Site

The Complejo Petroquímico Pajaritos site is an industrial complex operated by Petroquímica Mexicana de Vinilo S.A. de C.V. (PMV), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Orbia (via Mexichem Derivados), located at Km. 7.5 Carretera Coatzacoalcos–Villahermosa, Coatzacoalcos, Veracruz, Mexico. The Pajaritos complex is Mexico's oldest petrochemical complex, inaugurated on 18 March 1967 under Pemex ownership, covering approximately 99 hectares. PMV assumed operations of the site from 2013, when Mexichem (now Orbia) formed a joint venture with PEMEX Etileno, and took full ownership in July 2018 following acquisition of Pemex's remaining stake.

The site currently operates a chlor-alkali unit (diaphragm cell process) producing chlorine, caustic soda (NaOH), sodium hypochlorite, and hydrochloric acid (HCl), as well as an ethylene steam cracker with a design capacity of approximately 184,000–185,000 t/yr.

The Clorados III VCM and PVC unit — which had a target capacity of 450,000 t/yr following a 2003 reconfiguration investment of US$2.5 billion — was permanently shut down after a catastrophic explosion on 20 April 2016 killed 32 contractors and damaged the VCM plant, resulting in a force majeure declaration; it has not been rebuilt. The Pajaritos complex forms part of the broader Complejo Petroquímico Morelos regional cluster alongside La Cangrejera, Cosoleacaque, and the Morelos complex, which together represent the historic center of Mexico's petrochemical industry.