● Comprehensive supply of high-performance polyol ECOTRION, which uses 100% plants as raw materials and can reduce carbon emissions by 40%

● Leading the market for eco-friendly materials by providing materials such as artificial leather for automobiles, sports shoes, fashion and furniture

SK Chemicals has started full-scale mass production and supply of eco-friendly biopolyols (PO3G).

Jeon Kwang-hyun, CEO of SK Chemicals, recently announced that the company has built a mass production system with a scale of several thousand tons and has started operating a dedicated facility to produce a new biopolyol material "PO3G" (polyol). trimethylene ether glycol). The brand name for this material is ECOTRION. Last month, SK Chemicals unveiled in its financial report its strategy to expand as a "green materials" company, using bio-based materials in the chemical business as one of its growth engines. Starting with the operation of the recently completed PO3G Unit 1, the company will continue to expand its business in the biomaterials sector.

Polyols are important raw materials for the manufacture of spandex, polyurethane (artificial leather, foam, etc.) and polyurethane elastomers. SK Chemicals' ECOTRION is a 100% bio-based, eco-friendly material fermented from plants as a feedstock that can replace existing petrochemical-based polyols. ECOTRION is certified eco-friendly by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and Belgian VINCOTTE, and has several advantages, such as being softer than existing materials when applied to textiles and artificial leather, and improving elasticity and abrasion resistance, making It is comfortable to wear and not easily deformed. In addition, Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) assessments show that ECOTRION reduces GHG emissions by 40% compared to existing petrochemical-based polyol production processes.

SK Chemicals is accelerating its entry into markets such as artificial leather, sports shoes, fashion and furniture by promoting the excellent chemical resistance and eco-friendliness of the green material ECOTRION. The automotive, sports and fashion industries are rapidly increasing the demand for eco-friendly materials and are expected to witness rapid growth due to global environmental regulations and increased interest in complying with ESG stewardship statements. Hyundai Motor's Basic Materials Research Center has partnered with SK Chemicals and LX Hausys to develop eco-friendly artificial leather, and in this way, Hyundai Motor and Kia have developed artificial leather (produced by LX Hausys) using ECOTRION from SK Chemicals and applied it to Genesis GV60 seats, and other models are under consideration.

Jung Jae-jun, head of SK Chemical's new business development department, said, "The white bio-industry is developing rapidly with domestic and foreign carbon reduction policies such as reducing greenhouse gases and changing the environmental model through degasification. We plan to use eco-friendly materials The business further strengthens the green business system based on ESG management and considers additional expansion according to the growing market demand.”