HIP-Petrohemija
Serbian petrochemical company
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
HIP–Petrohemija (Serbian: ХИП-Петрохемија), or simply Petrohemija, is a Serbian petrochemical company, with the headquarters in Pančevo, Serbia.[3] It is majority owned by NIS.
| |
Native name | ХИП-Петрохемија |
|---|---|
| Type | d.o.o. |
| Industry | Chemicals |
| Predecessor | Hemijska Industrija Pančevo (HIP) |
| Founded | 8 July 1975 First founded 1968 |
| Headquarters | Spoljnostarčevačka 82, Pančevo , Serbia |
| Key people | Goran Stojilković (Director) |
| Products | Petrochemicals |
| Revenue |  €264.50 million (2023)[1] |
| (€156.25 million) (2023)[1] | |
| Total assets | €261.85 million (2023)[2] |
| Total equity | €194.30 million (2023)[2] |
| Owner | NIS (90.00%) Government of Serbia (10.00%) |
Number of employees | 1,243 (2023) |
| Website | www |
The company owns petrochemical complexes located in Pančevo, Elemir and Crepaja.[4] It specializes in producing HDPE, LDPE and other petrochemical products with an annual production capacity of 700,000 tonnes.[5]
History
In 1962, a Yugoslav industrial giant – "Hemijska Industrija Pančevo" (eng. Chemical Industry of Pančevo") – was founded with headquarters in Pančevo. In 1968, HIP-Petrohemija (for petrochemicals) was split from the company and in 1975 HIP-Azotara (for mineral fertilizers) was separated from the original company.[6]
HIP-Petrohemija was built on the success of HIP-Azotara, and only by 1990, the companies were completely separated. HIP-Azotara never claimed its share in the ownership of HIP-Petrohemija, as both were in the state-ownership.[7]
Due to the international sanctions against the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, the production in HIP-Petrohemija completely stopped.[8] In 1996, the company facilities started production once again.[8]
In 1999, the company facilities were targeted and bombed during the NATO bombing of Yugoslavia; estimates are that around 460 tons of highly toxic vinyl chloride leaked into the environment as a result.[9]
2004–2021
In 2004, HIP-Petrohemija became a joint-stock company after conversion of debts. In May 2009, HIP-Petrohemija went into the restructuring process; although being one of the largest exporters of Serbia, it posted net loss consistently since 2004.[10]
In June 2014, it was estimated that HIP-Petrohemija has debt of 265 million euros to the Serbian oil company Naftna Industrija Srbije (NIS), and together with debt to the Serbian state-owned gas company Srbijagas owes more than half a billion euros.[11] At the time, the indebted HIP-Petrohemija had 1,760 employees.[11] From 2016 to 2018, Srbijagas has recapitalized HIP-Petrohemija.[12]
In August 2017, debts of HIP-Petrohemija were converted into shares, with the Government of Serbia being the majority shareholder with 76% of shares, and NIS and Lukoil Serbia being the minority shareholders.[13]
Since 2021: NIS takover
On 24 December 2021, NIS increased its stake in HIP-Petrohemija to 90% of shares, after purchasing the majority of stakes from the Government of Serbia for 150 million euros.[14] The sale was finished in June 2023, after the European Commission approved it in September 2022.[15][16][17] In early December 2025, HIP-Petrohemija had to halt production at its refinery due to U.S. sanctions affecting Gazprom-majority-owned NIS, causing an oil shortage. The U.S. Office of Foreign Assets Control granted NIS a temporary operating license on December 31, 2025, under the condition that Gazprom would sell its shares in NIS.[16][18][19]
Activity
HIP Petrohemija owns large petrochemical complexes located in Pančevo, Elemir and Crepaja. These complexes include a number of nine producing plants.[20]
The ethylene plant is located in Pančevo and was established in 1979 and built by United States–based company Stone & Webster and French company French Institute of Petroleum.[21] It produces ethylene, propylene, synthetic rubber, latex, carbon black and gasoline and has an annual production capacity of around 500,000 tonnes.[21] The high-density polyethylene (HDPE) plant is located in Pančevo and was established in 1975 under licence from the former United States–based Phillips Petroleum Company.[22] The plant has two production lines and produces high-density polyethylene or HDPE having an annual capacity of 76,000 tonnes.[22] The low-density polyethylene (HDPE) plant is located in Pančevo and was established in 1979 under licence from the former United States–based National Distillers.[23] The plant has one production line and produces low-density polyethylene or LDPE having an annual capacity of 57,000 tonnes.[23]
The synthetic rubber plant is located in Elemir and was established in 1983 under licence from the former Germany based Buna-Werke Hulls.[24] The plant has three production units and produces synthetic rubber having an annual capacity of 40,000 tonnes, 1,3-Butadiene under licence from Japanese company Nippon Zeon having an annual production capacity of 45,000 tonnes and methyl tert-butyl ether or MTBE under licence from Italian company Snamprogetti having an annual production capacity of 35,000 tonnes.[24] Other production plants include the PVC production plant in Crepaja with an annual capacity of 16,000 tonnes,[25] the polyethylene pipes and fittings plant in Pančevo with an annual capacity of 11,000 tonnes,[26] the chlorine-alkali electrolysis plant in Pančevo built under the licence of the Olin Corporation with an annual capacity of 200,000 tonnes,[27] a water treatment plant in Pančevo and a utility plant that produces energy fluids.
Market and financial data
In 2017, after years of insolvency, HIP-Petrohemija made record 341.48 million euros of net profit.[28][29] This tremendous trend turnover was achieved through debt write off and debt-to-shares conversion by the Government of Serbia.[28] In 2024, HIP-Petrohemija reported a loss of RSD7.7 billion, which increased to RSD10.3 billion in 2025.[16]