Prague, 24 January 2008 – The product portfolio will grow to include technical dicyclopentadiene and the non-hydrogenated C9 aromatic hydrocarbon fraction. Both products find extensive use primarily as monomers in many applications, mainly hydrocarbon resins. Resins are polymers that have been industrially manufactured for more than 90 years and belong to very important products of the chemical industry. They are included for example in paper, rubber, paints, adhesives, printing inks, floor covering, textiles, cartridges, electronics, tyres, concrete and many other products.

Both products will be produced on the basis of the proprietary processes that Unipetrol RPA developed in cooperation with the Institute of Chemical Technology in Prague and the Inorganic Chemistry Research Institute in Ústí nad Labem (a member of the Unipetrol Group). The new production will use the existing equipment of discontinued processes such as tank sites, the control centre and filling stations to a maximum extent. The expected production capacity is 20,000 – 26,000 tonnes per year for the technical dicyclopentadiene and up to 40,000 tonnes for the non-hydrogenated C9 aromatic hydrocarbon fraction.

The selection process for the contractors  of these investments shall be finished by the end of 2008.

UNIPETROL, a.s. is a group of companies operating in the petrochemical industry in the Czech Republic. In 2005 UNIPETROL became part of the PKN ORLEN Group, the largest downstream oil company in Central Europe. UNIPETROL primarily focuses on crude oil processing, fuels distribution and petrochemical production. In all these areas UNIPETROL group is one of leading players in both the Czech and Central European markets. In 2006 UNIPETROL posted revenues amounting to CZK 95 billion and a net profit of CZK 1.6 billion. The UNIPETROL group employs approximately 4,000 people.

Contact: 
Michaela Lagronová 
Spokesperson 
Unipetrol, a.s. 

GSM: +420 602 304 708 
E-mail: michaela.lagronova@unipetrol.cz​