Unipar triples investment return via AI initiatives

Unipar revealed on 11 September 2026 that one of its artificial intelligence projects delivered a financial return of three times the invested capital. The initiative forms part of a broader corporate push that now includes more than five AI deployments across its sites in Argentina and Brazil.

In Argentina, the petrochemical producer rolled out an electrolyser performance tool to monitor 500 variables in chlorine and caustic soda output. According to the company, this system prevented over 85% of historically recorded unscheduled outages. The resulting equipment availability contributes an estimated 1,300 additional tonnes of annual caustic soda production.

Unipar also deployed an Advanced Process Control system at its vinyl chloride monomer plant in Bahía Blanca, Argentina. The company estimates this solution saves US$1 million annually by automating adjustments, cutting waste, and trimming its carbon footprint.

Production manager Ignacio Garriz told BNamericas that the business plans to expand predictive tools and automated agents across operations. Unipar collaborated with technology partner Made in Web on the electrolyser project and its Fish Eyes quality initiative in Santo André, Brazil. The company partnered with Optiment for the monomer facility and developed an in-house membrane tracking tool.