Asian prices of BDO to drop in the coming weeks

(ICIS) -- Prices of butanediol (BDO) in Asia appear poised for a sharp drop in the coming weeks, as a result of extremely weak demand from the polyurethane (PU) segment, several market sources said on Wednesday. A major Western producer said that its key customers have procured BDO cargoes at $3,150/tonne (┬2,268/tonne) CFR (cost & freight) CMP (China Main Port). This is a decline of $150-250/tonne from prices assessed at $3,300-3,400/tonne CFR CMP on 18 October, according to ICIS data.

BDO is used primarily in the application of PU in the leather industry in China, while PU is used in the production of shoe soles.

Demand from the PU segment is likely to remain weak as the result of shoe-factory closures amid an ongoing regional credit crisis at Wenzhou city in Zhejiang province.

MRC

(Clariant) -- Clariant is opening the door to a world of creativity in design and functionality for household appliances; and what better way to demonstrate it than with a state-of-the-art fridge freezer at its Fakuma 2011.

Clariant's masterbatches and combibatches are being used increasingly in ⌠fresh boxes, doors, the external appliance body, insides and shelving because of their efficiency focused and cost-effective response to manufacturers' challenges.

Achieving a consistent color despite the combination of several different plastics such as PP, ABS and PS, on a fridge exterior and in the internal lining is a major challenge in color development. Clariant's expertise provides customers with a colored masterbatch that allows them to meet current styles for smooth lines and a high-gloss or matt finish. Clariant's broad palette of colors includes high-trend brilliant whites and grays for strong visual impact. Its pigments ensure easy, uniform dispersion within a masterbatch.

Clariant can integrate additives offering UV protection into its color masterbatches to create a combi-batch. This gives customers the added assurance of long-term light stability for visible areas where discoloration over time is not desired.

Clariant's anti-microbial masterbatches can help to reduce the risk of bacterial or fungal growth fridge linings and fresh boxes against bacterial and fungal growth within the fridge.

MRC

(Reuters) -- Taiwan's Formosa Petrochemical Corp has restarted the largest of its three naphtha crackers following a planned maintenance which started in mid-August, traders said on Tuesday. However, some traders said Asia's top naphtha buyer may shun buying spot naphtha for November despite having restarted the 1.2 million-tonnes-per-year (tpy) No. 3 cracker. "They should have sufficient naphtha inventories for now," said a trader.

Other traders said Formosa had recently bought a large volume of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG). LPG can be used to replace up to 15 percent of naphtha needed in its crackers. It operates three naphtha crackers with a total ethylene capacity of 2.93 million tpy.

MRC

(Plastics Today) -- Arburg plans to reward a new electric Allrounder 370 E to the molder with the oldest Allrounder that is still being used in production. The promotion is one way the company is celebrating the 50th anniversary of the launch of its Allrounder machine range.

Arburg, based in Lossburg, Germany, is calling the contest "Economic Miracle" anniversary competition. The company's Allrounder injection molding machines have been installed by the thousands since their introduction. Launched in 1961, the invention of the Allrounder principle meant that, for the first time, injection molding was possible in different working positions using a pivoting clamping unit and interchangeable injection unit.

Since the market launch of the first Allrounders, all Arburg machines bear the Allrounder name. Arburg makes a reliable machine, we've been told often enough, and we've seen enough old Allrounders during tours at injection molders to bet that the winner likely will have more than 25 years of service to its credit.

The contest winner will receive an electric Allrounder 370 E from the Edrive series, which Arburg introduced into its electric machine range this year. Prerequisites for participation in the anniversary competition are that the customer or company is the original owner of the Allrounder entered and the machine must still be in use in production today. Predecessor machines of the Allrounder will not be accepted.


MRC

(PlasticsToday) -- Styrolution Group GmbH (Ludwigshafen, Germany), the new joint venture between BASF (Ludwigshafen) and INEOS (Lyndhurst, UK), has scored a success at automaker Skoda, with the OEM now using a modified SAN (styrene-acrylonitrile copolymer) material for its vehicle exteriors. The grade in question, Luran HH 120, combines the advantages of classic SAN with improved temperature and weathering resistance.

Piano black SAN compound is tailored to meet weathering resistance and color depth requirements of auto industry.

Dura Automotive Systems GmbH (Dusseldorf, Germany), a German subsidiary of the American automotive supplier of the same name, was a development partner for the material. The company manufactures A-, B- and C-pillars and has recently started using Luran HH 120 for serial production of the B-pillar cladding of the Skoda Superb.

MRC