Honeywell's UOP Announces Start-up Of Para-xylene Production Unit At Sinopec Facility In Shanghai

Project using UOP process technology, engineering and equipment completed 30 months from inception

Des Plaines, IL/PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- UOP LLC, a Honeywell (NYSE: HON) company, announced today that Sinopec Shanghai Petrochemical Co., Ltd. has successfully started up a new para-xylene complex using UOP process technology at the Sinopec facility in Shanghai.

The aromatics project was completed in just 30 months from initial kick-off through commissioning, with UOP providing the technology license, basic engineering, equipment packages, and key products.

"This successful start-up demonstrates what can be achieved for a large, world-scale facility through close collaboration and thorough planning," said Pete Piotrowski, senior vice president for UOP's Process Technology and Equipment business unit. "We are proud to continue our partnership with Sinopec and will continue to build on this almost 30-year relationship to help them meet their objectives."

"Once engineering design was complete, it took just over 18 months to complete construction, prepare for start-up and bring the complex on stream," said Mr. Honggen Li, senior vice president of Sinopec Petrochemical. "This smooth and successful start-up is a perfect gift to the nation on the 60th anniversary of the People's Republic of China."

The new aromatics complex produces 600,000 metric tons per annum of para-xylene using the UOP Parex(TM) process. Para-xylene is a key ingredient in the production of PTA (purified terephthalic acid), which is used to make polyester for fabric and PET (polyethylene terephthalate) chips for carbonated soft drink and water bottles. The new plant will also produce 280,000 metric tons per annum of benzene, another important building block in plastics production.

In addition to the Parex unit, the complex also includes a UOP CCR Platforming(TM) unit to convert naphtha, an oil-derived feedstock, to aromatics and hydrogen and a UOP Isomar(TM) unit to convert other xylenes to para-xylene.

Sinopec Shanghai Petrochemical Co., Ltd. (SPC), a subsidiary of the China Petroleum and Chemical Corp., commissioned its first aromatics complex in 1986 utilizing UOP's CCR Platforming, Sulfolane(TM), Parex, Isomar, and Tatoray(TM) process technologies. Globally, UOP has licensed more than 725 individual process units for the production of aromatics.

With more than 140 million tons of refining capacity, Sinopec is the largest producer and marketer of refined oil products in China and in Asia. It is also the largest distributor of petrochemicals in China and is the country's second largest producer of oil and gas.

UOP LLC, headquartered in Des Plaines, Illinois, USA, is a leading international supplier and licensor of process technology, catalysts, adsorbents, process plants, and consulting services to the petroleum refining, petrochemical, and gas processing industries. UOP is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Honeywell International, Inc. and is part of Honeywell's Specialty Materials strategic business group. For more information, go to www.uop.com.

Honeywell International (www.honeywell.com) is a Fortune 100 diversified technology and manufacturing leader, serving customers worldwide with aerospace products and services; control technologies for buildings, homes and industry; automotive products; turbochargers; and specialty materials. Based in Morris Township, N.J., Honeywell's shares are traded on the New York, London, and Chicago Stock Exchanges. For more news and information on Honeywell, please visit www.honeywellnow.com.

This release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. All statements, other than statements of fact, that address activities, events or developments that we or our management intend, expect, project, believe or anticipate will or may occur in the future are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based on management's assumptions and assessments in light of past experience and trends, current conditions, expected future developments and other relevant factors. They are not guarantees of future performance, and actual results, developments and business decisions may differ from those envisaged by our forward-looking statements. Our forward-looking statements are also subject to risks and uncertainties, which can affect our performance in both the near- and long-term. We identify the principal risks and uncertainties that affect our performance in our Form 10-K and other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

SOURCE UOP LLC, a Honeywell company