Sasol, South Africa's leading provider of synthetic liquid fuels and a major international producer of chemicals, today celebrated breaking ground for an R8,4 billion Wax Expansion Project at its Sasolburg Sasol One Site. The first phase of the project will come into operation in 2012. When complete in 2014, it will double the Sasol Wax production of hard wax in South Africa.

 
The Wax Expansion Project forms part of the larger Sasol Expansion Programme which is estimated at a cost of R14 billion.
 
"This is a significant investment for the Sasolburg plant and demonstrates our commitment to our South African asset base. It is in line with Sasol's strategy to leverage our advanced proprietary technology and is also aligned with our longer-term plans significantly to grow the chemicals businesses of the Sasol group," said Andre de Ruyter, group general manager, chemical cluster in his address at the ground breaking ceremony.
 
De Ruyter said: "2010 will be a memorable year for South Africa and Sasol. The World Cup brings excitement and growth to the country. Similarly, the expansion programme will bring growth to Sasolburg, Sasol Wax and Sasol's customers and stakeholders."
 
The Wax expansion project is estimated to create approximately 3 500 job opportunities during construction and between 70 and 100 permanent positions. All vacancies for contractors during the building phase will be handled by the local offices of the Department of Labour in Sasolburg.
 
"We are following a holistic approach in the implementation of this project," says Stephan Schoeman, newly appointed managing director of Sasol Infrachem. "The communities around our plant must also feel the benefit of the project. Sasol believes that local people should enjoy preferential employment opportunities, subject to the applicants meeting the requirements of the job. All unskilled and semi-skilled labour will be sourced within a 30km radius around Metsimaholo in the greater Sasolburg area".
 
The commencement of the expansion programme in Sasolburg coincides with the 60th anniversary of the founding of Sasol Limited in 1950. Sasolburg, the first Sasol plant, has seen significant changes since it was first built. Although it is the plant where Sasol's proprietary Fischer-Tropsch technology that converts coal to liquid synthetic fuel was developed, the plant now uses only natural gas imported via pipeline from Mozambique as its feedstock.
 
In addition to producing chemicals like wax, Sasolburg is the site of the Sasol Technology business that manages Sasol's research and development, technology management and innovation.
 
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