Braskem

Created in August 2002 by the merger of six companies from the Odebrecht Group and the Mariani Group, today Braskem is the largest petrochemical company in the Americas and the world's leading biopolymer producer. Braskem produces polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP) and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) resins, as well as basic petrochemicals such as ethylene, propylene, butadiene, chlorine, benzene, toluene, etc. Braskem operates in the chemical and petrochemical industry and plays a significant role in other production chains that are essential to economic development. In this context, chemicals and plastics help create sustainable solutions that improve people's lives in areas such as housing, food and transportation. Braskem is the only integrated first- and second-generation petrochemical producer of thermoplastic resins in Brazil. This position translates into competitive advantages, such as production scale and operating efficiency. In the U.S. and Europe, Braskem produces second generation material. First-generation producers make basic petrochemicals, such as ethylene and propylene, using naphtha, natural gas and ethane as feedstock. These compounds are essential to the second generation, which involves the production of thermoplastic resins (PE, PP and PVC), which are then used by third-generation producers, i.e., plastics converters.