Litvínov, 28th November 2011 – Earlier this November, the production of high-density polyethylene in Unipetrol RPA has exceeded 5 million tons. The company has been producing polyethylene since 1976 and it currently produces 950 to 1000 tons of polyethylene per day. Polyethylene is a thermoplastic used e.g. in pipes. The produced 5 million tons of polyethylene would be enough to construct a pipe with an average diameter of 2.5 centimeters which could go around the Earth at its equator 748 times. 

„Our high-density polyethylene adheres to strict health and sanitary requirements and can thus be used in the food industry, in toys and healthcare. It is used e.g. for microtene bags, PET bottle caps, pots or cases for beer bottles," stated Artur Paździor, General Executive of Unipetrol RPA. Other uses of the plastic material include pipes, desks, caps, contains or trash cans. 

Unipetrol RPA has two units for the production of high-density polyethylene (PE-HD), one in operation since 1976 and the other since 2002. Both units utilize the principle of gas-phase polymeration and produce polyethylene in the form of natural granules or stabilized polymer dust. The black granulate is used especially for the production of pipes for distributing drinking water. 

Polyethylene is currently the most used polymer in the world. Industrial production of low-density – branched polyethylene has begun in 1939 and high-density polyethylene was first synthesized in 1954. 

UNIPETROL, a.s. is a group of companies operating in the petrochemical industry in the Czech Republic. In 2005 UNIPETROL became a part of the PKN ORLEN Group, the largest oil processor in Central Europe. The UNIPETROL Group is oriented mostly towards oil processing, fuel distribution and petrochemical production. In all of these business areas the UNIPETROL Group is among the key players both in the Czech Republic and on the Central European market. The Group ranks among the leading firms in the Czech Republic in terms of its revenues, and employs almost 4,000 people.  

Contact: 
Mikuláš Duda 
Press Department Manager 
Telephone: +420 225 001 407, +420 736 502 520 
E-mail: mikulas.duda@unipetrol.cz​