SABIC and Sinopec to invest in polycarbonate plant

(Arabian Oil and Gas) -- SABIC and China Petroleum & Chemical Corporation (Sinopec Corp) have announced a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to collaborate on a polycarbonate production in China. This new agreement will add to SABIC's joint-venture with Sinopec, SSTPC (Sinopec SABIC Tianjin Petrochemical Company). A joint investment between both companies will fund a new polycarbonate production plant with an annual capacity for 260 KT.

Fully operational since 2010, Tianjin-based SSTPC (a 50:50 JV and established in October, 2009) produces various petrochemical products, including ethylene, polyethylene, ethylene glycol, polypropylene, butadiene, phenol and butene-1, among others.

The new polycarbonate production plant will be located in SSTPC and is expected to be operational by 2015. It will leverage SABIC's world-class advanced polycarbonate technology using phosgene and Dichloromethane free process. The performance properties of purity, transparency and continuous processing will bring local PC resin capabilities to a diverse customer base in China.

MRC

(Dow) -- The Dow Chemical Company announced today that its new world-scale specialty elastomers plant in Thailand is targeted to begin commercial operation on June 1, 2011, after a successful startup. A project of the SCG-Dow joint venture, the new manufacturing operation will add dedicated capacity to meet growing worldwide customer demand for a full range of elastomer products.

With this new plant Dow continues to offer solutions that create value for our customers while taking full advantage of current and future growth. A global leader in elastomers innovation, Dow is committed to offering the most technologically advanced plastomers and elastomers in the world.

The opening of the plant in Rayong Province, Thailand, is further illustration of Dow's investment in downstream performance businesses. The facility will increase Dow's global capacity for polyolefin elastomers to over 800 kilometric tons, or nearly 2 billion pounds.

Dow Elastomers produces a wide range of high-quality flexible plastics and adhesives. ENGAGE Polyolefin Elastomers offer a distinct combination of flexibility and toughness, making them a material of choice for a wide variety of applications, including automotive thermoplastic applications.

MRC

(SABIC) -- At Chinaplas 2011 the Innovative Plastics strategic business unit of SABIC today announced the addition of SABIC PC resin to its already expansive polycarbonate (PC) offering, reaffirming the company's polycarbonate industry leadership. The new transparent PC resin features the same outstanding product quality that customers have come to expect from Innovative Plastics and is targeted for high-volume extrusion, custom compounding, general purpose and optical-quality applications. The material is manufactured at SABIC's Saudi Kayan PC facility in Jubail Industrial City, Saudi Arabia and will be used to supply the fast growing Asia market, as well as the Middle East and Europe. This new product will enable Innovative Plastics to provide customers with the broader range of PC resins they require for steady business growth and expansion.

MRC

(Lanxess) -- The Lanxess specialty chemicals company has given its Basic Chemicals business unit a new name: Advanced Industrial Intermediates (AII). The new name establishes a direct link to the product portfolio, which includes advanced intermediates for numerous branches of industry, and it emphasizes the unit's applied know-how in manufacturing and supply. Furthermore, the name underlines the business unit's association with the LANXESS Advanced Intermediates segment, which generated sales of over EUR 1.3 billion in fiscal 2010.

MRC

(Bayer) -- Bayer is presenting its Sustainable Development Report for 2010 and strengthening its commitment to sustainability. Over 72 pages, the newly published report documents the progress made in the key areas of climate protection, health care provision and nutrition for a growing world population and further achievements made by the Group in the field of sustainability.

Bayer is looking to cut specific greenhouse gas emissions by 35% by 2020 compared to 2005. The energy-intensive subgroup Bayer MaterialScience will be making a particularly significant contribution to achieving this goal, increasing its reduction target from 25 to 40%.

Innovations are the key to success for Bayer as an inventor company. The commitment to innovation is underpinned by the planned investment in the future, with Bayer looking to invest EUR 15 billion in research and development and capital expenditures by 2013.

MRC