10 | ENERGY Methanex NZ Methanex big player in local economy T T Richard Loader Methanex represents about 10% of the Taranaki economy, contributing about $850 million every year and employing over two hundred people. Once upon a time John Lennon asked us to imagine a world without possessions; and without a crystal clear liquid chemical called methanol produced from natural gas that is almost precisely what we would have. Methanol is an essential chemical building block for countless products that enhance our quality of life, from electronic consumer goods and parts to construction and building materials, to clothing and textiles, to automotive parts, solar panels and paint and it is a clean alternative energy solution. For more than 100 years, methanol has been safely shipped, handled and used in a variety of applications around the world – including the essential medical supplies and personal protective equipment used in the fight against COVID-19. Celebrating its 30th birthday this year globally, Methanex is the world’s largest producer/supplier of methanol into international markets. Headquartered in Vancouver Canada and listed on the Toronto and Nasdaq stock exchanges, Methanex is a world leader in the production of methanol – taking natural gas and making it into methanol. Its core customers – large industrials like Samsung – take the methanol and make it into other chemicals, which are then used in the manufacturer of a countless range of products. From a global perspective Methanex has methanol operations in Canada, US, Chile, Egypt, Trinidad, and New Zealand serving markets around the world, with China the biggest market. Methanex’s New Zealand operation began in 1993 with the purchase of gasoline plants in Taranaki that had been built in the late ‘80s as part of Prime Minister Rob Muldoon’s Think Big drive. Converting the gasoline plants to methanol, Methanex has been operating in New Zealand ever since, with three plants within 15 kilo- T T to page 12 metres north of New Plymouth. New Zealand’s Managing Director, Stuart McCall, says Methanex would be the largest energy consumer in the country, consuming about 40% of New Zealand’s natural gas as a raw material in the making of methanol. “When the gas comes in from off-shore or on-shore fields we take a stream of that for the production of methanol. “About a third of the gas used creates heat and we operate at around 1000° C. Two thirds of the gas is actually embedded in the methanol. For more information visit or email Proud to work with Methanex NZ Following their guiding principles of trust, respect, integrity and professionalism.
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