Intermediates and Performance Polymers, which represent 26% of Chemicals sales, focus their development on technological excellence. With activities in six major areas - Acrylics, Fluorochemicals, Peroxides, Thiochemicals, Plastics Additives, and Performance Polymers - this business supplies wide-ranging and buoyant markets: superabsorbents, construction, the automotive industry, the refrigeration sector, paper manufacturing, cosmetics, and polymerization catalysts.
At the leading edge of technology, TotalFinaElf has developed world-class positions in each of these activities. Several of its products - such as Rilsan® polyamide, Kynar® fluorinated polymer, and Plexiglas® and Altuglas® translucent sheets - are known throughout the world.
This segment recorded ongoing growth, with sales reaching 5.3 billion euros, up 15% over 1999, and operating income at 0.48 billion euros, in line with the previous year.
In Acrylics, TotalFinaElf acquired a majority stake in the expansion of Rohm & Haas's methyl methacrylate production capacity, on the latter's Deer Park site in Texas, which is already the largest in the world. This project has enabled the Group to establish itself in the North American market while consolidating the feedstock of its PMMA production plants on the continent.
TotalFinaElf also began construction of a new plant for specialty acrylic monomers, earmarked for water treatment products and resins. The new plant, at Carling in France, is due to come on stream at the end of 2001.
In Fluorochemicals, TotalFinaElf consolidated its growth in the refrigeration and foam segments and pursued its program to further develop CFC substitutes by launching three new industrial projects in Pierre Bénite (France), Zaramillo (Spain) and Changshu (China).
In Oxygenated products, the Group brought on stream its new hydrogen peroxide production plant in Shanghai, thereby bolstering its position as the world's fourth-ranked producer in this sector.
Sales of Technical Polymers rose by 15% in 2000. To reinforce its positions, the Group confirmed the debottlenecking of its monomer production capacity for specialty polyamides at its Marseille and Mont sites, as well as the construction in Europe of a new plant to manufacture Kynar fluorinated polymer, of which it is the world's leading producer.
In line with the implementation of its new organization, TotalFinaElf consolidated its agrochemicals activities within a new company, Cerexagri. Refocusing of the Chemicals portfolio of activities began with the disposal of Oleofina's oleochemicals business and Ozark Mahoning's specialty mineral fluorochemicals and metal treatment operations.
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