Department of Energy employs SIBUR vice-president

MOSCOW (SIBUR) -- SIBUR vice-president Petr Degtyarev has been appointed to the seat of Oil and Gas Director in Department of Energy of Russian Federation.

Petr Degtyarev came to SIBUR in 1999 as leading manager in production administration. In 11 years Mr. Degtyarev was taking up posts of head of a department in production administration, deputy head of material source administration, petrochemical department director, hydrocarbon supplies department director, hydrocarbon and monomer primary processing department director, deputy head of monomer and liquid chemical production administration, deputy head of plastics and organic synthesis administration. In 2006 Petr Degtyarev was appointed to the seat of operations vice-president.

Petr Degtyarev has played a significant role in creation and development of the biggest petrochemical holding in Russia. The company is hoping that experience and knowledge will promote the confident growth of Russian petrochemistry.

MRC
MRC Reference

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%.

(plastemart) -- Abu Dhabi-based polymer manufacturer Borouge has inked an agreement to build a second production plant in China's Guangzhou to produce 105,000 tpa of compounded polypropylene. Construction work on the plant is expected be completed by the middle of 2012, while investment outlay has not been disclosed. The new compounding plant will also benefit from the Application Research and Development Centre being established in Shanghai and the Innovation Centre being built in Abu Dhabi, UAE.

MRCMRC Reference

Borealis. The share in the Russian market in 2008:

polyethylene - 4.1% (including HDPE - 4.7%, LLDPE - 8.7%);
polypropylene - 3.2% (PP-impact - 7.5%).

Annual sales growth in Russia over the last 5 years:
polyethylene - 11%;
polypropylene - 6%.

Leader in polymers processing technologies:
extrusion coating;
cable extrusion;
injection molding.

The peak of PS consumption was in 2007, when construction sector was actively developing and there was a great demand for heat-insulation materials. According to MRC Annual reports, by year 2009 results, the consumption formed about 361 kt, 12% exceeding 2006 results. PS demand in 2010 is possibly to reach the level of 2008/ This should be promoted by actively developing energy-saving programs and the development of production sites of international giants like Samsung Electronics, LG, BSH Bosch und Siemens in Russia (see mrcplast.com from April 9).

Total PS production in Q1 was on the level of same period 2009 (about 66 kt). As in other polymers' markets, PS exports in 2009 went up by 32%. However, in 2010 exports were seriously reduced and by Q1 results formed 115 kt. In the figure went down to 1,6 kt, due to reduction of suppliese into China and Turkey.

Still weak demand for polystyrene in the domestic market has held the increase of imports which was given green light by Common Customs Tariff (see mrcplast.com from January 15). So, feedstocks from foreign producers in Q1 2010 have certainly increased comparing with same period in 2009 (47% to 30 kt). However, it is almost 40% lower than Q4 2009 figures.

MRC

More detailed event analysis, and PS market development forecast can be found in MRC Annual reports.

(Borealis) -- Borealis, a leading provider of chemical and innovative plastics solutions, announces the establishment of a chaired professor seat at the Petroleum Institute in Abu Dhabi to support polymer science education in the region. The Borealis Chaired Professor will be funded for an initial four year period within the University's Material Science department.

The Chaired Professor will be selected by a committee on the basis of academic and research credentials. The annual contribution from Borealis will cover manpower requirements and research costs.

MRCMRC Reference

Borealis. The share in the Russian market in 2008:

polyethylene - 4.1% (including HDPE - 4.7%, LLDPE - 8.7%);
polypropylene - 3.2% (PP-impact - 7.5%).

Annual sales growth in Russia over the last 5 years:
polyethylene - 11%;
polypropylene - 6%.

Leader in polymers processing technologies:
extrusion coating;
cable extrusion;
injection molding.

(Plasteurope) -- Shin-Etsu, the world's leading PVC manufacturer, has counted the results of the recently ended financial year. Sales of the PVC business division fell by about 25% to JPY 242.7 bn (about EUR 1.85 bn) the group reports. This means that Shin-Etsu's PVC business, part of the ⌠Organic and Inorganic Chemicals division, generated about 26% of total group revenues of JPY 916.8 bn (2008: JPY 1,200.8 bn).

Low demand and rising feedstock costs put a damper on PVC business in Japan, where the overall operative result of PVC activities dropped to JPY 17.4 bn (JPY 36.7 bn).

At JPY 83.9 bn (JPY 154.7 bn), group net profit declined by almost half. Shin-Etsu is planning further cost reductions. Despite the signs of a global economic recovery, the group says this is no reason to be confident about the future. In Japan, for example, unemployment figures and fears of a possible deflation are dampering spirits - one of the reasons why management for now has declined to give a forecast. The group currently is in the midst of liquidating its Mexican subsidiary Shin-Etsu Polymer Mexico.

MRC