Celanese opens expanded tech centre in US; Blue Circle partners with Chane for MTO unit in Netherlands

Chemicals firm Celanese Corporation has announced the opening of its expanded Michigan Technology Centre (MTC) to strengthens the company’s US-based innovation footprint and advances its engineered materials 2026 growth strategy. The centre is designed to enable earlier customer engagement, faster development cycles, and deeper integration of technology and expertise across Celanese’s broad materials portfolio.

The expanded MTC brings together piloting, application development, and advanced engineering prototyping capabilities under one roof. This integration unifies talent, tools, and technology while modernising Celanese’s ability to collaborate with customers on next‑generation material solutions. It will cater to markets such as automotive, electrical & electronics and medical.

The expansion also incorporates the relocation of the Santoprene TPV piloting operation from Houston, Texas, reducing overall cost to support while creating a centralised hub for extrusion development, foaming technologies, and advanced engineering.

The Troy facility has been expanded by more than 10,000 sq ft of new high‑bay processing space, plus 3,000 sq ft of modified areas including a new control room, electrical room, and future office space. The nearby Auburn Hills site adds nearly 4,000 sq ft of updated lab and new innovation space.

The expanded centre supports development across 17-plus Engineered Materials product families, including Zytel PA, Hytrel TPC, Forton PPS, and Santoprene TPV. By centralising advanced engineering, computer-aided engineering (CAE), Field Technical Service (FTS), and application development capabilities in Michigan, Celanese says it enhances its ability to engage earlier with customers, and accelerate application development.

Meanwhile in other news, Netherlands-based Blue Circle Olefins has officially selected Terminal Nieuwe Maas, operated by the storage and logistics provider Chane, as the site for its commercial methanol-to-olefins (MTO) production plant in the Port of Rotterdam, Netherlands.

Blue Circle Olefins and Chane have signed an agreement for co-siting and logistic services for its 200 kilotonnes olefins production facility at Chane’s Terminal Nieuwe Maas in the Port of Rotterdam.

Blue Circle intends to use Chane’s professional logistic services and storage facilities for, among other, renewable methanol feedstocks.

By 2030 the plant will convert green methanol, produced from mixed plastic waste or agricultural and forestry residues, into respectively carbon recycled and biobased ethylene and propylene.

This provides the European chemical industry with fossil free feedstocks for the production of circular plastics. By upcycling waste into virgin quality ethylene and propylene, the full life cycle GHG emissions will be reduced by more than 80% compared to oil-based polyolefins, it adds. 

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