PTTGC project in Belmont County Ohio

PTTGC America (GCA) has chosen a site at the Midwest Mega Commerce Center in Fayette County for a new mechanical recycling facility. The reclaimer complex will turn used plastic beverage bottles into polyethylene terephthalate (PET) pellets, which can then be made into new beverage bottle and other products. GCA has reached an option agreement with Martin Land Co. allowing GCA to purchase land at the site. GCA is the U.S. subsidiary of PTT Global Chemical Public Company Limited (GC), Thailand’s largest integrated petrochemical and refining business and a leading corporation in the Asia-Pacific region.

“Aligned with the Paris Agreement, GC Group aims to reduce current CO2 emissions by 20% by 2030 as part of our journey toward achieving Net Zero by 2050,” said GCA CEO Panod Awaiwanond. “This project illustrates our commitment to fight climate change and contribute to a circular economy. It also reaffirms our commitment to the U.S. and the State of Ohio.”

The project is in the study and preparation phase. Used plastic feedstock for the mechanical recycling process will be purchased primarily from recycling collectors, or materials recovery facilities, in Ohio and surrounding states. The recycled pellets will be sold to other manufacturers to make new bottles. The mechanical recycling process will divert approximately 40,000 tons of plastic waste per year from landfills and leakage to oceans. It also will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by up to 50,000 tons of CO2-equivalent per year — a 79% reduction compared to production of virgin PET from hydrocarbon.

The 2,300-acre commerce park, on the east side of I-71 near U.S. Rt. 35, is also the site where Honda and LG Energy Solution are jointly developing a plant to manufacture batteries for Honda and Acura electric vehicles. It is about 40 miles southeast of Columbus and 70 miles northeast of Cincinnati.

The Times Leader

PTTGC America (GCA) is contributing  $1.15 million to the Shadyside Local School District and Mead Township even as the company continues discussions with potential partners on a proposed world-scale petrochemical project in the Ohio River Valley.

The payments stem from a March 2020 Ohio Enterprise Zone agreement, under which GCA pledged a financial commitment to  the school district and the township over 15 years after final investment decision.

Although no such decision is imminent, the GCA will provide financial support of $1 million for the school district and $150,000 for Mead Township to demonstrate commitment and good corporate citizenship to the local communities. In addition to the payments, GCA will allow Mead Township to temporarily utilize  its office and garage in Dilles Bottom. These payments will take effect immediately and remain in place regardless of whether or when an investment decision is reached.

With these payments, GCA is helping to meet some immediate needs of the local community. The $1 million to the school district will allow it to secure its school restoration plan with the Ohio Facilities Construction Commission. Without the funding, the plan would be in jeopardy. Meanwhile, the Dilles Bottom office building will alleviate the health and safety risks of the township’s existing office and equipment storage locations.

“All our local partners, including Mead Township and the Shadyside Local School District, have been extraordinarily supportive and patient throughout this process,” GCA CEO Panod Awaiwanond said. “We are pleased to support them with a gesture of financial assistance as we continue our discussions with potential partners  on our Ohio project.”

Shadyside Superintendent John Haswell expressed thanks on behalf of the Shadyside Board of Education. “This payment of $1 million allows our district to take a giant step toward building a new facility for pre-K through 12^th grade in the near future. It allows us to lock in a funding commitment through the Ohio School Facilities Commission under which 75% of the construction cost will be covered by the state. This could save our district millions of dollars,” Haswell said.

“We believe this affirms GCA’s intention to be a great community partner. The Shadyside Board looks forward to working with the company in years to come to prove a brighter future for Shadyside residents.”

Mead Township Trustee Chairman Ed Good called the lease agreement and payment “another example of GCA’s understanding of and true commitment to our community,” adding, “This arrangement will allow the township to conduct business in a safer, more efficient manner for our employees and residents.

“We believe the constant contact and transparency Mead Township has maintained with GCA and its partners has once again shown results.”

The Martins Ferry Times Leader

WTOV 9 Steubenville

Bangkok Post

The Times Leader

GC, the Bangkok-based parent company of PTTGC America, has been recognized for its efforts around environmental protection by two prominent international organizations. The Dow Jones Sustainability Index (DJSI) has rated GC No. 1 in the world for sustainability in the chemicals sector for the second consecutive year in a row and ranked GC among the top 10 companies in the DJSI World Indices and DJSI Emerging Markets Index for the eighth consecutive year. GC is also the first and only Thai-owned conglomerate to achieve the highest score in the 2020 annual environmental disclosure of the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP). GC was awarded the leadership level top “A” grade for best-practice initiatives in both climate change and water security in CDP’s prestigious corporate sustainability standards.

The DJSI was jointly established by the S&P Dow Jones Indices and the SAM Corporate Sustainability Assessment and serves as an index to evaluate expertise in sustainable development of leading globally listed companies. CDP, a nonprofit organization recognized as the largest online data source for greenhouse gases, uses a scoring methodology ranging from A to D-; the average score for companies in Asia and for chemical companies is D. GC is Thailand’s first and only company to have received a score of A in the assessment. The CDP and DJSI rankings reflect GC’s commitment to applying a sustainable approach to driving its business by balancing three dimensions: the economy, environment and society under its principles of good corporate governance.

GC CEO Dr. Kongkrapan Intarajang said that the company is committed to operating as a sustainable organization and taking on a pivotal role in mitigating the impacts of climate change while transitioning to a low-carbon community in support of the Paris Agreement and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. GC is taking a leading role responding to climate change through its pledge to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 20% in 2030 from the base year of 2012. By establishing comprehensive water management goals, both internally and externally, GC will ensure that its operations are accountable and that it maintains its leadership position in sustainability at the international level.

 

 

The proposed world-scale petrochemical complex in the Ohio River Valley remains the top priority of PTTGC America (PTTGCA). PTTGCA is working to move the project forward, continuing to invest its time and resources with the goal of creating thousands of jobs and transforming the regional economic landscape. The project has not at any point been put on hold. PTTGCA looks forward to making announcements of the project’s progression in the weeks and months ahead.