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Released on 03/01/13
United Arab Emirates’ (UAE) Borouge plans to shut its 1.5m tonne/year ethane cracker and derivative plants in Ruwais at the end of the week for a turnaround, a company spokesman said on Thursday.
The turnaround for the Borouge 2 complex is expected to last around one and a half months, he said, without providing specific dates.
Derivative plants at the site include a 540,000 tonne/year polyethylene (PE) plant and an 800,000 tonne/year polypropylene (PP) facility.
The spokesman had said earlier that the Borouge 1 complex in Ruwais would undergo maintenance last December but did not comment on the restart date of the facilities.
The complex houses a 600,000 tonne/year ethane cracker and two lines of linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE) – each with a nameplate capacity of 300,000 tonnes/year.
Borouge is a joint venture between Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (Adnoc) and Austria’s Borealis
Source ICIS News
United Arab Emirates’ (UAE) Borouge plans to shut its 1.5m tonne/year ethane cracker and derivative plants in Ruwais at the end of the week for a turnaround, a company spokesman said on Thursday.
The turnaround for the Borouge 2 complex is expected to last around one and a half months, he said, without providing specific dates.
Derivative plants at the site include a 540,000 tonne/year polyethylene (PE) plant and an 800,000 tonne/year polypropylene (PP) facility.
The spokesman had said earlier that the Borouge 1 complex in Ruwais would undergo maintenance last December but did not comment on the restart date of the facilities.
The complex houses a 600,000 tonne/year ethane cracker and two lines of linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE) – each with a nameplate capacity of 300,000 tonnes/year.
Borouge is a joint venture between Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (Adnoc) and Austria’s Borealis
Source ICIS News
Released on 02/01/13
Force majeure has been declared on butadiene (BD) production from Naphtachimie’s unit in Lavera, France, following an incident at the associated cracker, sources at the plant’s co-owners said on Wednesday.
The Naphtachimie cracker, which has a nameplate capacity of 120,000 tonnes/year of BD, 775,000 tonnes/year of ethylene and 540,000 tonnes/year of propylene, is joint-owned by INEOS and Total.
An INEOS spokesman said that the Naphtachemie cracker had experienced a technical issue on the afternoon of 22 December which affected one of the main compressors, leading to a complete shutdown of the facility.
There were no casualties or environmental impact, the spokesman said, but a “range of products manufactured at the facility could be impacted for up to four weeks.”
A source at Total confirmed that force majeure had been declared on BD, but declined to provide any further details.
A local media report said there had been a fire on an oil compressor at the cracker.
No confirmation of the force majeure was received from INEOS.
Source ICIS News
Force majeure has been declared on butadiene (BD) production from Naphtachimie’s unit in Lavera, France, following an incident at the associated cracker, sources at the plant’s co-owners said on Wednesday.
The Naphtachimie cracker, which has a nameplate capacity of 120,000 tonnes/year of BD, 775,000 tonnes/year of ethylene and 540,000 tonnes/year of propylene, is joint-owned by INEOS and Total.
An INEOS spokesman said that the Naphtachemie cracker had experienced a technical issue on the afternoon of 22 December which affected one of the main compressors, leading to a complete shutdown of the facility.
There were no casualties or environmental impact, the spokesman said, but a “range of products manufactured at the facility could be impacted for up to four weeks.”
A source at Total confirmed that force majeure had been declared on BD, but declined to provide any further details.
A local media report said there had been a fire on an oil compressor at the cracker.
No confirmation of the force majeure was received from INEOS.
Source ICIS News
Released on 17/12/12
Kuraray Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; President: Fumio Ito; hereinafter "Kuraray") has announced its decision to expand the liquid rubber production capacity at its Kashima Plant. Through this facility enhancement, Kuraray aims to meet demand for liquid rubber, which is robustly growing for such applications as performance tires.
Background Leading to the Decision to Expand the Production Capacity
When used in tire production, liquid rubber improves the process-ability of tire materials without much deterioration of mechanical properties because of its crosslink-ability to rubbers. Also, liquid rubber may enhance tire performance such as grip performance and fuel economy. Given these factors, Kuraray expects that demand for liquid rubber will grow. In addition, in line with its growth strategies, Kuraray aims to expand its isoprene-derivatives business, which is one of the Kuraray Group's core businesses. Simultaneously, Kuraray is promoting the development of an innovative, bio-based Liquid Farnesene Rubber (LFR) for tire applications that it intends for full-scale release. Taking into consideration the aforementioned factors, Kuraray has concluded that its liquid rubber production capacity must be strengthened.
Source Official Press Release
Kuraray Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; President: Fumio Ito; hereinafter "Kuraray") has announced its decision to expand the liquid rubber production capacity at its Kashima Plant. Through this facility enhancement, Kuraray aims to meet demand for liquid rubber, which is robustly growing for such applications as performance tires.
Background Leading to the Decision to Expand the Production Capacity
When used in tire production, liquid rubber improves the process-ability of tire materials without much deterioration of mechanical properties because of its crosslink-ability to rubbers. Also, liquid rubber may enhance tire performance such as grip performance and fuel economy. Given these factors, Kuraray expects that demand for liquid rubber will grow. In addition, in line with its growth strategies, Kuraray aims to expand its isoprene-derivatives business, which is one of the Kuraray Group's core businesses. Simultaneously, Kuraray is promoting the development of an innovative, bio-based Liquid Farnesene Rubber (LFR) for tire applications that it intends for full-scale release. Taking into consideration the aforementioned factors, Kuraray has concluded that its liquid rubber production capacity must be strengthened.
Source Official Press Release
Released on 21/12/12
Synthetic Rubbers Research and Development Centre has been established at SIBUR to become the main platform for the Company's synthetic rubbers research and development.
The new R&D Centre is designed to facilitate exploration with high implementation risks to ensure sustained innovations excellence in the market. In addition to fostering SIBUR's technology competencies in synthetic rubbers, the Centre will also engage in commercialising SIBUR’s synthetic rubber innovations, helping to prepare process design packages for further licensing and contributing to joint development programmes and production engineering.
Previously, synthetic rubbers R&D used to be carried out at the NIOST Laboratory for Synthetic Rubbers. The new R&D centre, as well as NIOST, SIBUR’s corporate scientific centre for chemical technologies, will participate in building and implementing research and development programmes along with advanced scientific and engineering activities. With the stand-alone rubbers R&D Centre set up, SIBUR’s R&D structure is now complete.
SIBUR’s Divisions and SIBUR Technologies Centre act as internal customers, providing the pipeline of R&D orders. In cooperation with NIOST, Synthetic Rubbers Research and Development Centre will engage in research and development of rubbers and polymers. The Tolyattisintez and Tomsk-Neftekhim R&D Centres are responsible for process improvement and on-site production support.
The new Synthetic Rubbers R&D Centre leverages the platform and expertise of Voronezhsintezkauchuk’s former technical research facility and the NIOST Laboratory for Synthetic Rubbers. The R&D Centre headcount will total 70 people. The Voronezh site was considered the best choice for the new Centre due to its solid science and technology platform, capacities for the rapid introduction of innovations, convenience in terms of technical service, and prospective development of pilot units at the Voronezhsintezkauchuk site.
"Not only should the new Centre become the Company’s major R&D hub in its field, but it should also act as a sponsor of conceptual research by third-party entities,” says Vasily Nomokonov, SIBUR’s Managing Director, Production Efficiency, Power Engineering, and Innovations.
Source Official Press Release
Synthetic Rubbers Research and Development Centre has been established at SIBUR to become the main platform for the Company's synthetic rubbers research and development.
The new R&D Centre is designed to facilitate exploration with high implementation risks to ensure sustained innovations excellence in the market. In addition to fostering SIBUR's technology competencies in synthetic rubbers, the Centre will also engage in commercialising SIBUR’s synthetic rubber innovations, helping to prepare process design packages for further licensing and contributing to joint development programmes and production engineering.
Previously, synthetic rubbers R&D used to be carried out at the NIOST Laboratory for Synthetic Rubbers. The new R&D centre, as well as NIOST, SIBUR’s corporate scientific centre for chemical technologies, will participate in building and implementing research and development programmes along with advanced scientific and engineering activities. With the stand-alone rubbers R&D Centre set up, SIBUR’s R&D structure is now complete.
SIBUR’s Divisions and SIBUR Technologies Centre act as internal customers, providing the pipeline of R&D orders. In cooperation with NIOST, Synthetic Rubbers Research and Development Centre will engage in research and development of rubbers and polymers. The Tolyattisintez and Tomsk-Neftekhim R&D Centres are responsible for process improvement and on-site production support.
The new Synthetic Rubbers R&D Centre leverages the platform and expertise of Voronezhsintezkauchuk’s former technical research facility and the NIOST Laboratory for Synthetic Rubbers. The R&D Centre headcount will total 70 people. The Voronezh site was considered the best choice for the new Centre due to its solid science and technology platform, capacities for the rapid introduction of innovations, convenience in terms of technical service, and prospective development of pilot units at the Voronezhsintezkauchuk site.
"Not only should the new Centre become the Company’s major R&D hub in its field, but it should also act as a sponsor of conceptual research by third-party entities,” says Vasily Nomokonov, SIBUR’s Managing Director, Production Efficiency, Power Engineering, and Innovations.
Source Official Press Release
Released on 28/12/12
Mitsui Chemicals Inc. (4183) and Taiwan's Formosa Plastics Corp. announced plans Thursday to form a Chinese joint venture to make and sell electrolyte solution, a key component of lithium ion batteries.
The 50-50 joint venture, to be established in March, will build a plant with an annual capacity of 5,000 tons at the Taiwanese firm's petrochemical complex in Ningbo, Zhejiang Province. The roughly 1.7 billion yen facility is expected to come onstream in May 2014.
The firms expect demand for lithium ion batteries used in electric vehicles to expand in China.
Three companies -- Ube Industries Ltd. (4208), Mitsubishi Chemical Holdings Corp. (4188) and South Korea's Panax E-Tec Co. -- supply 70% of the world's electrolyte solution for lithium ion batteries. Mitsui Chemicals hopes to eat into the leaders' market share.
Source Nikkei
Mitsui Chemicals Inc. (4183) and Taiwan's Formosa Plastics Corp. announced plans Thursday to form a Chinese joint venture to make and sell electrolyte solution, a key component of lithium ion batteries.
The 50-50 joint venture, to be established in March, will build a plant with an annual capacity of 5,000 tons at the Taiwanese firm's petrochemical complex in Ningbo, Zhejiang Province. The roughly 1.7 billion yen facility is expected to come onstream in May 2014.
The firms expect demand for lithium ion batteries used in electric vehicles to expand in China.
Three companies -- Ube Industries Ltd. (4208), Mitsubishi Chemical Holdings Corp. (4188) and South Korea's Panax E-Tec Co. -- supply 70% of the world's electrolyte solution for lithium ion batteries. Mitsui Chemicals hopes to eat into the leaders' market share.
Source Nikkei
Released on 27/12/12
Sumitomo Chemical Co is operating likely to reduce run rates further at its acrylonitrile (ACN) plant, according to a Polymerupdate source in Japan.
Run rates at the plant are likely to be reduced to 60% of production capacity in early 2013. The plant is presently running at 65%-70% of production capacity.
The planned curtailment in run rates has been attributed to weak demand for the product in the domestic markets.
Located at Niihama in Japan, the ACN plant has a production capacity of 60,000 mt/year.
Source Polymerupdate
Sumitomo Chemical Co is operating likely to reduce run rates further at its acrylonitrile (ACN) plant, according to a Polymerupdate source in Japan.
Run rates at the plant are likely to be reduced to 60% of production capacity in early 2013. The plant is presently running at 65%-70% of production capacity.
The planned curtailment in run rates has been attributed to weak demand for the product in the domestic markets.
Located at Niihama in Japan, the ACN plant has a production capacity of 60,000 mt/year.
Source Polymerupdate
Released on 25/12/12
During the planting campaign of winter crops in the current year, agrarians of Ukraine used seeds of high-level replication, declared Alexander Demidov, Director of the department of plant growing of the Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine, on December 20, according to APK-Inform.
According to him, usage of certified high-quality seeds will allow significantly increasing the yield and production volumes of certain agricultural crops.
Through usage of high-quality resources, Ukraine can increase the production of winter grains and soybeans by 20-30%, maize – up 30-45%, as well as sunflower seed – up 25-50%, A.Demidov said.
He also said that in the current year the condition of winter crops plantings is much better compared with the average annual results of recent 10 years, which gives reason to hope for successful overwintering and safety, when the spring vegetation resumes.
Source Ukrainian Independent Information and News Agency
During the planting campaign of winter crops in the current year, agrarians of Ukraine used seeds of high-level replication, declared Alexander Demidov, Director of the department of plant growing of the Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine, on December 20, according to APK-Inform.
According to him, usage of certified high-quality seeds will allow significantly increasing the yield and production volumes of certain agricultural crops.
Through usage of high-quality resources, Ukraine can increase the production of winter grains and soybeans by 20-30%, maize – up 30-45%, as well as sunflower seed – up 25-50%, A.Demidov said.
He also said that in the current year the condition of winter crops plantings is much better compared with the average annual results of recent 10 years, which gives reason to hope for successful overwintering and safety, when the spring vegetation resumes.
Source Ukrainian Independent Information and News Agency
Released on 27/12/12
After what many sources are describing as a record year for European butadiene (BD) exports, ongoing uncertainty in the global economy means that players believe another record year for exports could be on the cards, despite some maintenance turnarounds.
Sources estimate that 260,000-275,000 tonnes of BD were exported from European shores in 2012 – the vast majority to Asia, and then next to the US. Although Europe is long, soft demand from Europe’s domestic consumers freed up the additional volumes for the export market.
Unfortunately this meant that European BD producers were finding themselves more often than not in a reversal of last years’ trend, and having to accept ever-weakening spot prices and an ever-widening gap between spot and contract prices – particularly in the second half of 2012.
Sources are cautious about demand levels in 2013, and many consumers are not expecting any significant improvement in demand for the first quarter, and possibly even into the second.
The automotive and construction industries will remain under pressure until the second half of 2013, as sources expect – or hope – that some stimulus plans in China have been put in place.
Some suggestion that European consumers have increased their spot exposure by reducing contract volumes highlights the fact that they expect firstly good spot availability, and secondly more attractive pricing when compared with the monthly contract price (MCP).
Given the extreme swings in spot prices over the past couple of years, not everyone is convinced that spot prices will be more favourable compared with the MCP – but only time will tell.
BD extraction units at five sites will undergo maintenance in 2013, and sources said that this should help support spot pricing. Additionally a heavy shutdown slate at crackers will also help to restrict BD feedstock, crude C4, so even if domestic consumption is not much improved in the first half of the year, the turnarounds should go some way to mitigating this.
After what many sources are describing as a record year for European butadiene (BD) exports, ongoing uncertainty in the global economy means that players believe another record year for exports could be on the cards, despite some maintenance turnarounds.
Sources estimate that 260,000-275,000 tonnes of BD were exported from European shores in 2012 – the vast majority to Asia, and then next to the US. Although Europe is long, soft demand from Europe’s domestic consumers freed up the additional volumes for the export market.
Unfortunately this meant that European BD producers were finding themselves more often than not in a reversal of last years’ trend, and having to accept ever-weakening spot prices and an ever-widening gap between spot and contract prices – particularly in the second half of 2012.
Sources are cautious about demand levels in 2013, and many consumers are not expecting any significant improvement in demand for the first quarter, and possibly even into the second.
The automotive and construction industries will remain under pressure until the second half of 2013, as sources expect – or hope – that some stimulus plans in China have been put in place.
Some suggestion that European consumers have increased their spot exposure by reducing contract volumes highlights the fact that they expect firstly good spot availability, and secondly more attractive pricing when compared with the monthly contract price (MCP).
Given the extreme swings in spot prices over the past couple of years, not everyone is convinced that spot prices will be more favourable compared with the MCP – but only time will tell.
BD extraction units at five sites will undergo maintenance in 2013, and sources said that this should help support spot pricing. Additionally a heavy shutdown slate at crackers will also help to restrict BD feedstock, crude C4, so even if domestic consumption is not much improved in the first half of the year, the turnarounds should go some way to mitigating this.
- Shell - Moerdijk, Netherlands -March-April
- SABIC - Geleen, Netherlands - End March-April
- LyondellBasell - Wesseling, Germany - End April-June
- Evonik - Marl, Germany - May-June
- INEOS - Dormagen, Germany - September-October
Released on 27/12/12
Sumitomo Chemical is expediting the development of innovative processes for the low-cost production of its core petrochemicals to commercialize them by 2016 or 2017, when petrochemical production based on shale-gas-derived ethylene is expected to boom in North America and China will be more self-sufficient in petrochemicals.
With the increasingly challenging conditions for petrochemical manufacturers and intensifying competition, the company is leveraging its technological capabilities to raise the cost competitiveness of its petrochemical business, which is centered on basic chemicals like methyl methacrylate monomer and commodity petrochemicals like propylene oxide, polyethylene and polypropylene. It plans to make its domestic operations economically viable by slashing production costs.
A pilot plant is scheduled for construction in 2014 for a single-stage process to produce propylene oxide, in which propylene and oxygen are synthesized directly. It is designed to greatly simplify production activities and heighten cost competitiveness. A promising catalyst is already near realization.
A new process for the production of block copolymers prevents fish-eye formation by minimizing catalyst residues and is more cost effective than the currently mainstream gas-phase process. With a pilot plant already in place, a commercial-scale plant is to be constructed soon.
Other new processes include those for the production of MMA monomer without using any C4 chemicals such as isobutylene, and branched polymers from ethylene exclusively without using any comonomers such as butene and hexane.
Source Japan Chemical Web
Sumitomo Chemical is expediting the development of innovative processes for the low-cost production of its core petrochemicals to commercialize them by 2016 or 2017, when petrochemical production based on shale-gas-derived ethylene is expected to boom in North America and China will be more self-sufficient in petrochemicals.
With the increasingly challenging conditions for petrochemical manufacturers and intensifying competition, the company is leveraging its technological capabilities to raise the cost competitiveness of its petrochemical business, which is centered on basic chemicals like methyl methacrylate monomer and commodity petrochemicals like propylene oxide, polyethylene and polypropylene. It plans to make its domestic operations economically viable by slashing production costs.
A pilot plant is scheduled for construction in 2014 for a single-stage process to produce propylene oxide, in which propylene and oxygen are synthesized directly. It is designed to greatly simplify production activities and heighten cost competitiveness. A promising catalyst is already near realization.
A new process for the production of block copolymers prevents fish-eye formation by minimizing catalyst residues and is more cost effective than the currently mainstream gas-phase process. With a pilot plant already in place, a commercial-scale plant is to be constructed soon.
Other new processes include those for the production of MMA monomer without using any C4 chemicals such as isobutylene, and branched polymers from ethylene exclusively without using any comonomers such as butene and hexane.
Source Japan Chemical Web
Released on 27/12/12
China’s Sinopec and Wanda Group plan to start up their joint acrylonitrile (ACN) plant in October 2014 at Dongying city in Shandong province, a company source said on Thursday.
The new ACN plant will have a capacity of 260,000 tonnes/year, and the company will start up its first phase with a capacity of 130,000 tonnes/year in October 2014, the source said.
Sinopec plans to invest a total of yuan (CNY) 3.9bn ($625m), the largest investment project that Sinopec has cooperated with a private enterprise.
The new plant would be able to supply a total of more than 500,000 tonnes/year of ACN and by-products such as acetonitrile and hydrogen cyanide (HCN).
The increased supply may ease China’s reliance on imports and also fulfil the downstream polyacrylamide (PAM) demand from the project invested by China National Petroleum Corp (CNPC) and Wanda Group.
China’s ACN total capacity would reach 1.546m tonnes/year with the start-up of Sinopec and Wanda Group’s new joint capacity in 2014, according to data from Chemease, an ICIS service in China.
Source ICIS News
China’s Sinopec and Wanda Group plan to start up their joint acrylonitrile (ACN) plant in October 2014 at Dongying city in Shandong province, a company source said on Thursday.
The new ACN plant will have a capacity of 260,000 tonnes/year, and the company will start up its first phase with a capacity of 130,000 tonnes/year in October 2014, the source said.
Sinopec plans to invest a total of yuan (CNY) 3.9bn ($625m), the largest investment project that Sinopec has cooperated with a private enterprise.
The new plant would be able to supply a total of more than 500,000 tonnes/year of ACN and by-products such as acetonitrile and hydrogen cyanide (HCN).
The increased supply may ease China’s reliance on imports and also fulfil the downstream polyacrylamide (PAM) demand from the project invested by China National Petroleum Corp (CNPC) and Wanda Group.
China’s ACN total capacity would reach 1.546m tonnes/year with the start-up of Sinopec and Wanda Group’s new joint capacity in 2014, according to data from Chemease, an ICIS service in China.
Source ICIS News
Released on 31/12/12
SUMMARY: EPA is proposing to more clearly describe the active and inert ingredients permitted in products eligible for the exemption from regulation for minimum risk pesticides. EPA is proposing to reorganize these lists with a focus on clarity and transparency by adding specific chemical identifiers. The identifiers would make it clearer to manufacturers; the public; and Federal, state, and tribal inspectors which ingredients are permitted in minimum risk pesticide products. EPA is also proposing to modify the label requirements in the exemption to require the use of specific common chemical names in lists of ingredients on minimum risk pesticide product labels, and to require producer contact information on the label.
Once final, these proposed changes would maintain the availability of minimum risk pesticide products while providing more consistent information for consumers, clearer regulations for producers, and easier identification by states, tribes and EPA as to whether a product is in compliance with the exemption.
Source Federal Information & News Dispatch
SUMMARY: EPA is proposing to more clearly describe the active and inert ingredients permitted in products eligible for the exemption from regulation for minimum risk pesticides. EPA is proposing to reorganize these lists with a focus on clarity and transparency by adding specific chemical identifiers. The identifiers would make it clearer to manufacturers; the public; and Federal, state, and tribal inspectors which ingredients are permitted in minimum risk pesticide products. EPA is also proposing to modify the label requirements in the exemption to require the use of specific common chemical names in lists of ingredients on minimum risk pesticide product labels, and to require producer contact information on the label.
Once final, these proposed changes would maintain the availability of minimum risk pesticide products while providing more consistent information for consumers, clearer regulations for producers, and easier identification by states, tribes and EPA as to whether a product is in compliance with the exemption.
Source Federal Information & News Dispatch
Released on 02/01/13
Taiwan’s Formosa Petrochemical Corp (FPCC) plans to shut its No 2 residual fluid catalytic cracker (RFCC) in Mailiao for a turnaround on 19 March, a company source said on Wednesday.
The scheduled maintenance shutdown for the No 2 unit, which can produce around 375,000 tonnes/year of propylene, is expected to last until 21 June, he said.
There is no turnaround slated for the No 1 RFCC unit, which has the same propylene production capacity, this year, he added.
Source ICIS News
Taiwan’s Formosa Petrochemical Corp (FPCC) plans to shut its No 2 residual fluid catalytic cracker (RFCC) in Mailiao for a turnaround on 19 March, a company source said on Wednesday.
The scheduled maintenance shutdown for the No 2 unit, which can produce around 375,000 tonnes/year of propylene, is expected to last until 21 June, he said.
There is no turnaround slated for the No 1 RFCC unit, which has the same propylene production capacity, this year, he added.
Source ICIS News
Released on 26/12/12
Nippon Shokubai says that it has received approval from authorities to restart operations at certain production facilities in the company’s manufacturing complex at Himeji, Japan. The mayor of Himeji had ordered the suspension of operations at all the production facilities at Nippon Shokubai’s Himeji complex following the explosion and fire at the site on 29 September. The accident resulted in the death of one firefighter, as well as several serious injuries. Last month, Nippon Shokubai s was allowed to restart operations at the automotive catalysts production facilities in the Himeji complex. The plants that are now operational at the Himeji site include facilities to produce polymer for concrete admixture; acrylic resins for paints and adhesives; acrylic resins for optical materials; resist polymers for color filter; spherical fine particles; automobile catalysts; De-NOx catalysts; dioxins decomposition catalysts; and catalysts for catalytic wet oxidation wastewater treatment.
Operations at the other production facilities at the Himeji site remain suspended. Nippon Shokubai is the leading producer of superabsorbent polymers (SAP), used to make diapers. The Himeji site is home to the company’s largest SAP facility, with a production capacity of 320,000 m.t./year, and accounts for about 18% of global capacity for SAP. Earlier this month, Nippon Shokubai announced that its subsidiary NA Industries (Houston) has restarted an idled SAP plant at Chattanooga, TN, to supplement production capacity.
Source Chemweek
RELATED STORIES
Nippon Shokubai’s acrylic acid, SAP unit awaits Japan govt nod
Nippon Shokubai says that it has received approval from authorities to restart operations at certain production facilities in the company’s manufacturing complex at Himeji, Japan. The mayor of Himeji had ordered the suspension of operations at all the production facilities at Nippon Shokubai’s Himeji complex following the explosion and fire at the site on 29 September. The accident resulted in the death of one firefighter, as well as several serious injuries. Last month, Nippon Shokubai s was allowed to restart operations at the automotive catalysts production facilities in the Himeji complex. The plants that are now operational at the Himeji site include facilities to produce polymer for concrete admixture; acrylic resins for paints and adhesives; acrylic resins for optical materials; resist polymers for color filter; spherical fine particles; automobile catalysts; De-NOx catalysts; dioxins decomposition catalysts; and catalysts for catalytic wet oxidation wastewater treatment.
Operations at the other production facilities at the Himeji site remain suspended. Nippon Shokubai is the leading producer of superabsorbent polymers (SAP), used to make diapers. The Himeji site is home to the company’s largest SAP facility, with a production capacity of 320,000 m.t./year, and accounts for about 18% of global capacity for SAP. Earlier this month, Nippon Shokubai announced that its subsidiary NA Industries (Houston) has restarted an idled SAP plant at Chattanooga, TN, to supplement production capacity.
Source Chemweek
RELATED STORIES
Nippon Shokubai’s acrylic acid, SAP unit awaits Japan govt nod
Released on 28/12/12
Sumitomo Chemical said that its Chinese subsidiary and Dalian Jingang Group would create a joint venture in China in January for the sale of agricultural materials and equipment such as the Sumitomo group's high-performance greenhouse films.
Sumitomo Chemical (China) Co. will hold 70% and Dalian Jingang will hold 30% of Sumika Jingang Sales (Dalian) Co., which will be based in Dalian, Liaoning Province, and have $10 mn in capital. The new company will draw on the local partner's extensive knowledge of the local agricultural industry to sell the greenhouse films and other agricultural materials and equipment such as irrigation systems and fertilizers.
The polyolefin greenhouse films boast high light transmittance, due to an anti-dripping agent, and weather resistance, with durability of several years, and are stretched to cover greenhouses. The films are more expensive than regular greenhouse films, so the joint venture will approach farmers directly to better explain the advantages of using the superior films.
Sumitomo and Dalian Jingang started their collaboration in 2003 with the sale of agrochemical intermediates in China. They later formed a joint venture named Dalian Sumika Jingang Chemicals for the production of methionine and high-performance greenhouse films.
Source The Chemical Daily
Sumitomo Chemical said that its Chinese subsidiary and Dalian Jingang Group would create a joint venture in China in January for the sale of agricultural materials and equipment such as the Sumitomo group's high-performance greenhouse films.
Sumitomo Chemical (China) Co. will hold 70% and Dalian Jingang will hold 30% of Sumika Jingang Sales (Dalian) Co., which will be based in Dalian, Liaoning Province, and have $10 mn in capital. The new company will draw on the local partner's extensive knowledge of the local agricultural industry to sell the greenhouse films and other agricultural materials and equipment such as irrigation systems and fertilizers.
The polyolefin greenhouse films boast high light transmittance, due to an anti-dripping agent, and weather resistance, with durability of several years, and are stretched to cover greenhouses. The films are more expensive than regular greenhouse films, so the joint venture will approach farmers directly to better explain the advantages of using the superior films.
Sumitomo and Dalian Jingang started their collaboration in 2003 with the sale of agrochemical intermediates in China. They later formed a joint venture named Dalian Sumika Jingang Chemicals for the production of methionine and high-performance greenhouse films.
Source The Chemical Daily
Released on 26/12/12
Mitsubishi Chemical Holdings and its Mitsubishi Rayon subsidiary said on Sunday that no decision has been made regarding the construction of a methyl methacrylate (MMA) plant in the United States. The announcement was in response to a Sunday article in Nikkei business, which said that Mitsubishi Chemical Holdings plans to invest ¥50 billion to ¥60 billion yen ($590 million to $710 million) in a plant that will use low-cost materials from Dow Chemical and take advantage of cheap North American shale gas. Mitsubishi Chemical plans to build an acrylic resin-processing plant next door to a planned Dow ethylene plant at Freeport, TX, as estimates put the cost savings of making chemicals there at about 95% of making them in Japan, the paper said. Mitsubishi Chemical had been considering methyl methacrylate monomer production in the U.S., but nothing concrete has been decided, the company said.
The plant would have capacity of about 250,000 m.t./year of MMA, making it one of the largest such units in the world. “On December 23, 2012, certain Japanese media carried reports about the construction of [an] MMA plant in the United States. However, Mitsubishi Chemical Holdings has issued no announcement to that effect, nor has the company’s board of directors made any resolution to that effect,” Mitsubishi Chemical Holding said in a statement. Mitsubishi Chemical Holdings earlier this year announced plans to boost MMA capacity at its Beaumont, TX complex.
Source Chemweek
Mitsubishi Chemical Holdings and its Mitsubishi Rayon subsidiary said on Sunday that no decision has been made regarding the construction of a methyl methacrylate (MMA) plant in the United States. The announcement was in response to a Sunday article in Nikkei business, which said that Mitsubishi Chemical Holdings plans to invest ¥50 billion to ¥60 billion yen ($590 million to $710 million) in a plant that will use low-cost materials from Dow Chemical and take advantage of cheap North American shale gas. Mitsubishi Chemical plans to build an acrylic resin-processing plant next door to a planned Dow ethylene plant at Freeport, TX, as estimates put the cost savings of making chemicals there at about 95% of making them in Japan, the paper said. Mitsubishi Chemical had been considering methyl methacrylate monomer production in the U.S., but nothing concrete has been decided, the company said.
The plant would have capacity of about 250,000 m.t./year of MMA, making it one of the largest such units in the world. “On December 23, 2012, certain Japanese media carried reports about the construction of [an] MMA plant in the United States. However, Mitsubishi Chemical Holdings has issued no announcement to that effect, nor has the company’s board of directors made any resolution to that effect,” Mitsubishi Chemical Holding said in a statement. Mitsubishi Chemical Holdings earlier this year announced plans to boost MMA capacity at its Beaumont, TX complex.
Source Chemweek