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variable nature of transport services in South Africa. In an effort to overcome this, in the year Sasol Solvents signed a R215 million public-private partnership agreement to buy state transport utility Transnet Freight Rail’s 400 dedicated chemical tankers. We also committed R100 million to build new special purpose rail wagons. In this way we will be able to transfer the transportation of our product from the road network and on to the rail system, while simultaneously ensuring better reliability of delivery to our customers. 

## Commercialising our technological lead 

A key pillar of Sasol’s strategy is to commercialise its technological lead. In the year, we started basic engineering 

to develop fi rst-of-a-kind technology to manufacture octene by tetramerising ethylene for use as a comonomer in the manufacture of linear low-density polyethylene. Basic engineering started at Sasol Olefins & Surfactants’ facilities at Lake Charles, Louisiana in the United States, where Sasol O&S technical staff are assisting us. Through this process, octene imparts particular properties to the polyethylene for improved end-use applications, particularly in packaging. 

Another key feature of Sasol’s strategic agenda is to nurture and grow our existing asset base. To this end, we recently started up our second methyl iso-butyl ketone (MiBK) plant at Sasolburg. This facility, whose product is mostly used in the 

manufacture of vehicle tyres and high-end coatings such as automotive and decorative paints, will be ramped up over the next few months. 

The expansion of the Sasol-Huntsman joint venture’s manufacturing capacity is another important growth project. Targeting a 75% increase in production capacity of maleic anhydride at Moers in Germany, the project is on schedule and within budget. Maleic anhydride is used chiefly in the production of glass- fibre-reinforced resins for the construction, automotive and boat-building industries. 

