BOPP films imports to Russia up by one third over the seven months

(MRC) -- Over the seven months, total volume of BOPP films imports to the Russian market made nearly 22 KT, that was one third more year on year, according to MRC DataScope.


This year the peak of BOPP films imports to the Russian market was observed in May (3.64 KT), and by the end of July it had decreased to 3.24 KT. In fact, imports decline was observed in all sectors of consumption, the only exception made cigarette packaging sector.


The biggest increase in imports was fixed in the so-called sector of films without printing. This year imports to the Russian market of these films doubled nearly to 5 KT. About 54% of the increase in supplies was made by films with printing.


The smallest imports increase was made in the sector of films for tobacco products packaging (about 2%), mostly due to decline in cigarettes production in Russia. According to Rosstat, this year cigarette production fell by 5%.


In July, some Russian producers of BOPP films gradually began to increase production. Following August results, it is expected that output of BOPP films in Russia will be more than 10 KT, by that the Russian producers will partially substitute imports in the domestic market.


MRC

International Plastic Guide increased deliveries of slip additives

(International Plastic Guide) -- In the first half of the year Russian company "International Plastic Guide" delivered 130 t of slip additives which was 20% more compared to last year period.


In 2011 there is a traditionally high demand for primary amides derivatives on the back of strengthening demand for polyolefins and products: polyethylene and polypropylene films. Also there is a distinguished demand for bis-amides, which depends on development of ABS market.


"International Plastic Guide" is one of the major Russian suppliers of slip additives. At the end of 2010 the company took 77% of the Russian additives market. "International Plastic Guide" is an official distributor of the global giant Fine Organics.


Slip additives are also supplied to the Russian market by Akzo Nobel (South Korea), PMC Biogenix (U.S.), Croda (UK), Undesa (Spain), Emery Oleochemical (Thailand).


MRC

BASF to enhance manufacturing operations for copper and copper-chrome catalysts

(BASF) -- BASF, the global leader in catalysis, has announced a new round of capital investment projects to increase its production capacity and further enhance its global manufacturing operations for copper and copper-chrome catalysts.


These investments are aimed at improving catalyst manufacturing efficiency to meet increased global demand. They follow an earlier round of process improvement and capacity enhancement projects for the copper-chrome product line that were completed earlier this year.


BASF produces a wide variety of base-metal catalysts, which are primarily used in petrochemical and oleochemical processing. Typical catalyst applications include guard beds; hydrogenation processes, such as solvent and gasoline dearomatization; dehydrogenation processes; monomer production; and manufacturing of specialty and detergent alcohols.

MRC

Construction work on a refinery project in Turkey to start in mid-2012

(ICIS) -- Construction work on a major new joint venture refinery project in Turkey costing an estimated USD 5bn (EUR 3.5bn) is likely to start in mid-2012, sources close to the scheme said on Friday. The 214,000 bbl/day refinery is being developed by SOCAR & Turcas Energy, a joint venture involving Azerbaijani state energy company SOCAR and Turkish state firm Turcas Petrol, at Aliaga on the Aegean coast.


The two partners are also major shareholders in Turkish petrochemical firm Petkim Petrokimya. The new refinery will be built at Petkim's existing Aliaga petrochemical production complex. Petkim plans to double its petrochemicals capacity to 6.3m tonnes/year before 2018, and the refinery will be a key source of feedstocks for the planned expansion.


Construction work on the refinery is scheduled to start by the end of 2011 and the plant will be commissioned in 2015, SOCAR & Turcas Energy CEO Kenan Yavuz said in an interview with local media on Thursday.


MRC

European PP buyers and sellers are watching the volatile crude market

(ICIS) -- European polypropylene (PP) buyers and sellers are watching the volatile crude market with interest to gain an idea of where PP prices will land in September, several said on Monday.
⌠Everybody is just watching everybody else to see what will happen, said one producer.
August business is now over and European prices have mostly fallen by EUR 15/tonne (USD 21/tonne), in line with the drop in the propylene contract price.


Freely-negotiated PP accounts, as well as those with links to propylene, fell in line but some buyers reported more substantial drops by the middle of the month.


PP prices suffered far less turmoil in August than in June and July, when some fell by as much as EUR 250/tonne over both months as imports made their way to Europe and demand waned on news of economic woes.


The focus of the PP market is now September, and more precisely, where the new European propylene contract will settle.


MRC