Foster Wheeler International has announced it has secured a contract to establish a major new purified terephthalic acid (PTA) plant in Thailand.

The firm, which is a subsidiary of Foster Wheeler, will help Indorama Petrochem build and operate the plant at the Asia Industrial Park close to Map Ta Phut in Thailand.

Foster Wheeler International has been charged with the responsibility of engineering, onshore procurement, and project and construction management (EPCm) services.

The plant will process paraxylene and acetic acid, achieving a minimum production rate of 640,000 metric tonnes per annum of PTA.

The products will ultimately be used for the production of various polyester products.

The main use of paraxylene is in the production of purified terephthalic acid (PTA) for the polyester fibre, film and resins markets. Paraxylene is commonly made with a platinum catalyst.