Until August 23rd ORLEN will continue its research to determine capabilities of Polish and foreign firms to design, deliver, erect and commission a Phenol Unit in Płock. ORLEN intends to increase its share in the Polish market of phenols, where 70% of the demand is satisfied by imports, mainly from Germany, Belgium, and Finland. The project is scheduled to commence next year and the production launch is expected sometime in 2017.

Currently, the project is entering the preparatory phase. ORLEN has begun a search on the domestic and foreign markets for potential designers and contractors for the installation. Some details concerning ORLEN's plans are already available on the Connect procurement platform and interested parties may register to participate in preliminary meetings as potential vendors.

The plans to construct the Phenol Unit were revealed in last year’s update of the company’s strategy until 2017. They form a part of ORLEN's development and operational improvement projects, in which the company plans to invest PLN 2.7bn over the next five years. After 2017, PKN ORLEN intends to increase the current volume of phenol production four times - up to 200 thousand tonnes per year. The project’s objectives include increasing phenol production volumes, reducing the process' energy intensity, and lowering the consumption of feedstock.

Phenol is used mostly in the electronics, automotive and telecommunications industries, as well as for manufacture of fibre and plastics (e.g. polycarbonate), dyes, plant protection products, and - as a semi-finished product - in organic synthesis. Currently, the largest consumers of phenol in Poland are the producers of caprolactam, phenol-formaldehyde resins, herbicides, plywood, furniture boards and lubricant components, as well as tyre manufacturers.