Europe’s largest propylene glycol production installation is being built at the Trzebinia Production Plant belonging to ORLEN Południe. Propylene glycol is commonly used in the production of hygienic products and pharmaceuticals, among other things. In long-term, this will improve Poland’s security in the event of an epidemiological threat.
Propylene glycol, which will be produced in the Trzebinia refinery, is an ecological and environmentally friendly product. It is often used to manufacture antibacterial gel and soap and other cleaning products, as well as in the food industry.
- We know that help is currently needed here and now. This is why we have implemented a series of measures to support the Polish government in the fight with the coronavirus epidemic. At the same time, we pursue our business strategies, thinking about the future years. We have implemented investments to strengthen the company’s position on the international market and to serve as an impulse for the development of the Polish economy. This is exemplified by the construction of an installation for manufacturing ecological glycol by ORLEN Południe in Trzebinia. The investment will strengthen the Polish economy which must bounce back and overcome the negative effects of the Covid-19 pandemic. Glycol production will also allow us to further secure Poland in the future, in the event of an epidemiological threat - says Daniel Obajtek, the President of the Management Board of PKN ORLEN.
The new installation will produce 30 thousand tons of ecological glycol a year. About 5 thousand tons of this product are imported into Poland every year, for the purpose of manufacturing hygienic products and pharmaceuticals. The Trzebinia project will guarantee the country’s self-sufficiency when it comes to propylene glycol. Manufacture of hygiene products is the fastest-growing application segment of this product in Europe.
The construction of the first eco-glycol production unit in Poland is also an important step in the process of transforming the plant in Trzebinia into a modern biorefinery. Thanks to this investment, ORLEN Południe will strengthen its position on the domestic market of biocomponents, together with its position as an employer in the region. As of today, the Company employs over 650 people, of which more than a half are employed at the Trzebinia refinery. Once the unit is commissioned, several dozen new jobs will be created.
The production of propylene glycol will also enable the use of glycerin made in Trzebinia, which is obtained in the production of biodiesel, primarily from rapeseed oil. Also other Polish biodiesel producers will benefit from the investment, as after its completion ORLEN Południe is to commence cooperation in the area of glycerin supplies.
The investment in Trzebinia is to be implemented in the turnkey system by Polish companies: Technik Polska and Biproraf.