Massachusetts-headquartered Cabot Corporation will start production at its new $50m-plus petrochemicals plant at Jebel Ali in southern Dubai in June, the company tells MEED.

The masterbatch plant, which has been under construction since 2009, will produce 25,000 tonnes a year (t/y) of carbon black, a soot-like carbon powder used in the production of rubber tyres, toner and printer ink cartridges, and industrial coatings.

When Cabot first announced that it planned to build the facility, it said that construction was due for completion in late 2009.

The company now plans to hold an official inauguration ceremony for the plant in June 2010, a spokesman tells MEED. Cabot did not comment on a reason for the delay in completing the project.

Cabot plans to increase production at the facility to 75,000 t/y by 2015 through two phased expansion projects, says an executive at the company. The initial production unit cost about $50-80m to build, although the two expansions are likely to cost less than this figure.

Facilities under construction at the company’s production complex include laboratories, administration offices, and a packaging unit alongside the main production unit.