first new autoclave LDPE plant to be built in Europe in forty years,” said Joaquin Flores, President and CEO of ECI Group. “This project aligns perfectly with our vision of providing technology solutions that drive sustainable innovation.”
Vioneo is dedicated to innovating fossil-free plastics production. The new facility will form part of Vioneo’s planned production complex in Antwerp, Belgium, with the facility aiming to address the environmental challenges associated with conventional plastics manufacturing, to position Europe at the forefront of the plastics industry’s transition to a more sustainable ‘fossil-free’ future.
Alex Hogan, Chief Executive Officer, Vioneo, said, “Vioneo is driving the transition of the plastics industry by demonstrating the economic viability of large-scale, cleaner production using green methanol instead of fossil fuels. This initiative offers Europe the opportunity to lead the €5 trillion chemicals and materials sector’s defossilisation. Our partnership with ECI Group is a crucial step in realising this vision.”
About the facility
The LDPE plant will utilise a green methanol feedstock derived from biogenic CO₂. This helps to ensure a fully fossil-free, traceable, and ISCC PLUS-certified product. Additionally, the facility will be powered by renewable electricity, minimising lifecycle emissions.
“This project is a landmark moment for the polymer industry. By combining green methanol with our high-pressure polyethene technology, we’re enabling a truly fossil-free approach to plastics manufacturing. We look forward to working with Vioneo to deliver this first-of-its-kind facility,” continued Chris Brock, Director for HPPE Technology at ECI Group.