YECC Visit & PDP Review

News    ⋅    YECC PDP Review

ECI Group recently had the pleasure of hosting a visiting team from Shaanxi Yanchang China Coal Yulin Energy & Chemical Co., Ltd. (YECC) at our offices in Manchester for the Final PDP Review Meeting. 

ECI Group is providing YECC with a licensing package for a 150kta copolymer plant using our proprietary hybrid reactor technology. This project marks the first 150kta iteration of our license and, thanks to excellent collaborative approach with our client and cooperation at all levels, the final PDP was delivered in record time. 

By completing this critical project milestone more than two months ahead of schedule, we’ve enabled our client to progress the key aspects of their project. The EPDP phase is already under way, and ECI Group is delighted to continue supporting our client with achieving their project goals. 

Read more about this project here. 

Improvement Plans for the European Chemical Sector

News    ⋅    Improvement Plans for the European Chemical Sector in 2025

ECI Group’s Consultancy Services Director, Francisco Larenas, discusses the European Chemical sector’s outlook for 2025 and strategies for plant optimization.

In the face of economic challenges, it is natural to adopt cost-cutting measures as a survival strategy. However, while this approach is necessary during crises, it can jeopardize long-term competitiveness. Maintaining a continuous improvement mindset and a clear vision for the future can be the key to ensuring a company’s longevity.

European chemical firms are currently grappling with high costs of raw materials and energy, compounded by strict regulations that make operations and development expensive. This situation has led to a slowdown in investment and asset renewal, delaying the introduction of modern production capacity and eroding competitiveness. Structural issues such as natural resource availability and aging demographics are partly to blame, but resistance to building new infrastructure and exploiting natural resources has also contributed to high costs.

Based on our decades of experience within the chemical industry, ECI Group has seen time and again that it is the companies who plan investments to keep aging assets running reliably and safely, identify market trends, and implement zero-capital initiatives to deliver immediate value, who come out on top. ECI Group Consultancy offers comprehensive improvement plans that cover immediate gains, small expenses, and full capital projects for plant upgrades or asset life extension. We have helped many decades-old assets in the Polyolefins industry remain competitive by retrofitting the best available process technologies. Our Performance Improvement Programs are designed to deliver meaningful performance gains through zero-capital and low-cost initiatives, while also identifying and prioritizing capital projects with high-return on investment.

Despite the challenges, there are positives for the European sector, particularly in sustainability. Sustainability has driven significant innovation by attracting talent and driving positive dynamics. Projects like Vioneo’s fossil-free plastics from green methanol and Repsol’s use of photovoltaic energy and electrolyzed hydrogen to reduce carbon footprints are examples of this trend. ECI Group is active in advanced recycling technologies and energy efficiency initiatives. The enthusiasm around circularity and sustainability, if done well, has the potential to transform the industry for the better and position Europe as a leader in this transformation.

The state of Europe’s chemical sector for 2025 is undoubtedly challenging, and the threat of plant closures continues to loom. Without societal recognition of the benefits of a strong chemical sector, the status quo means a continuous downward slope.  However, ECI Group remains optimistic that companies who avoid short-sightedness and continue investing in long-term and short-term improvement initiatives will be able to stay competitive. Difficult times like these can sometimes lead to positive transformations. No cycle lasts forever, including downturns. Those who weather the storm and prepare for the upcycle will have potential for large gains. ECI Group Consultancy Services is dedicated to helping companies prepare for the future, ensuring they are ready to capitalize on the opportunities that arise once the industry recovers.

Visit our Consultancy services page for more information or reach out to our Consultancy Services Director, Francisco Larenas to see how ECI Group can help you achieve your profitability, safety, and sustainability goals in 2025.

LDPE Technical Seminar

News    ⋅     LDPE Technical Seminar

ECI Group’s Director of Sales and Business Development, Abhi Shivraj, delivered a presentation at the LDPE Technical Seminar in Tokyo, using a series of in-depth case studies to showcase ECI Group’s offering for operating plants. These services are of particular interest in Japan where the majority of HPPE lines have been operating for 40-50+ years.

The LDPE Technical Seminar also included presentations from Uhde High Pressure Technologies and Jansen + Tetenborg – Vibration and Pulsation Consulting, covering a range of relevant topics and common issues.

Thank you to Tsuyoshi Mizuno and his team at Tetsugen Jitsugyo for organizing this event. We were grateful for the opportunity to showcase our service offering and engage in interesting conversations about technical developments and best operating practises in the world of high-pressure polyethylene.

If you are interested in knowing more about how to ensure your plant is running at optimal efficiency and delivering its full potential, get in touch with us today.

Consultancy Services

News    ⋅     ECI Group Consultancy Services Launch

ECI Group, a world leading technology licensor and engineering services provider for the polymer and advanced recycling industries, announces the launch of its new consultancy services unit: ECI Group Consultancy Services.

ECI Group Consultancy Services will provide specialist consultancy services to the polyolefins sector, delivering technology support and plant optimization services to help clients achieve their profitability, safety, and sustainability goals. The services will cover a broad range of polyethylene and high-pressure copolymer technologies from the production of LDPE, EVA, Ethylene Acrylates copolymers, Polyolefins Elastomers, Polyolefins Plastomers, Linear Low-Density Polyethylene and High Density Polyethylene, to plastic recycling and more.

Francisco Larenas has been appointed as ECI Group’s Consultancy Services Director and he will be responsible for leading the new business unit. Francisco has over 20 years of experience in the international process industry, specialising in the polymer and petrochemical sectors. He has a demonstrated experience in the operation of petrochemical plants, the execution of large capital projects, polyethylene technology, plant optimization and leadership of high-performance teams.

Francisco will lead a team of Subject Matter Experts who each bring decades of experience in polyolefins and expertise across all aspects of operations, maintenance, training and capital projects, as well as access to ECI Group’s full capability in technology and engineering for these sectors.

“ We are delighted to announce the launch of ECI Group Consultancy Services which will allow us to provide focussed, specialist services to our clients in the polyolefins sectors,”  said Joaquin Flores, President and CEO of ECI Group. “ ECI Group has a wealth of knowledge to share, built from decades of experience in the polyolefins industry and our experience of leading pioneering polyethylene projects. I am confident that with Francisco’s expert leadership, ECI Group Consultancy Services can drive our business forwards to becoming the global reference for polyolefin engineering and technology.”

Francisco Larenas said: “ I am excited to take on this new role within ECI Group and look forward to leading the ECI Group Consultancy Services unit, working alongside our exceptional group of experts to deliver top-tier consultancy services and create value for our clients.”

Visit our Consultancy Services page for more information.

Hyper Compressor Delivery

News    ⋅     Hyper Compressor Delivery

In another milestone for ECI Group’s technology, the first two hyper compressors have been delivered to our licensee’s site in China. The Burckhardt Compression K8 and K4 Hyper Compressors are both high-pressure reciprocating compressors, capable of compressing ethylene with a discharge pressure of up to 3,500 bara (or 50,000 psia).

Burckhardt Compression is the market leader in providing hyper compressors for the production of high-pressure polyethylene, manufacturing compressors with a range of frame sizes and progressively larger cylinder diameters, capable of covering the increasing demand for higher capacities and product mixes in today’s LDPE and Copolymer plants. The K8, in particular, enables the flexibility for the wide range of capacities and products offered in ECI Group’s HPPE technology licensing portfolio.

The hyper compressors will be installed on two lines capable of producing 50,000 tonnes per year of Ethylene Butyl Acrylate (EBA) and 100,000 tonnes per year of Ethylene Vinyl Acetate (EVA) respectively, as part of our client’s refining and petrochemical integrated project, a mega complex located in the Province of Jiangsu. 

Shipped from Burckhardt Compression’s manufacturing facility in Winterthur, Switzerland, the delivery process for these large equipment items involved road transport from Winterthur to Basel, a barge to Antwerp, and then sea transport to the end user’s loading facility in China. At each step of the process, Burckhardt Compression oversaw the work carried out by specialist freight handling companies to ensure that compressors were handled with the utmost care and that the precision engineered components were protected whilst in transit.

The delivery of these compressors marks a major milestone in the construction of the two copolymer lines. Installation is now progressing well.

ECI Group provided the technology license and core engineering for these two lines and will provide additional support during commissioning, start-up, and production of the new high-pressure polyethylene plants. We are proud to have partnered with Burckhardt Compression to deliver these key equipment items and look forward to seeing the hyper compressors installed and the plant up and running.

Long Service Award

News    ⋅     Long Service Award – Dave Halfyard

Join us in celebrating Dave Halfyard’s milestone achievement of 25 years continuous service with the company!

Dave first joined Simon Carves in 1981 as an Apprentice and has since spent over 40 years working with the company, recently achieving his 25 years of continuous service. During his career, Dave has progressed from a Piping Designer to a Principal Piping Engineer and worked as the Global Manager for Piping Materials. Dave is now a Technical Consultant in the Piping Division of ECI Group’s Manchester Office.

“ From my experience, the quality of engineers and designers at Simon Carves is unparalleled within the industry and it has been my great pleasure and privilege to work alongside such an amazing team throughout my career. This job has afforded me many opportunities to travel and work in fantastic locations around the world, including assignments to India, Trinidad, and across Europe, and I’ve been incredibly proud to work on numerous pioneering projects across multiple engineering sectors, especially LDPE and EVA. ”

“ Dave has been a cornerstone of our piping discipline for forty plus years of combined service; training and mentoring many of our past and current team. Dave’s attention to detail, creative thinking and wealth of experience has been, and continues to be, invaluable in overcoming technical challenges. On behalf of everyone at ECI Group, we thank you for your dedication to the company and celebrate this remarkable achievement.  ”

“ On behalf of the Board of Directors, your many colleagues, friends, and myself, I extend our heartfelt congratulations on achieving this remarkable milestone. We appreciate your dedicated service to the company and look forward to many more years of working together with you. ”

Factory Acceptance Test

News    ⋅     Reactor Factory Acceptance Test

The first autoclave reactor using ECI Group’s upgraded technology recently passed its Factory Acceptance Test at Uhde High Pressure Technologies facility in Hagen, Germany!

The autoclave reactor is being fabricated for one of our licensees in China to make LDPE, EVA, and other high-value copolymer products.

Read more about ECI Group’s HPPE technology offering here.

Long Service Award

News    ⋅     Long Service Award – Steve Butterworth

Join us in celebrating Steve Butterworth’s milestone achievement of 35 years with the company!

Steve first joined Simon Carves in 1989 as a Trainee Accounts Assistant. He gained his AAT membership in 1991 and CIMA certification in 2004 and now heads up the finance division for ECI Group’s Manchester Office.

“ You don’t often hear accountants say their work is fun, but I have really enjoyed my time with Simon Carves and ECI Group. The company has gone through some major changes which have been challenging to manage, but this job has also provided me with the opportunity to travel and work alongside great colleagues. The 35 years (or 420 month-ends) has flown by! ”

“ On behalf of the Board of Directors, myself and your many colleagues and friends here, I’d like to congratulate you on reaching this incredible milestone of 35 years of service! Your dedication, leadership and ability to navigate the complexities of our financial landscape have shaped the department and contributed to the growth and stability of the entire organisation. Here’s to celebrating this remarkable achievement and to many more successful years ahead! ”

“ I’d like to congratulate Steve on this amazing accomplishment. His dedication to the company and ability to navigate an ever-changing environment has set a great example for all of us. Steve—thank you for your service to the company! We look forward to many more years of working together with you. ”

ECI Group Academy

News    ⋅    ECI Group Academy

ECI Group is delighted to launch our learning experience platform, ECI Group Academy, an online digital learning platform hosted by the Engineering Construction Industry Training Board (ECITB).

ECITB is the employer-led skills body for the Engineering Construction Industry in Great Britain. They have created a bespoke learning academy for ECI Group which will provide comprehensive online learning and training solutions specifically designed for the engineering and construction industry.

The ECI Group Academy provides access to more than 8,500 courses from recognised providers such as IAM Learning, IHasco, and Litmos which will be made available to ECI Group’s workforce based in Great Britain. Covering everything from project management and leadership skills to core fire safety and GDPR learning, the ECI Group Academy is designed to work hand-in-hand with ECI Group’s performance development process as well as covering all of the important areas that keep our company running smoothly and legally compliant.

Developing the expertise of our personnel is a core aspect of our company values, and ECI Group is excited about the opportunities this new learning platform will provide for our employees. Whether our employees are aiming to excel in their current roles, or eyeing that next step up the career ladder, the ECI Group Academy will provide all the resources they need.

We’re always looking for innovative ways to provide training and facilitate the professional development of our staff. Currently this learning platform is only available to employees in Great Britain, but we are making efforts to expand this platform to our global workforce. Stay tuned for any updates!

150kta Copolymer License

News    ⋅     ECI Group Secures First 150kta Copolymer License

ECI Group is pleased to announce it has signed a licensing agreement with Shaanxi Yanchang China Coal Yulin Energy & Chemical Co., Ltd. (YECC) to deliver a 150kta copolymer plant project using ECI Group’s proprietary hybrid reactor technology.

YECC is part of the Part of the Shaanxi Yanchang Petroleum Group, China’s fourth largest oil producer with significant petrochemical production facilities based in Shaanxi, Northwestern China. The plant will be located in Yangqiaopan, Jingbian County, Yulin City, Shaanxi Province. ECI Group’s technology will enable the plant to produce 150,000 tonnes per year of LDPE, EVA, EBA and other high-value copolymer products, with the ability for future expansion of both capacity and product capability.

ECI Group will provide the technology license, process design package, expanded process design package, and detailed design for the high-pressure system as well as technical procurement services for the project and on-site technical support during installation, start-up, and performance assessment. ECI Group will be supported by Repsol who will provide extensive technical, operational, and commercial expertise. Repsol has over 40 years of experience producing LDPE, EVA, and EBA polymer products in its industrial complexes in Spain and Portugal.

ECI Group’s hybrid reactor technology has been developed from the well-proven ICI autoclave technology and offers a wide range of high-pressure polyethylene products, providing unrivalled operational efficiency, reliability, and flexibility. ECI Group’s hybrid reactor technology offers significant improvements in the product range, reliability, and expandability to the original ICI technology, and has been optimized to make use of modern materials, design techniques, standards, and industry best practices for construction, operation, and maintenance. Since 2021, ECI Group has licensed plant capacities of 50kta, 100kta, 150kta and 200kta, all using ECI Group’s standardised design approach. This licensing agreement with YECC demonstrates the reputation and versatility of ECI Group’s hybrid reactor technology.

Joaquin Flores, ECI Group’s President and CEO, said:

“ We are delighted that a client as esteemed as Shaanxi Yanchang China Coal Yulin Energy & Chemical Company has chosen ECI Group’s technology after a competitive tendering process and we look forward to successfully delivering this project for them.”

Chris Brock, ECI Group’s Business and Technology Director – HPPE, said:

“ ECI Group’s hybrid technology represents a modern approach to high-pressure polyethylene plant design, providing the best combination of production and reliability while providing a superior product range. It’s a game-changer for the industry, allowing clients to access a flexible slate of high-value products at world scale capacities. We’re excited to bring our offering to more clients around the world.”

ECI Group provides world-leading technology and engineering solutions for polymers around the world. ECI Group offers proprietary technology licenses for high-pressure polyethylene and multi-discipline engineering services that cover the full lifecycle of the project and the operating plant.