(Plasteurope) -- With the installation of a new titanium-magnesium catalyser, Tomskneftekhim has modernised its PP production and simultaneously increased by 20% the capacity of its line to 130,000 t/y. PP quality has improved thanls to the new catalysers, especially with regard to material yellowring and the range of different types available, works manager Sergei Merzlyakov said at a conference held in Tomsk in mid-April. The main target market of the new and improved PP manufactured by this Sibur subsidiary is the automotive sector.
On 28 April, Tomskneftekhim reported that it has started up a new bagging and palletising facility, where the LDPE produced by its existing 230,000 t/y line is bagged for export. In future, the new PP output will be bagged here as well. The company said the first 40-60 bags of LDPE, each weighing 25 kg, were on route to Bulgaria. Some 60% of output was earmarked for export in 2009. The previously unpacked material mostly had gone to customers in Latvia and Lithuania. Since the new facility now allowed to to supply properly packaged materials, Tomskneftekhim hopes to increase its European export destinations.
Sibur Holding is the largest Russian petrochemical group.
Shareholders:
Gazprombank (70% minus 1 share);
Gazfond (25% plus 1 share);
5% reserved for option program.
The share in the Russian market in 2008:
polyethylene - 11.1%;
polypropylene - 16% (including PP-random - 11.2%);
ABS - 5.2%;
PVC - 8.1%.