SK picglobal builds DPG-only production facility 

SK picglobal, a joint venture between SKC's chemical division and a subsidiary of the Kuwait Petroleum Corporation (KPC) named PIC, have built a plant dedicated to dipropylene glycol-only production.

The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy announced on Monday that it held a ribbon-cutting ceremony at SK picglobal’s Ulsan plant. 

The newly completed plant can produce about 30,000 tons of dipropylene glycol (DPG) per year to meet the growing global need for DPG. 

Dipropylene glycol is a reactive intermediate used across various industries. Thanks to its low toxicity and solvent properties, it is a popular additive in perfumes and skin and hair care products.

The DPG is a co-product coming from the manufacture of mono-propylene glycol. The water-soluble hygroscopic liquid has low vapor pressure. 

SK picglobal has commercialized the process of producing only DPG for the first time in the world.

The demand for DPG has risen on the back of improved lifestyles and the market is forecast to grow 1.5 times more rapidly than the overall PG market. 

With the latest investment, SK picglobal aims to revamp itself as an environmentally friendly care material producer. 

Write to Ik-Hwan Kim at lovepen@hankyung.com
Jee Abbey Lee edited this article.