Celanese Corp. has announced that its wholly owned subsidiary, Celanese Far East Ltd., has signed letters of intent to construct and operate industrial ethanol production facilities at the Nanjing Chemical Industrial Park in Nanjing, China, and in Zhuhai, China, at the Gaolan Port Economic Zone.

Pending project approvals, Celanese could begin industrial ethanol production within the next 30 months, with an initial nameplate capacity of 400,000 tons/year per plant and an initial investment of approximately $300 million per plant. The company is pursuing approval at two locations to ensure its ability to effectively grow with future demand.

Industrial ethanol is used in chemical and industrial applications for the manufacture of coatings, inks, and pharmaceuticals. Current demand for industrial ethanol in China is approximately 3 million tons annually and is expected to grow 8-10% per year.

For additional details, visit www.celanese.com.