BASF has had a powerful start to 2011

(BASF) -- Capacity utilization rates in the company's plants were good; in particular, demand in the chemicals business (Chemicals, Plastics, Performance Products, Functional Solutions) increased compared with the same quarter of the previous year. Sales grew by 25% to EUR 19.4 bln. The Cognis businesses acquired in December 2010 made a significant contribution to this substantial sales growth. The earthquake off the coast of Japan and its aftermath as well as the tense political situation in North Africa have not yet had a significant impact on BASF's business.


Compared with the first quarter of 2010, sales volumes rose in nearly all segments. As a result of the situation in Libya, oil production was suspended at the end of February 2011; this led to a reduction in oil production volumes in the Oil & Gas segment. In the Agricultural Solutions segment, prices declined slightly; all other segments reported price increases.


Income from operations (EBIT) increased by 39% to EUR 2.6 billion compared with the first quarter of the previous year. EBITDA rose by EUR 738 million to EUR 3.4 billion. The EBITDA margin rose to 17.4% (first quarter of 2010: 17.0%).


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A new grade of LLDPE for cast film applications from Sabic

(Plastics Today) -- Improved stiffness, the potential to improve line speeds considerably, and excellent mechanical properties are the claimed attributes of a new grade of LLDPE for cast film applications from Sabic (Riyadh, Saudi Arabia).


Grade Sabic LLDPE 430BE is also said to feature outstanding quality consistency and its combination of properties opens up new opportunities for quantifiable energy and material savings - which supports converters to improve their cost efficiency as well as their sustainability performance, according to the supplier. "


Due to its increased density, Sabic LLDPE 430BE is suited for application in differential cling stretch film applications as "low cling" outerlayer. The high quality consistency and specific design of Sabic LLDPE 430BE enables converters to improve line speeds without compromising on a stable and consistent manufacturing process.


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IHS acquires Chemical Market Associates Inc.

(Plastics Today) -- IHS Inc.has acquired petrochemical consulting business, Chemical Market Associates Inc.(CMAI), making the highly regarded analyst of chemicals and plastics markets its fifth acquisition through the first four months of 2011.


IHS Chairman and CEO Jerre Stead said in a release that CMAI's unique and proprietary chemical information, analysis business, and price discovery consulting made the firm attractive to IHS and will be complementary to its own commodities and cost information offerings.


The company has been building out its chemicals and energy businesses of late. In 2010, IHS acquired portions of the chemical and energy portfolio business assets of Access Intelligence and Emerging Energy Research LLC, and earlier this year, it purchased oil and gas consultancy, ODS-Petrodata. IHS had long targeted the energy market. In 2004, it purchased Cambridge Energy Research Associates (CERA), and in 1996, it bought Petroconsultants S.A.


Founded in 1979, CMAI provides market and business advisory services for the global chemical, plastics, fibers, and chlor-alkali industries. It is headquartered in Houston, but in recent years has expanded its locations reflecting shifts within the petrochemical industry while also giving it a presence in all the world's major markets. The company currently maintains a direct presence in Bangkok, Dubai, Dusseldorf, London, New York, Shanghai, and Singapore.


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the Austrian injection molding machine manufacturer Engel is expanding

(Plastics Today) -- Engel is expanding, with new sales and service employees as well as an expanded footprint at the company's automation center in Hagen (Germany). Engel's German subsidiary chalked up EUR 123 million in revenue and orders worth EUR 162 million during the 2010/2011 business year, numbers the company says indicate a rapid improvement from the 2007-2008 crisis years. For the financial year in progress (2011/2012) the company is predicting record revenue out of Germany s it rides the successful reemergence of that country's automotive industry. Engel is one of the few companies able to supply the large multi-component machines often sought by automotive systems suppliers. In a high-wage country such as Germany, efficient, economical processing cells are in demand," according to Ralf Christofori, director of the company's sales and service offices in Nuremberg.


The company's success in Germany also can be traced to the international growth of many German plastics processing companies, with the purchasing decisions often made in the domestic market. One result: about 20% of Engel Germany's sales in the past few years have been for machines that German companies ordered for their subsidiaries in Eastern Europe.


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Arkema's first-quarter sales rose 33%

(ICIS) -- Arkema's net profit almost quadrupled to EUR 151m (USD 225m) in the first quarter of 2011, from a EUR 40m gain in the same period in 2010, on the back of strong demand and higher prices, the French specialty chemicals company said on Thursday.


First-quarter sales rose 33% year on year to EUR 1.73bn, as sales volumes grew 7%, spurred by strong demand in Asia and new developments in many sectors related to sustainable development.


Earnings were also boosted by the 21% year-on-year increase in product prices, which offset significant increases in raw material costs, Arkema added.


Earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) in the first quarter more than doubled to EUR 287m, from EUR 137m in the same period of 2010, while Arkema's 16.6% EBITDA margin exceeded 16% during a quarter for the first time since its spin-off from oil major Total in 2006.


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