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  • Pages
01 Cover
02 Welcome Letter / Sections
03 Section 1: Latin America
04 Latin America Resilience
05 Interview: APLA
06 Interview: S&P Commodity Insights
07 Interview: ExxonMobil Chemical
08 Interview: INEOS Styrolution Americas
09 Sustainability
10 Interview: Tecnon OrbiChem
11 Interview: Pilot Chemical Company
12 Interview: Air Products
13 Industry Thoughts: Decarbonization
14 Section 2: Mexico
15 Mexico Overview
16 Factsheet: Mexico
17 Interview: National Chemical Industry Association (ANIQ)
18 Interview: Braskem Idesa
19 Interview: Grupo Idesa
20 Interview: Evonik Industries Mexico
21 Interview: Unigel Mexico
22 Interview: Helm de Mexico
23 Section 3: Brazil
24 Brazil Overview
25 Factsheet: Brazil
26 Interview: ABIQUIM
27 Interview: Braskem
28 Interview: Indorama Ventures Limited
29 Interview: Elekeiroz
30 Interview: Petrom Petroquímica Mogi das Cruzes S.A.
31 Interview: Ultracargo
32 Section 4: Argentina
33 Argentina Overview
34 Factsheet: Argentina
35 Interview: Argentine Chamber of the Chemical and Petrochemical Industry (CIQyP)
36 Interview: Argentine Petrochemical Institute (IPA)
37 Interview: YPF QUÍMICA
38 Interview: Petrocuyo
39 Interview: Petroquímica Rio Tercero
40 Section 5: Andean Region
41 Andean Region Overview
42 Factsheet: Chile
43 Factsheet: Colombia
44 Interview: Acoplásticos
45 Interview: Chilean Chemical Industry Association (ASIQUIM)
46 Interview: Ecopetrol
47 Interview: Petroquim
48 Factsheet: Peru
49 Factsheet: Ecuador
50 Factsheet: Bolivia
51 Factsheet: Venezuela
52 Section 6: Chemical Distribution
53 Chemical Distribution
54 Interview: Brenntag Essentials Latin America
55 Interview: Univar Solutions
56 Interview: Química Anastacio
57 Interview: GTM Caldic
58 Interview: Pochteca
59 Interview: Tricon Energy
60 Section 7: Logistics
61 Logistics and Services
62 Interview: Leschaco
63 Interview: Vopak
64 Interview: Eurotainer
65 Interview: Stolthaven Terminals
66 Interview: Port of Antwerp-Bruges
67 Industry Thoughts: Logistics Innovation
68 Company Profiles (Sponsored Content)
69 Braskem Profile (Sponsored Content)
70 YPF QUÍMICA Profile (Sponsored Content)
71 Brenntag Profile (Sponsored Content)
72 Evonik Profile (Sponsored Content)
73 Article & Interview Index
74 Credits

Juan Pablo Ceballos CEO, PETROQUÍMICA RIO TERCERO (PR3)

"The Covid pandemic years have been excellent for foams because of the boom in demand for home-related items. We do not foresee 2022 to be as good, but demand should be steady."

Can you tell us about the production capacity and main activities of Petroquímica Rio Tercero (PR3) today?

Originally, PR3 was known for its production of toluene diisocyanate, TDI, primarily for flexible foam applications. Today, we have a capacity of 27,000 t/y, but we also have many subproducts used as supplies for the chemical industry, such as caustic soda, hydrochloric acid, PAC (a product for water purification), and sodium hypochlorite, and together, we produce more than 130,000 t/y at our Rio Tercero plant. More recently, the company has transformed towards a more diverse focus on the products and services the company can provide.

Since assuming the role of CEO in November 2021, what have been your priorities for the company?

We are focusing more on the client and strengthening our marketing team. We have created three commercial business units. One of them is foams, to centralise everything related to TDI and foam production. The next one is the water treatment business unit, where our star product is PAC, but we also have other developments and products for water purification, and everything related. Lastly, a business unit called industrial solutions with every other product, for which clients are diverse companies that require chemical supplies as raw materials or production supplies.

Together with all these changes we have also launched a new brand image, which reflects the new spirit of the company with a fresh style that still keeps PR3’s main historical values.

Where does the company source its raw materials, and how could the supply of feedstock for petrochemical companies in Argentina be improved?

Most of the raw materials in PR3’s value chain are national. We have ammonia and nitric acid from Profertil and Fabricaciones Militares. We also have energy for chloralkali processes in our chlorine/soda plant, natural gas and toluene from YPF. In each case we have a solid supply, work together with our suppliers, share problems, and collaborate if needed. We have some imported feedstock like alumina for PAC production, which we buy from Brazil, and we transform into aluminium polychloride, but we have a solid and reliable supply.

Looking at the future of feedstock in Argentina and South America, Vaca Muerta is a very important opportunity for the entire petrochemical sector in the region. We could benefit from it ensuring our supply of ammonia, but we do not have any complaints about Profértil, our ammonia supplier, which is standing strong. Many applications in the petrochemical industry that could be produced in Argentina which could see a huge jump in quality, quantity, sustainability and competitivity through the development of gas reserves at Vaca Muerta.

How has demand for products that PR3 produces evolved in recent years?

The Covid pandemic years have been excellent for foams because of the boom in the demand for home-related items. We do not foresee 2022 to be as good as the previous years, but demand should be steady. In chemical products we are just making incursions into many new developments, so, our sales grow according to what we develop.

How is the theme of sustainability impacting the way the company operates?

Even if plastics are at the front of this, the foam business is not foreign to this world’s need to enter a circular economy. There are a large number of developments to recycle mattresses, rigid foams and every kind of foam to reuse them. These practices are not significant in the region, but it is our responsibility to introduce them. At the same time, there is a great movement for renewable energies in Argentina, especially wind and photovoltaic energies, and PR3 has started to consume more renewable energy.

Where would you like to see the company by the end of 2023?

I would like our three new business units to have formed and consolidated teams, with developed markets, products and solutions for each of these units. I want our clients to prefer us not only because of our products but also because of how we listen to them, follow their evolution and adapt to their needs.

Next:

Section 5: Andean Region