CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – LyondellBasell, one of the world’s largest plastics, chemical and refining companies, is pleased to announce Michael Middleton has been appointed as the new site manager for its Corpus Christi manufacturing complex. The previous site manager, Alicia Matus, has been selected as Lyondellbasell’s new director of Global Operational Excellence, Process Safety and Quality and will work both at the corporate headquarters in Houston and in Corpus Christi.
Middleton has 28 years of experience in petrochemical manufacturing and has worked for LyondellBasell and predecessor company Equistar for the past 27 years. Prior to assuming his new role in Corpus Christi, Middleton was the operations manager for LyondellBasell’s La Porte Complex. Other roles within the company include operations, engineering and maintenance management. Middleton, who is originally from Tuscola, Ill., earned a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign in 1993.
LyondellBasell’s Corpus Christi Complex has approximately 370 employees and contractors and produces ethylene and propylene which is used to make items such as food packaging, personal care products, automotive parts, construction and roofing materials and large household appliances. The site contributes an estimated $223 million in annual economic impact and was recognized in 2020 by American Fuels and Petrochemical Manufacturers with the Silver Elite Award, one of the industry’s highest safety honors.