Titan Group Breaks Ground on Cutting-Edge Polyisobutylene Plant in Omsk

Moscow: Omsky Kauchuk Commences Building 10,000 Tonne PIB Production Plant and Technical Butane Processing Unit in Bid to Reduce Import Dependence. Omsky Kauchuk, a branch of Titan Group, has recently kicked off the construction of a Polyisobutylene (PIB) production plant with a yearly capacity of 10,000 tonnes, while also launching a technical Butane processing unit following modernization. Deputy Prime Minister and Industry and Trade Minister Denis Manturov has stated that the new Polyisobutylene plant, which is soon to begin production, will remove dependence on imports of PIB. Lubricants, glues, sealants, electrical insulation products, emulsifiers, and geological exploration rely heavily on this critical component.

Russia Aims to End 90% Import Reliance on PIB as Omsky Kauchuk Commences Plant Development. The Russian government has thrown its weight behind the efforts to establish a PIB production plant in Omsk, given that more than 90% of the country's low-molecular-weight PIB is currently imported from only two factories worldwide. The new plant will utilize Russian-made technology supported by R&D from the Industry and Trade Ministry, according to Deputy Prime Minister and Industry and Trade Minister Denis Manturov. Titan Group Chairman Mikhail Sutyaginsky stated that the new facility will have the ability to produce 10,000 tonnes of product annually and is expected to be completed by 2025. The construction of the plant is estimated to cost around 900 million rubles in capital expenditures.

Omsky Kauchuk has announced the launch of a technical Butane processing unit that removes light hydrocarbons from feedstock for separating normal Butane and Isobutene. The advanced unit, which is part of the company's modernization program, will increase technical Butane processing by 25%, leading to a significant expansion of the resource base for creating high-octane automobile fuel components.

The company has upgraded its production line with new control and automation systems, diagnostic testing of existing process equipment, and the installation of new Russian-made pumping equipment. These improvements will enable the plant to boost its technical Butane fraction processing to 210,000 tonnes per year. Omsk Region's acting governor, Vitaly Khotsenko, emphasized that these initiatives are geared towards import substitution and will bolster Russia's technological independence.

According to Vitaly Khotsenko, the acting governor of Omsk Region, both projects are vital not only for the region, which is one of Russia's major petrochemical hubs but also for the entire country. The initiatives include the successful reconstruction of the technical Butane processing unit and the commencement of large-scale construction in Polyisobutylene production. Omsky Kauchuk, a subsidiary of Titan Group, produces a range of chemical products such as rubber, latex, high-octane fuel additives, among others. Titan Group comprises several petrochemical plants, including Omsky Kauchuk, Titan-SM LLC, and Pskov Plant Titan-Polymer LLC, as well as agribusinesses like Petrovsky pig farm, Pushkinsky compound feed plant, and Pushkinsky meat processing plant.