In late February Evonik Industries of Germany built up a new plant to produce gas-separation membrane hollow fiber at Schorfling am Attersee in Austria. The investment amount will be about several ten million euros. The output capacity is not disclosed.

Evonik is now selling its gas separation membrane SEPURAN over the world, and it is the hollow fiber membrane to make the heart of the SEPURAN produced in the new plant, so that hollow membranes ca be made out of the raw material of high-function resin through some processes.
　
Evonik’s most competitive point is in its integrated production system from the high-function resin to the hollow membrane and module. According to the company, the pressure control and anti-temperature properties are upgraded by means of adjusting characteristic features of gas separation membrane at the development stage of resin. It leads to the production of a rigid membrane having an excellent gas separation property.
　
For reference, the SEPURAN membrane is adopted as nitrogen separator to inactivate the inside of fuel tank of airplanes and also for extraction of hydrogen for separation of natural gas pipe lines. In the Japanese market Polyplastics Evonik of the group company is distributing the product.