Korean chemical firm OCI sets up 4th coal tar refinery in China

[THE INVESTOR] South Korean chemical engineering firm OCI said on Sept. 21 it has completed its fourth coal tar refinery factory in China, the company said on Sept.22.

The latest facilities will elevate OCI to the world’s third-largest with an annual coal tar refining capacity of 118 million tons.

On Sept.20, OCI held a ceremony to celebrate the completion of Ma Steel OCI Chemical, a joint venture with China’s Maanshan Iron & Steel to produce an annual 350,000 tons of refined coal tar. OCI will hold a 60 percent stake in the firm. 

OCI entered the coal chemicals industry in 2000. It currently produces 450,000 tons of refined coal tar and coal chemical products each year from its plants in Korea.

In 2008, OCI established Shandong OCI in China and is running a coal tar refinery plant with an annual 380,000 tons production there.

By Kim Ji-hyun (jemmie@heraldcorp.com)