Newcastle Plant

 The Newcastle plant consists of two continuous tar distillation units and a naphthalene still. The site was chosen due to its proximity to the BHP Steelworks and because of its access to rail and sea transport. Ancillary facilities include a dedicated wharf, a large tank farm; a steam generating plant and a laboratory. Pitch for the aluminium industry is produced in liquid form. In this regard, Koppers Carbon Materials & Chemicals operates two sea tankers "Rathboyne" and "Asphalt Transporter which are able to carry product at up to 250 degrees Celsius. Crude tar is shipped from the steel-making centres at Whyalla (South Australia) and Port Kembla (NSW) and other feedstocks from overseas. Economies of scale are achieved by being able to treat the tar production from the above centres in a single plant