NPC's crystal melamine plant was officially opened on May 8, 2004. The inauguration ceremony was attended by first Vice President, Mohammad Reza Aref, petroleum minister, Bijan Namdar Zanganeh, deputy petroleum minister and NPC president, Mohammad Reza Nematzadeh, and a number of parliament deputies. The plant, a part of the Khorasan Petrochemical Complex (KHPC), is located in Bojnoord, northeast of Iran. It produces 20,000 tonne/year of crystal melamine. Half of the output from the plant is for export while the balance will be consumed by local downstream industries.



Product slate also includes 70,000 tonne/year of ammonium carbamate, which is a by-product. The melamine crystal facility was precommissioned in late December 2003 and commissioned in early February 2004. KHPC provides the plant with the feedstock including 12,240 tonne/year of ammonia and 70,000 tonne/year of urea. Utilities and offsite services, including electricity, steam, natural gas and cooling water are also supplied by KHPC.






Iran's first Vice President Mohammad Reza Aref says important steps forward have been taken to develop Iran's petrochemical industry since the past seven years. Speaking at the inaugural ceremony of KHPC melamine crystal plant, Aref said the developments show that the industry has made good progress.
He said the petrochemical industry was atop the government's plans in developing the industrial sector in the country. "Given the readily available skilled workforce and feedstock, renewed attention should be given to the petrochemical industry," Aref reiterated.
Also addressing the inauguration ceremony, Iranian Petroleum Minister Bijan Namdar Zanganeh, said the mission of the NPC was to exploit Iran's advantages to develop the country's petrochemical industry and assist the expansion of the industry's downstream sector. He said "Iran enjoys the advantage of low-cost feedstock position which generates added-value." Zanganeh noted that the value of the NPC's products was expected to reach $3.5bn of which $2bn would come from exports.