GE Plastics and PetroChina have announced plans for a world-scale polycarbonate (PC) resin-manufacturing joint venture in China. Under the terms of the joint-venture agreement, PetroChina will supply the feedstocks, and the partners will collaborate on a phosgene-free, melt-technology-based PC plant that will be built to serve the growing local demand for the material.

"Serving the growing Chinese demand for PC is a key strategic priority for GE. By combining our PC-manufacturing technology with PetroChina''s leadership and local expertise, we expect to bring service and high-technology materials right to our Chinese customers'' doorsteps," said Brian Gladden, GE vice president and general manager of Lexan resin and global product companies. Gladden cited GE''s 25-years of PC presence in China, as well as its existing and future compounding plants for PC, as reasons the company will better serve its Chinese customers.

GE Plastics manufactures Lexan in Mt. Vernon, IN; Burkville, AL; Bergen op Zoom, Netherlands; Cartagena, Spain; and Chiba, Japan, and it compounds Lexan at 15 plants worldwide, including facilities in China.