DATE : 2014-03-03
Japan VAM & Poval Co Ltd plans to shut its 150,000-tonne/year vinyl acetate monomer (VAM) plant in Sakai, Osaka from mid June to mid July for routine maintenance, a company official said on Monday.
The producer is currently operating the plant at almost full capacity, the official added.
JVP’s plant shutdown will be preceded by Showa Denko’s turnaround of its 175,000 tonne/year VAM plant at Oita for annual maintenance in mid March lasting one month.
VAM is a key ingredient in emulsion polymers, resins, and intermediates used in paints, adhesives, coatings, textiles, wire and cable polyethylene (PE) compounds, laminated safety glass, packaging, automotive plastic fuel tanks and acrylic fibres. It is also used in furniture glue and chewing gum.
SOURCE Icis News
DATE : 2014-02-28
Asahi Kasei has shut an acrylonitrile (ACN) plant for maintenance turnaround.
A Polymerupdate source in Japan informed that the plant was shut on February 23, 2014. It is likely to remain off-stream for around one month.
Located in Mizushima, Japan, the plant has a production capacity of 200,000 mt/year.
SOURCE PolymerUpdate
DATE : 2014-03-03
Researchers from PetroChina Dalian Petrochemical Company investigated on factors that affect the production of polymer in the manufacture of styrene, and the storage systems involved in the process.
High levels of polymers in styrene products in tank farm were found to have impact on the performance of the product and the device used. The solutions to reduce polymerization during storage and manufacture of styrene can increase the rate of high grade styrene from 28.7% to 80.6%.
SOURCE Icis News
DATE : 2014-03-03
China-based acrylonitrile (ACN) producer, Shanghai Secco Petrochemical Co, plans to shut down its 230,000 tonne/year ACN plant in Shanghai on 10 March for annual maintenance, a company source said on Monday.
“The maintenance will last for about 40 days, but it [the timeline] definitely depends on the equipment’s conditions,” the source said.
Shanghai Secco Petrochemical is currently operating the ACN plant at 90% capacity, the source added.
The plant’s turnaround is expected to result in an output loss of 30,000 tonnes of ACN.
This could pull down the current average operating rate of Chinese ACN plants from 84% to 68%, according to ICIS data.
Supply of ACN in China is also likely to tighten, which will lend further support to the already high ACN prices, a market source said.
SOURCE Icis News
DATE : 2014-02-28
Ukraine-based Azot Severodonetsk is planning to restart production at its 35,000 tonne/year vinyl acetate monomer (VAM) unit, a source close to the company said on Friday.
“VAM is not running, but we are going to restart production to cover the local market after [the Budyennovsk] explosion,” the source said.
Russia's Lukoil said on Thursday it will start repair works shortly at its Stavrolen petrochemical plant in Budyennovsk after a fire at the ethylene unit on Wednesday caused all production facilities to be shut down.
Stavrolen is controlled by Lukoil, and operates a 60,000 tonne/year VAM plant at the Budyennovsk site, according to ICIS data.
Azot Severodonetsk’s 150,000 tonne/year acetic acid plant is continuing to operate at minimal rates following its restart earlier in the year, the source confirmed.
The VAM and acetic acid units were shut down in September 2013 and remained closed during the winter for economic reasons.
SOURCE Icis News
DATE : 2014-02-28
Unigel is restarting its acrylonitrile (ACN) plant in Mexico, a company source said on Friday, after the facility was shut on 12 February because of technical difficulties.
"The plant is starting up, we hope to have product under specs this weekend," the source said.
The 60,000 tonne/year ACN facility at the Morelos petrochemical complex in Veracruz is a joint effort between Unigel and Pemex Petroquimica.
ACN supply in North America has already been tight in recent months, as INEOS Nitriles has reduced production through the first quarter by 50% of capacity at its 545,000 tonne/year facility in Green Lake, Texas.
Additionally, Ascend Performance Materials is performing maintenance in February and March on two of its 140,000 tonne/year units at its Chocolate Bayou facility in Texas.
SOURCE Icis News
DATE : 2014-03-02
The Kuwait Styrene Company (TKSC), a unit of Equate Petrochemical Company, has announced a net profit of $180 million for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2013. As Kuwait's first and only producer of Styrene Monomer, TKSC was established in 2004 as an international joint venture between Kuwait Aromatics Company (KARO) and The Dow Chemical Company (Dow). Commenting on the results, TKSC board chairman Hadi Abul said: "Despite several challenges, these profits exceeded the $59 million net profit of 2012 by over 200 per cent due to a number of elements relevant to stability in petrochemical prices, having a solid customer base, operational excellence and strategic marketing." CEO Adel Al-Munifi said, "With total production reaching a record quantity of 500,000 metric tons (MT), exceeding the plant's design capacity of 450,000 MTA, the 2013 sales value surpassed $915 million in comparison to $667 during 2012, all of which are positive results stemming from growing global demand for SM with a decrease in supplies, absolute abidance by relevant environment, health and safety (EH&S) regulations, in addition to proper management of financial expenses while launching several critical initiatives by the company." Equte Petrochemical Company is the single operator of Greater Equate, which includes The Kuwait Styrene Company (TKSC), Kuwait Paraxylene Production Company (KPPC) and The Kuwait Olefins Company (TKOC) under one fully integrated operational umbrella at Kuwait's Shuaiba Industrial Area.
SOURCE TradeArabia News Service
DATE : 2014-03-01
LG Chem is in plans to shut its butadiene (BD) unit for maintenance turnaround.
A Polymerupdate source in South Korea informed that the unit is planned to be shut in October 2014. It is likely to remain off-stream for around 30 days.
Located in Yeosu, South Korea, the plant has a production capacity of 155,000 mt/year.
SOURCE PolymerUpdate
DATE : 2014-02-27
BASF now expects its crop protection R&D pipeline to achieve a peak sales potential of 2.1 billion, an increase of 400 million over the past year. The increase is driven by significant global demand for BASF s most recent blockbusters, Xemium fungicide and Kixor herbicide. BASF also plans to launch a host of new products across a wide range of crops and markets until the end of the decade. In 2013, BASF spent 469 million on research and development in the Crop Protection division as part of its commitment to investing for long-term growth and developing new active ingredients and solutions for agriculture. Supported by favorable market trends, the R&D pipeline and continued investments will contribute to the Crop Protection division reaching its previously-announced sales target of 8 billion by 2020.
BASF is committed to discovering and delivering innovative solutions and services that meet the most pressing needs of our customers, said Markus Heldt, President of BASF s Crop Protection division. Our ability to commercialize innovations has enabled us to grow our business significantly in every region over the past three years while, at the same time, also nearly doubling the value of our R&D pipeline to 2.1 billion in that time period. Growing demand for novel technologies in the Americas With additional launches of Xemium and Kixor in South America, BASF has raised the peak sales potential for these two blockbuster products. The company now expects Xemium to generate more than 600 million in peak sales and Kixor more than 300 million. Xemium was first launched in key European markets in 2011, where it continues to show impressive results. The new Xemium-based product in Brazil, commercialized as OrkestraTM, controls Asian soybean rust and other key diseases and, as part of the AgCelence® brand of products, also provides additional benefits that increase overall plant health. The selective herbicide Kixor, first introduced in the U.S. in 2010 and last year in Brazil, has become BASF s most successful herbicide launch in decades. Kixor provides highly effective control against difficult to control broadleaf weeds, including those that have become resistant to other herbicides. Functional Crop Care with promising innovations BASF s recently-established global unit, Functional Crop Care, expects to launch first solutions for soil management by mid-decade in key countries, including the U.S., Brazil and China. The unit s portfolio, which was greatly expanded through the acquisition of Becker Underwood in 2012, includes products for chemical and biological crop protection, inoculants, polymers and colorants. Beyond these solutions, the company expects new innovations in the Functional Crop Care portfolio to generate incremental peak sales in excess of 100 million.
SOURCE Al Bawaba
DATE : 2014-03-02
IRPC Public Co is in plans to shut a styrene monomer (SM) plant. A Polymerupdate source in Thailand informed that the plant will be shut in March for around 20-25 days.
During the shutdown, it is planned to be connected to a residue fluid catalytic cracker (RFCC). It is intended to supply the SM plant with ethylene feedstock and is scheduled to start in mid-2015.
Located at Rayong, near Map Ta Phut, Thailand, the SM plant has a capacity of 250,000 mt/year.
SOURCE PolymerUpdate
DATE : 2014-03-01
Nihon Oxirane is in plans to shut a styrene monomer (SM) plant for maintenance turnaround.
A Polymerupdate source in Japan informed that the plant is likely to be shut in May 2015. It is planned to remain off-stream for around one month.
Located in Chiba, Japan, the plant has a production capacity of 425,000 mt/year.
SOURCE PolymerUpdate
DATE : 2014-02-28
Shanghai SECCO Petrochemical is in plans to shut a butadiene (BD) unit for maintenance turnaround. A Polymerupdate source in China informed that the unit is likely to be shut in March 2014. It is slated to remain of-stream for around 45 days.
Located in Shanghai China, the plant has a production capacity of 90,000 mt/year.
SOURCE PolymerUpdate
DATE : 2014-02-28
Jiangsu Leasty is in plans to start a new styrene monomer (SM) plant in H2 2016.
A Polymerupdate source in China informed that the construction of the plant is planned to be started in Q3, 2014.
To be located in Jiangsu province of China, the plant will have a production capacity of 500,000 mt/year.
SOURCE PolymerUpdate