Hubei Zhongxun ThinkGreen's 2,000-ton Cyhalofop-butyl successfully reached production, and phase II of the project was progressing smoothly

In line with its strategy, Chinese agrochemical company Hubei Zhongxun ThinkGreen Technology Co., Ltd., has launched a project to upgrade and adjust its product structure. The project will include the cancelation of phase II of the initially planned annual 12,000-ton D-methyl lactate and derivative series, as well as the company’s annual 59,700-ton granule formulations production, therefore, making the premises available for expansion, upgrading and optimization for the production of cyhalofop-butyl and clodinafop-propargyl technical, as well as improving supportive facilities for its industry chain capacity.

The new-build and expansion project includes annual 1,500-ton cyhalofop-butyl, 1,000-ton metamifop, 2,000-ton (R)-(+)-2-(4-Hydroxyphenoxy) propionic acid, 500-ton 2-Fluoro-N-methylaniline and 600-ton 3,4-difluorobenzonitrile production capacities. Meanwhile, a DCS control system and full-scale online monitoring system have been installed, in line with the latest work safety standards.

Phase II of the company’s 1,500-ton cyhalofop-butyl capacity is expected to be completed and begin operating in October this year, along with 500 tons of phase I of the project, the total cyhalofop-butyl production capacity of Hubei Zhongxun ThinkGreen Technology will reach 2,000 tons per year upon completion of the project. Currently, the 500-ton clodinafop-propargyl capacity of the company is running at full load.

Industry chain advantage

So far, the company has undertaken an overall industry chain upgrading for its core products, such as cyhalofop-butyl and clodinafop-propargyl. Therefore, an independent production capacity has been installed for the production of the general-purpose intermediate, DHPPA, as well as the cyhalofop-butyl intermediate, 3,4-Difluorobenzonitrile, and the clodinafop-propargyl intermediate, 2,3-Difluoro-5-chloropyridine. At the same time, waste treatment facilities are being extended, so newly-built sewage treatment, triple effect evaporation and solid waste incineration facilities can fulfill the operational requirements of phase II and can support phase III when more registered products are brought into production. Moreover, in the latest atmospheric emission requirements of the Chinese Ministry of Ecology and Environment, VOCS exhaust gas absorption device must be present in all workshops, therefore, the three-stage falling film absorption + three-stage alkali absorption pretreatment of the chlorinated tail gas, SO2, HCl, from the synthesis of chloropropionic acid on the (R)-(+)-2-(4-Hydroxyphenoxy) propionic acid production line, as well as the three-stage alkali liquid falling film pretreatment of the tail gas, COCl2,HCl, on the catalyst production line. Considering the wastewater generated during the production process and the water property of the project, wastewater is treated under the principle of ″separate treatment, workshop pretreatment and terminal treatment.″ According to the principle, the mother liquor of distillation and wastewater of neutralization, which contain organic matter and are highly saline, are firstly subjected to centralized distillation to reduce pollutant concentration, followed by individual treatment in the plant’s sewage treatment station. Through the all-round upgrading of the plant, the company can ensure the stable supply of high-quality products for its customers.

Zhongxun Group, the parent company of Hubei Zhongxun ThinkGreen Technology, has been investing continuously in the company’s pesticide technical production capacity over recent years. As well as its continuous investment and expansion in the Jingmen production base, Zhongxun Group is planning to invest RMB1.5 billion on the new-build of its second pesticide technical production base in Hubei Songzi, where civil construction work already began in August 2022. In this new base, the future market release of a number of insecticides and fungicides are on the horizon, including Chlorantraniliprole and Fluopyram, as well as certain creative products.

Any inquiry please contact: xingdoudou@zhxcn.com.