Capital requirements generally include land acquisition, construction, equipment procurement, installation, pre-operative expenses, and initial working capital. The total amount varies with capacity, technology, and location.
To start a propene production business, one needs to conduct a market feasibility study, secure required licenses, arrange funding, select suitable land, procure equipment, recruit skilled labor, and establish a supply chain and distribution network.
Propene production requires raw materials using different production processes such as naphtha, propane and other hydrocarbon feedstocks which are processed through thermal cracking or dehydrogenation.
The propene factory typically requires furnaces, dehydrogenation reactors, heat exchangers, distillation columns, compressors, storage tanks, and advanced control systems for temperature, pressure, and safety.
The main steps generally include:
Sourcing of raw materials
Dehydrogenation reaction of propane
Cooling and separation of gases
Propene purification via distillation
Storage and distribution
Usually, the timeline can range from 18 to 36 months to start a propene production plant, depending on factors like high capital investment, engineering design, regulatory approvals, construction, and equipment commissioning.
Challenges may include high capital requirements, securing regulatory approvals, ensuring raw material supply, competition, skilled manpower availability, and managing operational risks.
Typical requirements include business registration, environmental clearances, factory licenses, fire safety certifications, and industry-specific permits. Local/state/national regulations may apply depending on the location.
The top propene producers are:
China National Petroleum Corporation
BASF
LyondellBasell
SABIC
ExxonMobil
Reliance Industries Limited
Shell plc
Profitability depends on several factors including market demand, production efficiency, pricing strategy, raw material cost management, and operational scale. Profit margins usually improve with capacity expansion and increased capacity utilization rates.
Cost components typically include:
Land and Infrastructure
Machinery and Equipment
Building and Civil Construction
Utilities and Installation
Working Capital
Break even in a propene production business typically range from 3 to 6 years, depending on plant capacity, global market prices, raw material costs, and energy efficiency. Long-term contracts and integrated operations can improve profitability.
Governments may offer incentives such as capital subsidies, tax exemptions, reduced utility tariffs, export benefits, or interest subsidies to promote manufacturing under various national or regional industrial policies.
Financing can be arranged through term loans, government-backed schemes, private equity, venture capital, equipment leasing, or strategic partnerships. Financial viability assessments help identify optimal funding routes.