TASHKENT (TCA) — Uzbekistan on December 28 put into operation a new chemical plant built by Chinese companies in the Navoi region. The opening ceremony was attended by Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, Xinhua news agency reported.
“This is a very unique project to produce polyvinyl chloride (PVC), caustic soda and methanol,” Odil Temirov, chairman of the Uzkimyosanoat joint stock chemical company, said on December 29.
“The project has changed Uzbekistan’s dependence on imports of PVC, caustic soda, and created a large number of new jobs, which is of great significance to the economic development of Uzbekistan,” the Uzbek president said at the opening ceremony.
“We hope to continue to cooperate with Chinese enterprises on PVC projects in the future,” Mirziyoyev added.
The project was implemented in conjunction with Chinese companies, China CAMC Engineering Co., Ltd. and HQC (Shanghai) Company.
“Our Chinese partners treated the work with a sense of great responsibility,” Uzkimyosanoat’s Temirov said, adding that “I would like to thank the commissioning team, which has been working at the plant for three months together with our local specialists, operators, as well as engineering and technical staff.”
With its annual capacity of 100,000 tons of PVC, 75,000 tons of caustic soda, and 300,000 tons of methanol, the new plant, besides providing local enterprises with the necessary raw materials, also plans to export products worth 40 million U.S. dollars annually, the president’s press service said.
Temirov also expressed confidence that together with Chinese companies they will be able to build and launch a second PVC production facility in a short time.
