The thermoplastic resins of Braskem, like polyethylene, polypropylene and the PVC, are made from petroleum. These resins are called thermoplastic because they soften when they are heated, allowing a process of melting and molding several times.

After the crude oil extraction, it passes for a refining process that produces several sub products, like gas, diesel gasoline and naphtha.

Naphtha is the main raw material of the petrochemical and plastic productive chain in Brazil, followed by the natural gas. Naphtha passes, initially, for a process called cracking that results in the basic petrochemicals like ethane, propane and aromatics.

This production cycle is known as the first generation of the petrochemical chain. The basic petrochemicals like the ethane and the propane are the basic products for the resins production, the second generation of this chain.

The resins are, in general, like little grains but some of them look like a kind of powder. They are used by the plastic transformers (companies of the third generation in the chain) to produce packaging, toys, automotive components, house ware, pieces for the electro-electronic industry and for civil construction among many other applications.