Polycarbonate Resin Manufacturing Complex
Client: GE Plastics
Location: Burkville, AL, U.S.
Business Segment: Energy Solutions
Industry: Chemicals
Executive Summary
Fluor provided complete design and construction services for the infrastructure, compounding operations and chemical operations of a major grassroots manufacturing complex for GE Plastics. This facility produces LEXAN, a polycarbonate resin plastic.
One of the most fully automated plastic manufacturing plants in the world, the complex consists of four production stages and is designed to allow for aggressive future expansion.
Client's Challenge
The production process involves storing, blending and transferring the resin through compounding. Color pigments and other additives used in extruded plastics are weighed, distributed and mixed with the resin. The polycarbonate pellets are then conveyed, bagged and palletized. In the warehouse, an automated system provides inventory control with minimum product damage and loss.
Fluor's Solution
To handle by-products of the chemical operations, we designed a captive-use caustic/chlorine plant. The site-wide automation system, designed and constructed by Fluor, controls all process areas, provides system and personnel communication in all areas of the plant and provides operational data to management. We also constructed the resin compounding facility, chemical and additive operations, environmental treatment facilities and site-wide infrastructure.
Environmental design includes a sophisticated secondary treatment plant, which handles total site effluent, and a solids-type, on-site incinerator. Throughout the site, necessary air and liquid emissions are either arrested or integrated into the respective treatment systems. We also provided design and construction for noise control in all operating areas.
The project's employee peak was 2,700, including craft, administrative and subcontracted personnel.
Conclusion
Fluor provided design and construction services for a major grassroots manufacturing complex for GE Plastics. The complex was constructed in 30 months.
