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Released on 25/11/12
A group of French companies, led by Total Oil, has announced plans to invest in a series of new joint petrochemical and industrial projects in Jubail Industrial City, Arab News has reported. Total and Saudi Aramco have already established a joint venture, Saudi Aramco Total Refining and Petrochemical Co (SATORP), in Jubail Industrial City II, which is in advanced stages of constructing one of the most complex refineries in the world. The JV is 62.5% owned by Saudi Aramco, while the remaining 37.5% is owned by Total
Source
A group of French companies, led by Total Oil, has announced plans to invest in a series of new joint petrochemical and industrial projects in Jubail Industrial City, Arab News has reported. Total and Saudi Aramco have already established a joint venture, Saudi Aramco Total Refining and Petrochemical Co (SATORP), in Jubail Industrial City II, which is in advanced stages of constructing one of the most complex refineries in the world. The JV is 62.5% owned by Saudi Aramco, while the remaining 37.5% is owned by Total
Source
Released on 08/12/12
Petroquimica de Venezuela (Pequiven) has completed scheduled maintenance at the Ana Maria Campos petrochemical complex in the northern state of Zulia, the company said on Friday.The maintenance focused on improving the infrastructure that loads and unloads petrochemical products, Pequiven said.The maintenance, which normally takes four months to complete, was completed in forty-two days, Pequiven said.Pequiven is the petrochemical arm of state-run oil company PDVSA.The company’s Ana Maria Campos complex produces ethane, propane, ethylene, ammonia, urea, chlorine, polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and vinyl chloride monomer (VCM).Local media reported last week that Pequiven planned to invest $7bn (€5bn) in petrochemical projects in 2012-2017.The company did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Source ICIS News
Petroquimica de Venezuela (Pequiven) has completed scheduled maintenance at the Ana Maria Campos petrochemical complex in the northern state of Zulia, the company said on Friday.The maintenance focused on improving the infrastructure that loads and unloads petrochemical products, Pequiven said.The maintenance, which normally takes four months to complete, was completed in forty-two days, Pequiven said.Pequiven is the petrochemical arm of state-run oil company PDVSA.The company’s Ana Maria Campos complex produces ethane, propane, ethylene, ammonia, urea, chlorine, polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and vinyl chloride monomer (VCM).Local media reported last week that Pequiven planned to invest $7bn (€5bn) in petrochemical projects in 2012-2017.The company did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Source ICIS News
Released on 26/11/12
OJSC PhosAgro plans to reduce production of diammonium phosphate (DAP) and Monoammonium Phosphate (MAP) in the first quarter of 2013 by 17% while also boosting production of complex fertilizers (NPK and NPS) by over 20% year-on-year, the company said.At the same time, total production of fertilizers in the first quarter will be held at the same level of the first quarter of this year.The company said that it forecasts an increase in demand for complex fertilizers on the domestic and outside markets at the start of 2013. Complex fertilizers, unlike DAP and MAP, have a wider sales market. PhosAgro hopes to become one the leading NPK producers in Russia by the end of this year.PhosAgro produces fertilizer with phosphate-content. The company's main production is phosphorus fertilizer, high-grade phosphate (PS025 concentrate 39% and over), as well as feed phosphates, nitrogenous fertilizers and ammonia.The OJSC PhosAgro group includes OJSC Apatit (RTS: APAT), OJSC Ammophos (RTS: AMMO), OJSC Cherepovets Azot (RTS: CHEA), CJSC Agro Cherepovets, LLC Balakovo Mineral Fertilizers, and LLC Metakhim.The company's nephelinic apatite ore reserves at fields under active development are estimated at 2.1 million tonnes (in accordance with JORC as of June 1, 2011), which ensures the group will phosphate material for production for over 75 years (based on current production levels). The company's ore base also includes significant alumina oxide reserves (A1203) and over 41% of Russia's rare-earth elements.
Interfax: Russia & CIS Business and Financial Newswire
OJSC PhosAgro plans to reduce production of diammonium phosphate (DAP) and Monoammonium Phosphate (MAP) in the first quarter of 2013 by 17% while also boosting production of complex fertilizers (NPK and NPS) by over 20% year-on-year, the company said.At the same time, total production of fertilizers in the first quarter will be held at the same level of the first quarter of this year.The company said that it forecasts an increase in demand for complex fertilizers on the domestic and outside markets at the start of 2013. Complex fertilizers, unlike DAP and MAP, have a wider sales market. PhosAgro hopes to become one the leading NPK producers in Russia by the end of this year.PhosAgro produces fertilizer with phosphate-content. The company's main production is phosphorus fertilizer, high-grade phosphate (PS025 concentrate 39% and over), as well as feed phosphates, nitrogenous fertilizers and ammonia.The OJSC PhosAgro group includes OJSC Apatit (RTS: APAT), OJSC Ammophos (RTS: AMMO), OJSC Cherepovets Azot (RTS: CHEA), CJSC Agro Cherepovets, LLC Balakovo Mineral Fertilizers, and LLC Metakhim.The company's nephelinic apatite ore reserves at fields under active development are estimated at 2.1 million tonnes (in accordance with JORC as of June 1, 2011), which ensures the group will phosphate material for production for over 75 years (based on current production levels). The company's ore base also includes significant alumina oxide reserves (A1203) and over 41% of Russia's rare-earth elements.
Interfax: Russia & CIS Business and Financial Newswire
06/12/12
Japanese producer Sumitomo Chemical is considering upgrading its sole 415,500 tonne/year naphtha cracker at Chiba in 2015, a company spokesman said on Thursday.“[Sumitomo Chemical] president [Masakazu Tokura] said at the press conference [in late November] that [the company] wants to restructure the Chiba chemical complex during the next turnaround in 2015,” the spokesman said.The president mentioned upgrading the cracker as part of the restructuring, she added.Details are likely to be disclosed when the company announces its next mid-term business plan in February 2013, she said.Sumitomo Chemical’s cracker is currently operating at a rate of 90%, according to the spokeswoman.The company's production capacity of ethylene totals 607,000 tonnes/year including the amount the producer offtakes from its 22% subsidiary, Keiyo Ethylene, the spokeswoman said.
SOURCE ICIS News
Japanese producer Sumitomo Chemical is considering upgrading its sole 415,500 tonne/year naphtha cracker at Chiba in 2015, a company spokesman said on Thursday.“[Sumitomo Chemical] president [Masakazu Tokura] said at the press conference [in late November] that [the company] wants to restructure the Chiba chemical complex during the next turnaround in 2015,” the spokesman said.The president mentioned upgrading the cracker as part of the restructuring, she added.Details are likely to be disclosed when the company announces its next mid-term business plan in February 2013, she said.Sumitomo Chemical’s cracker is currently operating at a rate of 90%, according to the spokeswoman.The company's production capacity of ethylene totals 607,000 tonnes/year including the amount the producer offtakes from its 22% subsidiary, Keiyo Ethylene, the spokeswoman said.
SOURCE ICIS News
14/12/12
By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Chemicals & Chemistry -- Munich / Dubai, - WACKER, the Munich-based chemical company, has expanded the service portfolio at its technical center in Dubai. The center of excellence located at the "Dubai Silicon Oasis" (DSO) technology park now also includes a dedicated laboratory for interior and exterior paints and coatings applications. The new lab comprises applications technology and test equipment for polymer dispersions needed as binders for interior architectural paints. A further focus is on silicone additives and binders for interior and exterior paints and coatings. The expansion not only enables WACKER to help its local customers develop new and tailor-made products for the strongly growing market for high-quality coatings. It also encourages the exchange of know-how and promotes internationally recognized quality standards in the region.The expansion was made necessary by the region's strong economic growth, particularly with regard to sophisticated paint and coating applications. This measure will help WACKER to further bolster its position as a leading producer for vinyl acetate-ethylene copolymer (VAE) dispersions and silicone additives and binders."The expansion of our technical center helps us to further strengthen our leading market position in the promising growth segment of paints and coatings in the Middle East", said Cyril Cisinski, Managing Direc-tor Wacker Chemicals Middle East, during the opening ceremony. The company therefore continues investing in its Dubai technical center to augment and refine its expertise in research and development, as well as its local applications technology and customer service. "Our technical center here in Dubai is top-notch equipped and unique in the region. Thus, we are setting new standards in service, advice and transfer of expertise, offering our customers and business partners considerable added value", explained Cisinski.The extended technical center will now also specifically support customers in the paints and coatings sector in developing new products and applications for the regional markets with regard to locally available raw materials and environmental conditions. The expansion has focused on VAE dispersions used, for instance, as binders for interior paints. The dispersions of the VINNAPAS(R) brand have an enormous application and performance range and can be formulated over a broad range of pigment volume concentrations. Specific dispersions are manufactured without the use of alkylphenol ethoxylates (APEO) or formaldehyde donors and enable the formulation of coatings without adding plasticizers or solvents, resulting in low odor coatings with a low content of volatile organic compounds.In addition, the technical center has extended its range of silicone additives and binders for paints and coatings applications. Silicone resin emulsion paints based on SILRES(R) BS, for example, rank among the most advanced facade coating systems: They are hydrophobic yet permeable to water vapor and are characterized by high hiding power and extreme long-life cycle. As environmentally-compatible raw materials, they thus actively contribute to preserving the value of every structure.By establishing the new paints and coatings lab, WACKER further sees itself well prepared to meet the growing demand for consulting and service for paints and coatings applications. WACKER is thus helping considerably to ensure and expand the availability of high-quality coating products in the Middle East. Moreover, WACKER's local experts are helping to formulate quality standards as well as to introduce economical and environmentally friendly technologies to the region.WACKER in DubaiWACKER set up a local subsidiary (Wacker Chemicals Middle East) in Dubai back in 2000 and has been operating its own sales office there since then. A technical center has been available to regional customers and partners since 2002. In 2009, WACKER moved to the "Dubai Silicon Oasis" technology park: Spanning nearly 13,000 m2, the new location houses technical labs as well as the offices of WACKER's subsidiary for the Middle East sales region. In spring 2010, WACKER further established a local branch of its international training and competence center, the WACKER ACADEMY, at its technical center Dubai. From Dubai, the subsidiary serves customers from the United Arab Emirates, the Middle East and Africa.
SOURCE Chemicals & Chemistry
By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Chemicals & Chemistry -- Munich / Dubai, - WACKER, the Munich-based chemical company, has expanded the service portfolio at its technical center in Dubai. The center of excellence located at the "Dubai Silicon Oasis" (DSO) technology park now also includes a dedicated laboratory for interior and exterior paints and coatings applications. The new lab comprises applications technology and test equipment for polymer dispersions needed as binders for interior architectural paints. A further focus is on silicone additives and binders for interior and exterior paints and coatings. The expansion not only enables WACKER to help its local customers develop new and tailor-made products for the strongly growing market for high-quality coatings. It also encourages the exchange of know-how and promotes internationally recognized quality standards in the region.The expansion was made necessary by the region's strong economic growth, particularly with regard to sophisticated paint and coating applications. This measure will help WACKER to further bolster its position as a leading producer for vinyl acetate-ethylene copolymer (VAE) dispersions and silicone additives and binders."The expansion of our technical center helps us to further strengthen our leading market position in the promising growth segment of paints and coatings in the Middle East", said Cyril Cisinski, Managing Direc-tor Wacker Chemicals Middle East, during the opening ceremony. The company therefore continues investing in its Dubai technical center to augment and refine its expertise in research and development, as well as its local applications technology and customer service. "Our technical center here in Dubai is top-notch equipped and unique in the region. Thus, we are setting new standards in service, advice and transfer of expertise, offering our customers and business partners considerable added value", explained Cisinski.The extended technical center will now also specifically support customers in the paints and coatings sector in developing new products and applications for the regional markets with regard to locally available raw materials and environmental conditions. The expansion has focused on VAE dispersions used, for instance, as binders for interior paints. The dispersions of the VINNAPAS(R) brand have an enormous application and performance range and can be formulated over a broad range of pigment volume concentrations. Specific dispersions are manufactured without the use of alkylphenol ethoxylates (APEO) or formaldehyde donors and enable the formulation of coatings without adding plasticizers or solvents, resulting in low odor coatings with a low content of volatile organic compounds.In addition, the technical center has extended its range of silicone additives and binders for paints and coatings applications. Silicone resin emulsion paints based on SILRES(R) BS, for example, rank among the most advanced facade coating systems: They are hydrophobic yet permeable to water vapor and are characterized by high hiding power and extreme long-life cycle. As environmentally-compatible raw materials, they thus actively contribute to preserving the value of every structure.By establishing the new paints and coatings lab, WACKER further sees itself well prepared to meet the growing demand for consulting and service for paints and coatings applications. WACKER is thus helping considerably to ensure and expand the availability of high-quality coating products in the Middle East. Moreover, WACKER's local experts are helping to formulate quality standards as well as to introduce economical and environmentally friendly technologies to the region.WACKER in DubaiWACKER set up a local subsidiary (Wacker Chemicals Middle East) in Dubai back in 2000 and has been operating its own sales office there since then. A technical center has been available to regional customers and partners since 2002. In 2009, WACKER moved to the "Dubai Silicon Oasis" technology park: Spanning nearly 13,000 m2, the new location houses technical labs as well as the offices of WACKER's subsidiary for the Middle East sales region. In spring 2010, WACKER further established a local branch of its international training and competence center, the WACKER ACADEMY, at its technical center Dubai. From Dubai, the subsidiary serves customers from the United Arab Emirates, the Middle East and Africa.
SOURCE Chemicals & Chemistry
01/08/12
Linde has won a contract to provide front-end engineering anddesign (FEED) services for Russian petrochemical firm Sibur's proposedglobal-scale ethylene facility in Tobolsk, Siberia. The plant willmanufacture about 1.5 M tonnes/y of ethylene, 500,000 tonnes/y of propeneand 100,000 tonnes/y of butadiene. Separately, Linde Engineering willconstruct an alpha-Sablin plant to produce linear alpha olefins (LAO) inNizhnekamsk, Russian Federation. The plant should start up by mid-2014,supplying 37,000 tonnes/y of LAOs with maximized production of C6 and C4fractions. Russian company Nizhnekamskneftekhim will operate the facility.Original Source: Chemistry and Industry (London), http://www.soci.org/,Copyright Society of Chemical Industry 2012.
ICIS News
Linde has won a contract to provide front-end engineering anddesign (FEED) services for Russian petrochemical firm Sibur's proposedglobal-scale ethylene facility in Tobolsk, Siberia. The plant willmanufacture about 1.5 M tonnes/y of ethylene, 500,000 tonnes/y of propeneand 100,000 tonnes/y of butadiene. Separately, Linde Engineering willconstruct an alpha-Sablin plant to produce linear alpha olefins (LAO) inNizhnekamsk, Russian Federation. The plant should start up by mid-2014,supplying 37,000 tonnes/y of LAOs with maximized production of C6 and C4fractions. Russian company Nizhnekamskneftekhim will operate the facility.Original Source: Chemistry and Industry (London), http://www.soci.org/,Copyright Society of Chemical Industry 2012.
ICIS News
06/12/12
ExxonMobil has shut down its Baton Rouge cracker in Louisiana, market sources said on Thursday, citing a process upset that resulted in flaring the previous day.An ExxonMobil spokesperson confirmed that the company had experienced an equipment malfunction at the site that resulted in brief flaring.But the spokesperson could not comment on the operational status of the unit other than to say that ExxonMobil continued to meet all contractual commitments for the chemical plant and refinery.The company has 1m tonnes/year of ethylene capacity in Baton Rouge.One market participant said the process upset at the plant resulted from a power outage.ExxonMobil also has a 175,000 tonne/year butadiene (BD) extraction unit at the site.
SOURCE ICIS News
ExxonMobil has shut down its Baton Rouge cracker in Louisiana, market sources said on Thursday, citing a process upset that resulted in flaring the previous day.An ExxonMobil spokesperson confirmed that the company had experienced an equipment malfunction at the site that resulted in brief flaring.But the spokesperson could not comment on the operational status of the unit other than to say that ExxonMobil continued to meet all contractual commitments for the chemical plant and refinery.The company has 1m tonnes/year of ethylene capacity in Baton Rouge.One market participant said the process upset at the plant resulted from a power outage.ExxonMobil also has a 175,000 tonne/year butadiene (BD) extraction unit at the site.
SOURCE ICIS News
03/12/12
USES Acetone's principal use is in acetone cyanohydrin, the precursor to methyl methacrylate (MMA) and methacrylic acid. Nearly all MMA is polymerised to produce homo- and copolymers. The second largest use is in bisphenol A (BPA).Acetone is also used directly as a solvent and to make others such as methyl isobutyl ketone (MIBK) and methyl isobutyl carbinol. Other uses include higher molecular-weight glycols and alcohols, pharmaceuticals and antioxidants. Acetone is also recycled to product isopropanol (IPA). The only producer doing this in Europe is Novapex at its facility in Roussillon, France.SUPPLY/DEMANDGrowth in Europe was set at around 3% for 2012, but this has not been revised down. Growth for the year is closer to 1.5%, according to some producers. The outlook for growth in 2013 is unclear but is set at around 1−2%.Demand for key derivatives, MMA and BPA has been on the decline since spring this year because of weak macroeconomic conditions, also stemming from a slowdown in the construction and automotive sectors globally.Lack of export demand to Asia and the threat of cheap Asian imports entering Europe have also weighed on downstream markets, particularly BPA. Demand for the solvents market has been flat for much of 2012 and buying preferences of downstream customers have been on a hand-to-mouth basis.Pharmaceutical demand, meanwhile, remains steady since this sector is less impacted by poor economic conditions.Acetone demand does not determine phenol production; it is phenol demand that determines how much acetone is produced. For every tonne of phenol made, 0.62 tonnes of acetone is produced as a by-product.Demand for phenol in Europe has been declining since the spring. Phenol producers visibly started cutting operating rates in July. As a result, acetone availability declined, but this was largely counterbalanced by lower demand from downstream markets.PRICESAcetone MMA contract prices during 2012 mirrored price movements in the propylene market. While propylene and benzene are the main feeds for phenol/acetone production, propylene remains a precursor for acetone contract price developments. Contract prices peaked in April declining to a 2012 low in July and have mirrored propylene price developments since.Meanwhile, the acetone spot market continued to act independently to propylene price developments, reacting more closely to supply and demand dynamics.Acetone spot prices experienced a rise of about 75% during the first quarter spurred on by better-than-expected demand and planned and unplanned outages across Europe.After peaking at €1,150−1,250/tonne FD NWE in March, spot prices declined just as quickly, hitting a low of €740−800/tonne in July, before gaining some upward momentum. The same trend in acetone spot prices was seen in March 2010 and March 2011.TECHNOLOGYNearly 90% of acetone is produced via the cumene route. South African producer Sasol makes acetone via coal and produces it in Secunda, South Africa.OUTLOOKThe major challenge for the industry has always been the rising surplus of acetone and this is not expected to go away soon, particularly in light of new capacities coming on-stream in Asia in 2013 and 2014.However, the surplus story might not surface for a while or at least until demand for phenol starts to improve not only in Europe, but globally. Also, the arbitrage from Europe and Asia needs to open for material to start flowing again.According to statistics office Eurostat, between January to August 2011, close to 50,000 tonnes of phenol was exported to China, while in the same period this year that figure was closer to 28,000 tonnes.Acetone exports from Europe to China also fell. Between January and August 2011, about 55,000 tonnes of acetone was exported. During the same period this year that figure was around 35,000 tonnes. If demand for key phenol derivatives such as polycarbonates does not rise, phenol operating rates will be low, which means acetone output will remain low.This could be a challenge for major buyers of acetone for MMA production, which might not be able to secure all the volumes needed. Another concern is the high costs of feedstocks benzene and propylene, which many industry sources believe will remain inflated.Producers will continue to make on-demand and consumers will buy hand-to-mouth, as long as the global market remains economically uncertain. A major buyer of phenol and acetone believes 2012 has shown that producers and consumers have got used to running plants at low levels and will still do so in 2013.For more news and information on acetone, its derivative products and hundreds of other chemical, visit our database at icis.comEUROPE ACETONE CAPACITY'000 TONNES/year
ICIS News
USES Acetone's principal use is in acetone cyanohydrin, the precursor to methyl methacrylate (MMA) and methacrylic acid. Nearly all MMA is polymerised to produce homo- and copolymers. The second largest use is in bisphenol A (BPA).Acetone is also used directly as a solvent and to make others such as methyl isobutyl ketone (MIBK) and methyl isobutyl carbinol. Other uses include higher molecular-weight glycols and alcohols, pharmaceuticals and antioxidants. Acetone is also recycled to product isopropanol (IPA). The only producer doing this in Europe is Novapex at its facility in Roussillon, France.SUPPLY/DEMANDGrowth in Europe was set at around 3% for 2012, but this has not been revised down. Growth for the year is closer to 1.5%, according to some producers. The outlook for growth in 2013 is unclear but is set at around 1−2%.Demand for key derivatives, MMA and BPA has been on the decline since spring this year because of weak macroeconomic conditions, also stemming from a slowdown in the construction and automotive sectors globally.Lack of export demand to Asia and the threat of cheap Asian imports entering Europe have also weighed on downstream markets, particularly BPA. Demand for the solvents market has been flat for much of 2012 and buying preferences of downstream customers have been on a hand-to-mouth basis.Pharmaceutical demand, meanwhile, remains steady since this sector is less impacted by poor economic conditions.Acetone demand does not determine phenol production; it is phenol demand that determines how much acetone is produced. For every tonne of phenol made, 0.62 tonnes of acetone is produced as a by-product.Demand for phenol in Europe has been declining since the spring. Phenol producers visibly started cutting operating rates in July. As a result, acetone availability declined, but this was largely counterbalanced by lower demand from downstream markets.PRICESAcetone MMA contract prices during 2012 mirrored price movements in the propylene market. While propylene and benzene are the main feeds for phenol/acetone production, propylene remains a precursor for acetone contract price developments. Contract prices peaked in April declining to a 2012 low in July and have mirrored propylene price developments since.Meanwhile, the acetone spot market continued to act independently to propylene price developments, reacting more closely to supply and demand dynamics.Acetone spot prices experienced a rise of about 75% during the first quarter spurred on by better-than-expected demand and planned and unplanned outages across Europe.After peaking at €1,150−1,250/tonne FD NWE in March, spot prices declined just as quickly, hitting a low of €740−800/tonne in July, before gaining some upward momentum. The same trend in acetone spot prices was seen in March 2010 and March 2011.TECHNOLOGYNearly 90% of acetone is produced via the cumene route. South African producer Sasol makes acetone via coal and produces it in Secunda, South Africa.OUTLOOKThe major challenge for the industry has always been the rising surplus of acetone and this is not expected to go away soon, particularly in light of new capacities coming on-stream in Asia in 2013 and 2014.However, the surplus story might not surface for a while or at least until demand for phenol starts to improve not only in Europe, but globally. Also, the arbitrage from Europe and Asia needs to open for material to start flowing again.According to statistics office Eurostat, between January to August 2011, close to 50,000 tonnes of phenol was exported to China, while in the same period this year that figure was closer to 28,000 tonnes.Acetone exports from Europe to China also fell. Between January and August 2011, about 55,000 tonnes of acetone was exported. During the same period this year that figure was around 35,000 tonnes. If demand for key phenol derivatives such as polycarbonates does not rise, phenol operating rates will be low, which means acetone output will remain low.This could be a challenge for major buyers of acetone for MMA production, which might not be able to secure all the volumes needed. Another concern is the high costs of feedstocks benzene and propylene, which many industry sources believe will remain inflated.Producers will continue to make on-demand and consumers will buy hand-to-mouth, as long as the global market remains economically uncertain. A major buyer of phenol and acetone believes 2012 has shown that producers and consumers have got used to running plants at low levels and will still do so in 2013.For more news and information on acetone, its derivative products and hundreds of other chemical, visit our database at icis.comEUROPE ACETONE CAPACITY'000 TONNES/year
ICIS News
06/12/12
China’s Tianjin Lugang Petroleum Rubber has raised its 100,000 tonne/year styrene butadiene rubber (SBR) plant's operating rate to 100% from 50% earlier this month on lower feedstock butadiene (BD) cost, a company source said on Thursday.Domestic BD prices in China decreased by yuan (CNY) 3,550-3,650/tonne ($570-586/tonne) to CNY11,350-11,450/tonne ($1,820-1,839/tonne) ex-warehouse (EXWH) on 5 December from 1 November, according to Chemease, an ICIS service in China.The plant in Tianjin, which consists of two 50,000 tonne/year lines, produces non-oil grade 1502, non-oil grade 1500 and oil-extended grade 1712, the source added.Tianjin Lugang Petroleum Rubber is a privately owned rubber producer based in Tianjin, northern China.
SOURCE ICIS News
China’s Tianjin Lugang Petroleum Rubber has raised its 100,000 tonne/year styrene butadiene rubber (SBR) plant's operating rate to 100% from 50% earlier this month on lower feedstock butadiene (BD) cost, a company source said on Thursday.Domestic BD prices in China decreased by yuan (CNY) 3,550-3,650/tonne ($570-586/tonne) to CNY11,350-11,450/tonne ($1,820-1,839/tonne) ex-warehouse (EXWH) on 5 December from 1 November, according to Chemease, an ICIS service in China.The plant in Tianjin, which consists of two 50,000 tonne/year lines, produces non-oil grade 1502, non-oil grade 1500 and oil-extended grade 1712, the source added.Tianjin Lugang Petroleum Rubber is a privately owned rubber producer based in Tianjin, northern China.
SOURCE ICIS News
06/12/12
Is Europe’s drive for ‘greener’ and cheaper plastics a genuine threat to the production of prime, or virgin acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS), or just an attractive alternative for those looking to take steps to help reduce their environmental impact or keep costs down?In a world of super storms and flash flooding, it might seem to some that global warming and climate change is a very real and present danger. Taking any actions, no matter how small, to reduce emissions and work with cleaner materials is usually close to the top of any major plastics producers' ‘to do’ list.One company working to actively tackle the issue of more environmentally friendly alternatives to ABS is Germany-based producer BASF.Working in partnership with Korean manufacturing giant Siemens, along with Munich Technical University, and the University of Hamburg, BASF have produced a ‘greener’ plastic that could become an alternative to ABS in the future.As part of a three-year project funded by the German Research Ministry, BASF and Siemens’ new “greener” polymer has similar properties to ABS, according to information on Siemens’ website.The new polymer uses a mixture containing polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB), which is made from renewable raw materials such as palm oil and starch. To give the polymer its flexibility (a quality that ABS is valued for), BASF’s polypropylene carbonate (PPC) is added, which consists of 43% carbon dioxide (by weight), which is obtained from power plant emissions using a separation process.To demonstrate the commercial potential of the new polymer as an alternative to ABS, Bosch-Siemens-Hausgerate (BSH) successfully made a vacuum cleaner cover under series-production conditions.Siemens’ researchers now want to work with BASF and BSH to evaluate the potential of replacing other plastics with CO2-based composite materials. If successful, this new polymer could become a viable alternative to prime ABS, reducing reliance on feedstock styrene as well as finding a useful home for CO2 emissions.However, even this more environmentally friendly ABS alternative still poses some environmental concerns. Comments posted in response to a Design News article question the use of palm oil in the production of the new polymer, highlighting the detrimental effect that the harvesting of palm oil has on areas of tropical forests.While Siemens’ new polymer may cut down on styrene usage whilst recycling CO2 emissions, it could potentially cause concern in other environmentally sensitive areas.Using one harmful alternative to replace another could raise questions if the polymer ever goes to market as a viable alternative to prime ABS, and could damage its ‘green’ image. A second avenue of exploration that ABS consumers are actively going down in the European market is the use of recycled ABS in place of prime. Recycled ABS has been available in Europe for some time, being used by manufacturers to replace extrusion and injection moulding ABS grades. “[Recycled ABS] is open to any industry. Anyone that’s using prime ABS can use recycled,” Simon Calladine of UK-based waste plastic recycling specialists My PC Compounds Ltd. said. As well as reducing waste and reusing old ABS, recycled product gives buyers the added bonus of saving up to approximately 20% off prime ABS prices, according to Calladine. Buyers expect to see some discount compared to prime to account for the ‘hassle’ of purchasing and using recycled product, Calladine added. Prime injection moulding natural grade ABS is currently priced at €2,255-2,310/tonne ($2,967-3,039/tonne) FD (free delivered) NWE (northwest Europe), and extrusion grade natural €2,180-2,310/tonne FD NWE, according to ICIS. European ABS recycling tends to be a localised affair. Converters are establishing their own collection systems with their customers, arranging for collection of waste product within certain catchment areas, according to one European ABS producer. At present, there is no established Europe-wide collection and recycling scheme available for ABS. Due to the nature of the recycled material, recycled ABS tends to find its use in parts that do not require the aesthetic value that prime ABS gives, or in non-critical or design-heavy areas, such as car door handles.As a recycled polymer, however, there are limitations to ABS use. Certain industries, such as food packaging, specify hygiene and safety requirements that only prime ABS can give. In addition, colouring recycled ABS presents challenges. Recycled ABS is largely black in colour. According to Calladine, it is hard to add colour to recycled ABS at the masterbatch stage of processing, which limits the products it can be used in.Calladine adds that demand for recycled product, in the UK at least, was buoyant until recent months, when demand dropped off slightly, perhaps mirroring that of prime ABS. In November, virgin ABS saw 20-30% drop in demand, month-on-month compared with October, some European compounders said, because of drops in production in end-use markets such as the automotive industry. It is unlikely that recycled ABS would pose a direct threat to prime grade ABS, mainly as the former can only come from the latter, and also down to quality and technical specifications limitations, like in food packaging as previously mentioned.Going forward, there is no reason why prices of recycled ABS could not appear alongside that of prime if it the popularity of recycled product continues to grow. Price ranges, though, would have to be carefully considered due the diversity of specification recycled ABS can offer, Calladine cautioned. In the current economic climate, it is pricing rather than environmental factors that pose the biggest challenges to ABS in the shape of cheaper prime polymer alternatives. When asked what the biggest challenge to the European prime ABS market currently is, buyers and sellers agreed that competition is coming direct from other plastics, mainly polypropylene (PP) and polystyrene (PS). “White goods [producers] are always interested in using recycled ABS, but the bigger threat is coming from total replacement to PP. PP is a much more fragmented market,” a compounder and distributor of ABS said, giving buyers a wider range of sellers to choose from, compared to the relatively small number of producers of ABS. Once again, however, the quality and aesthetic finish of ABS verse that of PS or PP will ensure there is always a market for prime ABS, regardless of price. As players in the world of ABS work to come up with greener, and in terms of cost, leaner alternatives to prime grade product, it seems that for now, at least, virgin ABS still has a place in the market that only it can fill.
SOURCE ICIS News
Is Europe’s drive for ‘greener’ and cheaper plastics a genuine threat to the production of prime, or virgin acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS), or just an attractive alternative for those looking to take steps to help reduce their environmental impact or keep costs down?In a world of super storms and flash flooding, it might seem to some that global warming and climate change is a very real and present danger. Taking any actions, no matter how small, to reduce emissions and work with cleaner materials is usually close to the top of any major plastics producers' ‘to do’ list.One company working to actively tackle the issue of more environmentally friendly alternatives to ABS is Germany-based producer BASF.Working in partnership with Korean manufacturing giant Siemens, along with Munich Technical University, and the University of Hamburg, BASF have produced a ‘greener’ plastic that could become an alternative to ABS in the future.As part of a three-year project funded by the German Research Ministry, BASF and Siemens’ new “greener” polymer has similar properties to ABS, according to information on Siemens’ website.The new polymer uses a mixture containing polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB), which is made from renewable raw materials such as palm oil and starch. To give the polymer its flexibility (a quality that ABS is valued for), BASF’s polypropylene carbonate (PPC) is added, which consists of 43% carbon dioxide (by weight), which is obtained from power plant emissions using a separation process.To demonstrate the commercial potential of the new polymer as an alternative to ABS, Bosch-Siemens-Hausgerate (BSH) successfully made a vacuum cleaner cover under series-production conditions.Siemens’ researchers now want to work with BASF and BSH to evaluate the potential of replacing other plastics with CO2-based composite materials. If successful, this new polymer could become a viable alternative to prime ABS, reducing reliance on feedstock styrene as well as finding a useful home for CO2 emissions.However, even this more environmentally friendly ABS alternative still poses some environmental concerns. Comments posted in response to a Design News article question the use of palm oil in the production of the new polymer, highlighting the detrimental effect that the harvesting of palm oil has on areas of tropical forests.While Siemens’ new polymer may cut down on styrene usage whilst recycling CO2 emissions, it could potentially cause concern in other environmentally sensitive areas.Using one harmful alternative to replace another could raise questions if the polymer ever goes to market as a viable alternative to prime ABS, and could damage its ‘green’ image. A second avenue of exploration that ABS consumers are actively going down in the European market is the use of recycled ABS in place of prime. Recycled ABS has been available in Europe for some time, being used by manufacturers to replace extrusion and injection moulding ABS grades. “[Recycled ABS] is open to any industry. Anyone that’s using prime ABS can use recycled,” Simon Calladine of UK-based waste plastic recycling specialists My PC Compounds Ltd. said. As well as reducing waste and reusing old ABS, recycled product gives buyers the added bonus of saving up to approximately 20% off prime ABS prices, according to Calladine. Buyers expect to see some discount compared to prime to account for the ‘hassle’ of purchasing and using recycled product, Calladine added. Prime injection moulding natural grade ABS is currently priced at €2,255-2,310/tonne ($2,967-3,039/tonne) FD (free delivered) NWE (northwest Europe), and extrusion grade natural €2,180-2,310/tonne FD NWE, according to ICIS. European ABS recycling tends to be a localised affair. Converters are establishing their own collection systems with their customers, arranging for collection of waste product within certain catchment areas, according to one European ABS producer. At present, there is no established Europe-wide collection and recycling scheme available for ABS. Due to the nature of the recycled material, recycled ABS tends to find its use in parts that do not require the aesthetic value that prime ABS gives, or in non-critical or design-heavy areas, such as car door handles.As a recycled polymer, however, there are limitations to ABS use. Certain industries, such as food packaging, specify hygiene and safety requirements that only prime ABS can give. In addition, colouring recycled ABS presents challenges. Recycled ABS is largely black in colour. According to Calladine, it is hard to add colour to recycled ABS at the masterbatch stage of processing, which limits the products it can be used in.Calladine adds that demand for recycled product, in the UK at least, was buoyant until recent months, when demand dropped off slightly, perhaps mirroring that of prime ABS. In November, virgin ABS saw 20-30% drop in demand, month-on-month compared with October, some European compounders said, because of drops in production in end-use markets such as the automotive industry. It is unlikely that recycled ABS would pose a direct threat to prime grade ABS, mainly as the former can only come from the latter, and also down to quality and technical specifications limitations, like in food packaging as previously mentioned.Going forward, there is no reason why prices of recycled ABS could not appear alongside that of prime if it the popularity of recycled product continues to grow. Price ranges, though, would have to be carefully considered due the diversity of specification recycled ABS can offer, Calladine cautioned. In the current economic climate, it is pricing rather than environmental factors that pose the biggest challenges to ABS in the shape of cheaper prime polymer alternatives. When asked what the biggest challenge to the European prime ABS market currently is, buyers and sellers agreed that competition is coming direct from other plastics, mainly polypropylene (PP) and polystyrene (PS). “White goods [producers] are always interested in using recycled ABS, but the bigger threat is coming from total replacement to PP. PP is a much more fragmented market,” a compounder and distributor of ABS said, giving buyers a wider range of sellers to choose from, compared to the relatively small number of producers of ABS. Once again, however, the quality and aesthetic finish of ABS verse that of PS or PP will ensure there is always a market for prime ABS, regardless of price. As players in the world of ABS work to come up with greener, and in terms of cost, leaner alternatives to prime grade product, it seems that for now, at least, virgin ABS still has a place in the market that only it can fill.
SOURCE ICIS News
06/12/12
Taiwan’s CPC Corp will reduce the operating rate of its 385,000 tonne/year No 4 naphtha cracker in Linyuan after mid-December in line with a turnaround at its downstream styrene monomer (SM) plant, a company official said on Thursday.“We may reduce the operating rate of the No 4 cracker in Linyuan after mid-December, in line with the one-month turnaround at the downstream styrene monomer plant,” the official said, adding that the extent of the cut has yet to be confirmed.The No 4 cracker and the company’s 500,000 tonne/year No 5 cracker at Kaohsiung are currently operating at 100% capacity, he added.
SOURCE ICIS News
Taiwan’s CPC Corp will reduce the operating rate of its 385,000 tonne/year No 4 naphtha cracker in Linyuan after mid-December in line with a turnaround at its downstream styrene monomer (SM) plant, a company official said on Thursday.“We may reduce the operating rate of the No 4 cracker in Linyuan after mid-December, in line with the one-month turnaround at the downstream styrene monomer plant,” the official said, adding that the extent of the cut has yet to be confirmed.The No 4 cracker and the company’s 500,000 tonne/year No 5 cracker at Kaohsiung are currently operating at 100% capacity, he added.
SOURCE ICIS News
05/12/20114/12/12
China’s TSRC-UBE (Nantong) Chemical Industrial is running its 72,000 tonne/year butadiene rubber (BR) plant at around 80% of capacity after it restarted the plant on 23 November, a company source said on Wednesday.The plant, located at Nantong in Jiangsu province, was shut on 5 November for one month of maintenance initially.The plant was restarted earlier than scheduled because feedstock butadiene (BD) prices were low in late November, the source added.The comapny, a major BR producer in Jiangsu province, is a joint venture between Taiwan Synthetic Rubber Corp (TSRC), which owns a 55% stake, and Japanese firms Ube Industries (25%) and Marubeni (20%).
SOURCE ICIS News
China’s TSRC-UBE (Nantong) Chemical Industrial is running its 72,000 tonne/year butadiene rubber (BR) plant at around 80% of capacity after it restarted the plant on 23 November, a company source said on Wednesday.The plant, located at Nantong in Jiangsu province, was shut on 5 November for one month of maintenance initially.The plant was restarted earlier than scheduled because feedstock butadiene (BD) prices were low in late November, the source added.The comapny, a major BR producer in Jiangsu province, is a joint venture between Taiwan Synthetic Rubber Corp (TSRC), which owns a 55% stake, and Japanese firms Ube Industries (25%) and Marubeni (20%).
SOURCE ICIS News
05/12/12
Japanese chemical producer Showa Denko plans to continue to operate its 690,000 tonne/year naphtha cracker in Oita at a rate of 90% throughout 2013, the company said on Wednesday.“The current operating rate is 90% because we have reduced production [of ethylene] since the fourth quarter of 2011. Considering next year’s [expected] demand, we feel it would be still too early to bring it to 100%,” a spokesman said.Showa Denko announced on Wednesday its financial outlook and strategic business plan for 2013.As part of the plan, the company intends to upgrade its 190,000 tonne/year styrene monomer (SM) plant at Oita, which is run by NS Styrene Monomer – a joint venture between Showa Denko and Nippon Steel & Sumikin Chemical – by mid-2013, it said in an official statement.This will not change the plant’s capacity, but it will increase the unit’s energy efficiency to make product more cost-competitive, the official said.Its remaining 230,000 tonne/year SM plant at the same site will not undergo an upgrade, the official added.Showa Denko also plans to newly develop its own technology to produce butadiene (BD) from acetaldehyde as a feedstock in 2013.Meanwhile, Showa Denko predicts its full-year net profit to decline by 41% to yen (Y) 10bn ($122m) in 2012 from 2011, and operating profit to be Y32bn, a 32% decrease from the previous year, the company said.The producer forecast its net sales to fall by 12% year on year to Y750bn in 2012, it said.Showa Denko expects its full-year net profit in 2013 to be Y15bn, and operating profit to increase slightly to Y35bn, the company said.Its net sales are predicted to reach Y800bn in 2013, the producer said.Showa Denko plans to announce its official financial results forecast for 2013 in February, it said.
SOURCE ICIS News
Japanese chemical producer Showa Denko plans to continue to operate its 690,000 tonne/year naphtha cracker in Oita at a rate of 90% throughout 2013, the company said on Wednesday.“The current operating rate is 90% because we have reduced production [of ethylene] since the fourth quarter of 2011. Considering next year’s [expected] demand, we feel it would be still too early to bring it to 100%,” a spokesman said.Showa Denko announced on Wednesday its financial outlook and strategic business plan for 2013.As part of the plan, the company intends to upgrade its 190,000 tonne/year styrene monomer (SM) plant at Oita, which is run by NS Styrene Monomer – a joint venture between Showa Denko and Nippon Steel & Sumikin Chemical – by mid-2013, it said in an official statement.This will not change the plant’s capacity, but it will increase the unit’s energy efficiency to make product more cost-competitive, the official said.Its remaining 230,000 tonne/year SM plant at the same site will not undergo an upgrade, the official added.Showa Denko also plans to newly develop its own technology to produce butadiene (BD) from acetaldehyde as a feedstock in 2013.Meanwhile, Showa Denko predicts its full-year net profit to decline by 41% to yen (Y) 10bn ($122m) in 2012 from 2011, and operating profit to be Y32bn, a 32% decrease from the previous year, the company said.The producer forecast its net sales to fall by 12% year on year to Y750bn in 2012, it said.Showa Denko expects its full-year net profit in 2013 to be Y15bn, and operating profit to increase slightly to Y35bn, the company said.Its net sales are predicted to reach Y800bn in 2013, the producer said.Showa Denko plans to announce its official financial results forecast for 2013 in February, it said.
SOURCE ICIS News
| 13/11/2012 |
SAMPLE Japan's Maruzen Petrochemical Co Ltd said on Tuesday it plans to shut its sole naphtha cracker in Chiba, east of Tokyo, on Thursday as part of repair work on a secondary unit. Maruzen Petrochemical, which is 40 percent owned by Cosmo Oil Co group, plans to restart the cracker, which has capacity to produce 525,000 tonnes per year of ethylene, on Nov. 20, a company spokesman said. The company will conduct repair work on a cooling system of the secondary unit, prompting a need for the cracker to be shut, the spokesman said. The brief shutdown will have no impact on its product supply to its customers, he added.
| 13/11/2012 |
SAMPLE Bayer CropScience’s vision for its campus here includes constructing a second high-tech greenhouse and a new research-and-development building for its rapidly expanding seeds business.“It’s not yet firm, but it is in the planning stage,” Mathias Kremer, head of the company’s global seeds business, said in an interview Tuesday. “We are considering quite a lot of investment here, over the next five to 10 years especially.”