Vioneo Plans to Build a Methanol-to-Polyolefins Plant in China
2026-1-23
On January 16, European chemical startup Vioneo announced its decision to abandon the construction of a 300,000-ton-per-year green methanol-to-polyolefins plant in Europe and instead invest in a similar project in China.
Vioneo stated that "by being able to source green methanol locally, it helps formulate favorable pricing schemes for customers while improving supply chain efficiency, reducing CO2 emissions, and accelerating product launch timelines." To this end, to establish a more efficient production facility in China will serve as its first commercial-scale green methanol-based polyolefin production plant.
Previously, Vioneo had planned to build its first commercial-scale plant in Antwerp, Belgium, with an investment of approximately 1.5 billion euros. The facility would produce 200,000 tons of polypropylene and 100,000 tons of polyethylene annually, using green methanol derived from agricultural and forestry waste.
According to foreign media reports, Judy Hicks, Vice President and Head of Corporate Affairs at Vioneo, revealed on January 20 that the specific site selection in China has not yet been finalized. The project¡äs timeline, production capacity, investment scale, and technical partners remain unchanged, with operations expected to commence "by the end of 2029 or early 2030."
Hicks pointed out that a series of factors, including European regulatory requirements, approval processes, and the overall speed and complexity of securing funding, led Vioneo to abandon the Antwerp project. "It is increasingly clear that, under the current circumstances, the project is economically unviable." She noted that while European policies are moving in the right direction, this process will take time.
Hicks stated that the company is still in negotiations with potential clients. The project is located in China, where "it can offer customers more competitive price advantages. Ultimately, it¡äs a matter of cost, and this choice will enhance our ability to deliver services to clients." She also pointed out that the construction costs and progress in China are key factors that need to be considered.
Vioneo¡äs decision has dealt another heavy blow to the European petrochemical industry. Due to oversupply in the market, weak demand, high input costs, and the impact of competitively-priced imported products, the sector has been in a prolonged downturn, with many chemical plants already shutting down or announcing permanent closures.
In the Antwerp project, it is originally planned to import 800,000 tons of renewable methanol annually from China as raw material, which would be processed through the methanol-to-olefins technology to produce ethylene and propylene, and subsequently manufacture polyethylene and polypropylene.
However, Hicks stated that Vioneo did not rule out the possibility of establishing new factories in Europe in the future. She emphasized that securing a supply source of renewable methanol is a key condition that any potential location must meet.
Vioneo stated that "by being able to source green methanol locally, it helps formulate favorable pricing schemes for customers while improving supply chain efficiency, reducing CO2 emissions, and accelerating product launch timelines." To this end, to establish a more efficient production facility in China will serve as its first commercial-scale green methanol-based polyolefin production plant.
Previously, Vioneo had planned to build its first commercial-scale plant in Antwerp, Belgium, with an investment of approximately 1.5 billion euros. The facility would produce 200,000 tons of polypropylene and 100,000 tons of polyethylene annually, using green methanol derived from agricultural and forestry waste.
According to foreign media reports, Judy Hicks, Vice President and Head of Corporate Affairs at Vioneo, revealed on January 20 that the specific site selection in China has not yet been finalized. The project¡äs timeline, production capacity, investment scale, and technical partners remain unchanged, with operations expected to commence "by the end of 2029 or early 2030."
Hicks pointed out that a series of factors, including European regulatory requirements, approval processes, and the overall speed and complexity of securing funding, led Vioneo to abandon the Antwerp project. "It is increasingly clear that, under the current circumstances, the project is economically unviable." She noted that while European policies are moving in the right direction, this process will take time.
Hicks stated that the company is still in negotiations with potential clients. The project is located in China, where "it can offer customers more competitive price advantages. Ultimately, it¡äs a matter of cost, and this choice will enhance our ability to deliver services to clients." She also pointed out that the construction costs and progress in China are key factors that need to be considered.
Vioneo¡äs decision has dealt another heavy blow to the European petrochemical industry. Due to oversupply in the market, weak demand, high input costs, and the impact of competitively-priced imported products, the sector has been in a prolonged downturn, with many chemical plants already shutting down or announcing permanent closures.
In the Antwerp project, it is originally planned to import 800,000 tons of renewable methanol annually from China as raw material, which would be processed through the methanol-to-olefins technology to produce ethylene and propylene, and subsequently manufacture polyethylene and polypropylene.
However, Hicks stated that Vioneo did not rule out the possibility of establishing new factories in Europe in the future. She emphasized that securing a supply source of renewable methanol is a key condition that any potential location must meet.