Udo Storck has acquired the majority of the shares in foam processor Masterfoam

(PlastEurope) -- Udo Storck has acquired the majority of the shares in foam processor Masterfoam (Ootmarsum / The Netherlands) from current CEO Hein Wiegerinck. The transaction was made possible by the aid of Dutch holding Wadinko. Storck previously served as the company's commercial director and fellow shareholder.


Masterfoam operates two plants in The Netherlands as well as one in Bistrita / Romania, turning PU and PE foams, films and mats into damming, insulating and acoustic solutions for the automotive and other industries. In addition, the group also manufactures polstered transport packaging for the computer, medicinal and entertainment sectors.


Perspectives of development of the polymers markets, pricing issues and other important aspects will be discussed at The Polymers Summit-2011, which will be held in Moscow on November 30, 2011 at the Ritz Carlton Hotel. The Summit is organized by MRC with the support of ICIS. The main idea of the Summit is to find a "the golden mean" between producers and converters. When producers receive exactly such margin of production, which helps them to invest in production expansion in order to substitute polymers imports, and the converters receive such price of feedstock that helps them to compete imported finished products. The Summit site gives an access to the live video of the Summit, speakers' presentations, as well as opportunities to ask questions or make appointments to any Summit partcipant.


MRC

Turkey's Tekla to develop WIT for manufacturing hollow plastic parts

(BASF) -- Teklas, a Turkish supplier to the automotive industry, has actively pushed the development of water-assisted injection molding technology (WIT) for manufacturing hollow plastic parts. The company has recently started to produce fluid-carrying tubes for automobiles in high volumes from BASF's special Ultramid A3HG6 WIT. This glass fiber reinforced polyamide 66 grade has been developed specifically for WIT, and offers good inside and outside surfaces as well as the required high chemical resistance. The new tubes that Teklas is currently developing for almost all large European automobile manufacturers provide individual conveying of cooling water, air and oil in the engine compartment.


Perspectives of development of the polymers markets, pricing issues and other important aspects will be discussed at The Polymers Summit-2011, which will be held in Moscow on November 30, 2011 at the Ritz Carlton Hotel. The Summit is organized by MRC with the support of ICIS. The main idea of the Summit is to find a "the golden mean" between producers and converters. When producers receive exactly such margin of production, which helps them to invest in production expansion in order to substitute polymers imports, and the converters receive such price of feedstock that helps them to compete imported finished products. The Summit site gives an access to the live video of the Summit, speakers' presentations, as well as opportunities to ask questions or make appointments to any Summit partcipant.


MRC

SABIC and AmeriLux International co-create new Lexapanel sheet

(Sabic) -- SABIC's Innovative Plastics business today announced its new patent-pending Lexapanel polycarbonate (PC) sheet standing seam technology to give architects and builders exceptional flexibility to create sustainable and beautiful translucent roofing and other glazing elements. Lexapanel sheet was developed in collaboration with AmeriLux International, LLC, an authorized North American distributor of SABIC's Lexan Thermoclear and Thermoclick sheet products. Compared with other standing seam solutions, the new offering provides customers in North America and Europe with far more glazing options, including choice of width, thickness, coating, color, structure and type of connection. Further, Lexapanel sheet delivers the strength, weatherability, clarity and thermal insulation of SABIC's renowned Lexan PC multiwall sheet. This joint, high-performance solution demonstrates SABIC's commitment in developing sustainable solutions that promote energy conservation while providing customer focused day-lighting solutions to improve working and living environments.


Perspectives of development of the polymers markets, pricing issues and other important aspects will be discussed at The Polymers Summit-2011, which will be held in Moscow on November 30, 2011 at the Ritz Carlton Hotel. The Summit is organized by MRC with the support of ICIS. The main idea of the Summit is to find a "the golden mean" between producers and converters. When producers receive exactly such margin of production, which helps them to invest in production expansion in order to substitute polymers imports, and the converters receive such price of feedstock that helps them to compete imported finished products. The Summit site gives an access to the live video of the Summit, speakers' presentations, as well as opportunities to ask questions or make appointments to any Summit partcipant.


MRC

Japan's Kuraray to raise EVOH resins output at its subsidiary's plant in Pasadena

(PlastEurope) -- In response to rising demand for its ⌠Eval EVOH resins, Kuraray (Tokyo / Japan) has announced a EUR 40m investment to raise ⌠Eval output at its North American subsidiary's plant in Pasadena, Texas. The 12,000 t/y capacity expansion is due to come on stream in January 2014. Kuraray currently has capacity to turn out 35,000 t/y of EVOH at the site.


The Japanese group also operates a 24,000 t/y EVOH line in Antwerp / Belgium as well as a 10,000 t/y facility in Okayama / Japan. Thanks to its gas barrier properties, ⌠Eval largely is used in food packaging applications to offer better preservation, as well as for automotive fuel tanks.


Perspectives of development of the polymers markets, pricing issues and other important aspects will be discussed at The Polymers Summit-2011, which will be held in Moscow on November 30, 2011 at the Ritz Carlton Hotel. The Summit is organized by MRC with the support of ICIS. The main idea of the Summit is to find a "the golden mean" between producers and converters. When producers receive exactly such margin of production, which helps them to invest in production expansion in order to substitute polymers imports, and the converters receive such price of feedstock that helps them to compete imported finished products. The Summit site gives an access to the live video of the Summit, speakers' presentations, as well as opportunities to ask questions or make appointments to any Summit partcipant.


MRC

Aramco to halt production capacity expansion

(Arabian oil and gas) -- Saudi Aramco will not continue to increase its production capacity, and will instead focus on natural gas and integrating its expanding downstream operations, says Khalid al-Falih, CEO of Saudi Aramco.


⌠The downstream [refining] is increasingly growing in scale to equal, and sometimes eclipse, the level of spending we are doing in upstream [oil production], al-Falih told journalists gathered in Riyadh, according to a Reuters report. ⌠In the short to medium term, our focus is on gas."


Referring to Saudi's requirements under OPEC, Falih said ⌠Saudi Aramco has more spare capacity than the kingdom is obligated to or has committed to ... so it wouldn't make sense" to increase capacity by more than 12 million barrels per day. Saudi Arabia had previously committed $100 billion for projects targeting increased oil production capacity, but will now halt this once the Kingdom has the capacity to pump 12 million barrels per day.


Perspectives of development of the polymers markets, pricing issues and other important aspects will be discussed at The Polymers Summit-2011, which will be held in Moscow on November 30, 2011 at the Ritz Carlton Hotel. The Summit is organized by MRC with the support of ICIS. The main idea of the Summit is to find a "the golden mean" between producers and converters. When producers receive exactly such margin of production, which helps them to invest in production expansion in order to substitute polymers imports, and the converters receive such price of feedstock that helps them to compete imported finished products. The Summit site gives an access to the live video of the Summit, speakers' presentations, as well as opportunities to ask questions or make appointments to any Summit partcipant.


MRC