DuPont to add Zytel production and compounding capacity in Asia

(Plastics Today) -- DuPont will increase capacity for its DuPont Zytel HTN high-performance polyamide with a polymerization facility at its Sakra, Singapore facility and the addition of compounding equipment in Shenzhen, China. The Sakra facility will be able to produce 20 KT of the engineering polymer by 2013, while the compounding investment in Shenzhen has added 10 KT of Zytel HTN capacity.


Zytel HTN PPA targets metal replacement in the automotive industry focusing on underhood applications and in hybrid and electric vehicle electrical and electronic applications. Structural grades of Zytel HTN are used in hand-held devices, electrical and electronic applications, and consumer products.


DuPont markets four grades of the polyphthalamide (PPA) based material: Zytel HTN92 (long-term retention of mechanical properties), Zytel HTN51 (stiffness and strength retention under high temperatures and chemical exposure), Zytel HTN52 (molds in water-heated tools), and Zytel HTN54 (increased toughness and improved retention of mechanical properties with moisture).


MRC

KraussMaffei and Netstal to combine operations in China

(Plastics Today) -- KraussMaffei, Netstal will combine their operations in China, a country where Netstal hopes to benefit from the much larger staff of KraussMaffei. "Big international customers really wanted us to grow here," explained Bernhard Merki, CEO of Netstal. The change is effective July 1.


Only two weeks ago the companies announced they would merge operations in Brazil, another country with a fast-growing plastics industry. In China, where KraussMaffei has 200+ employees and Netstal only 15, the merged organization should especially help the smaller Netstal (Naefels, Switzerland) expand sales of its high-end injection molding machinery.


KraussMaffei (Munich, Germany) manufacturers extruders, reaction processing machinery and injection molding machines, and although in the past there was some overlap in their portfolios, management at the two companies no longer consider each other as competitors for molders' business.


MRC

EC interests in public's view on reducing use of plastic carrier bags

(Plastemart) -- The European Commission (EC), through a newly launched public consultation, has invited the public to give their view on reducing use of plastic carrier bags, including an outright ban. Also under consideration is a levy/a tax on bags. Opinions will also be sought on increasing visibility of biodegradable packaging products, and boosting the biodegradability requirements for packaging, improving the way a bag is labelled to indicate how it will biodegrade. Public opinion will help the EC complement its scientific analyses, and drive policies on this issue. The web-based consultation is open until August 2011.


Taxes have been introduced and voluntary agreements reached with retail sector to phase out plastic bags, by individual countries. However, no specific measures exist at EU level.


MRC

Prices of methyl tertiary butyl ether in Asia may continue falling

(ICIS) -- Prices of methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE) in Asia may continue falling in the coming weeks, taking the cue from plunging prices in Europe, as demand in China for the octane booster declines, traders said on Friday. MTBE prices on a free on board (FOB) Singapore basis are expected to slip below USD 1.100/tonne (EUR 770/tonne) this week, traders said.


In the week ended 13 May, Asian MTBE prices were assessed at USD 1.140-1.160/tonne FOB Singapore, down about 5% week on week, according to ICIS.


In Europe, MTBE prices were quoted at USD 1.106-1.110/tonne FOB AR (Amsterdam-Rotterdam) on 19 May, compared with the ICIS-assessed price of USD 1.150-1.162/tonne FOB AR on 13 May.


European MTBE demand has waned because the reintroduction of 5% bioethanol blend (E5) gasoline had led to lower production of 98-octane gasoline in Germany.


MRC

Arkema plans to lift PVC force majeure

(ICIS) -- Arkema is on schedule to lift its declaration of force majeure on polyvinyl chloride (PVC) supplies from its unit at Lavera, France, while LVM will shut down one PVC line at its unit in Beek, the Netherlands, at the end of June, company sources said on Friday. Arkema plans to resume production at its oxychlorination and vinyl chloride monomer (VCM) unit in Lavera, France, by the end of May, a company source said.


If there are no problems, the company should be in a position to lift its declaration of force majeure on PVC supplies from Lavera at the end of May or early June, the source added.


LVM, part of the Belgium-based Tessenderlo Group, plans to carry out maintenance at its 225 KTa unit in Beek, the Netherlands, which has four lines, a company source said.


One of the lines will be shut down for one week at the end of June, which is unlikely to have any significant impact, the source added.


MRC