Official opening of $2M chemical plant at Dardanup

5/11/96

Resources Development Minister Colin Barnett has officially opened a new $2 million chemical plant at Dardanup which, together with a resin manufacturing operation, will significantly reduce Australia's chemical import bill.

Built for Dyno Industries (WA), a joint venture between Wesfi and Dyno Industries ASA of Norway, the plant will produce reagents for the alumina industry. It already produces specialty resins for Wesfi's medium density fibreboard, veneer and particle board plants.

"Although only small in size, this new plant will play an important part in the value-adding process in the South-West," Mr Barnett said.

"It is an excellent example of the support industries that have grown on the back of major resource developments in this State.

"Dyno's new chemical plant and its resin manufacturing facility will save Australia an estimated $30 million in imported chemicals."

Mr Barnett said the extension to the plant had been built to service the alumina refining industry. It would produce 5,000 tonnes per annum of HX-PAM, an emulsion which was used to assist in the flocculation of 'red mud' in alumina processing. (A flocculant aided the separation of suspended minerals from other materials).

The entire production would be sold to Cytec Australia, a subsidiary of Cytec Industries of the United States.

"As Western Australia produces 21.6 per cent of the world's alumina, the emulsion used in the processing of bauxite into alumina is very important in this value adding process," Mr Barnett said .

"The company is already investigation the viability of establishing other chemical manufacturing opportunities for South-West industry."

More than 80 per cent of the $2 million plant construction was sourced in the south west, mainly from Bunbury, while the new plant will increase the Dyno Industries team in Dardanup to 25 people.

Norway's ambassador to Australia, Mr Kjell Martin Fredriksen attended the ceremony, which also marked the 10th anniversary of the signing of the joint agreement to establish Dyno Industries.

The Ambassador and Mr Barnett witnessed the signing of a further agreement between Wesfi and Dyno Industries to extend the partnership a further 10 years.

Media contact: Justine Whittome, (09) 222 9699