Cereplast expects 400% production increase in 2010

(plastemart) -- Cereplast Inc. expects to produce and ship approximately 16 million lbs of its proprietary bio-plastic resins to customers in 2010- a 400% increase in shipments compared to 2009. Cereplast has inked new global distribution agreements with several companies, including multi-billion dollar corporations Ashland Distribution, a commercial unit of Ashland Inc. and Bunge Alimentaris, a Brazilian subsidiary of Bunge Limited, a contributing factor to the rise in shipment estimates. To support growing sales volume, the Company recently opened a new production facility in Seymour, Indiana. The move to the new plant, which was relocated from Southern California, also has significantly reduced real estate and utility costs for the company.

MRC

(plastemart) -- Songwon has established Songwon International India Pvt. Ltd., located in Mumbai as the headquarter for Songwon activities in India and South East Asia.

Dieter Morath, Executive Vice-President EMEA of Songwon International AG, said: "The establishment of Songwon International India Pvt. Ltd. is a new milestone in our strategy to develop local presence in high growth regions. Demand for our products is growing rapidly and the region is fast becoming a very important market for us. We have chosen India because it is one of the key driving forces of global economic development and in particular we expect a continuous growth in the plastic related industries. India offers the perfect combination of a growing local and regional demand with an abundance of skilled and educated human resources."

MRC

(Dow) -- The Dow Chemical Company and Bain Capital Partners, a leading global private equity firm, announced jointly that they have closed the sale of Dow's Styron Division to an affiliate of Bain Capital. Dow has elected to retain a 7.5 percent equity position in Styron, which is now a privately held, global materials company. Also included in the transaction are several long-term supply, service and purchase agreements between Dow and Styron that will generate substantial additional value for both companies.

MRC MRC Reference

Share in the Russian market, 2008:

polyethylene - 2.5% (including LLDPE - 33.1%);

polypropylene - 0.8% (including PP-impact - 1.1%);

polystyrene - 2.6%.

Annual sales growth in Russia, recent 5 years:

polyethylene - 55%;

polypropylene - 28%;

polystyrene - 2%.

Imports by processing technologies:

pipe extrusion;

film extrusion;

sheet extrusion;

foaming.

(prw) -- The head of Lanxess' technical rubber products business unit, Dr Guenther Weymans, believes that the crisis in the rubber industry is over "provided the economic climate continues to remain stable".

Weymans, speaking at a press conference prior to the K2010 event, said: "We are currently seeing clear signs of recovery." He added that demand for butyl rubber form the Asia-Pacific region has grown faster than the rest of the world and now represents 50% of Lanxess' butyl sales, compared with 35% in 2006. "The Chinese market for nitrile rubber is showing double-digit growth - faster than anywhere else," he explained.

Weymans confirmed Lanxess' joint venture with TSRC in Nantong, China, saying the project is still awaiting approvals from the Chinese anti-trust authorities. Assuming permission is granted, the ┬36m project will begin producing up to 30kt of nitrile rubber per year from the first half of 2012.

MRC

(LUKOIL) - In Saint-Petersburg in terms of International economical forum LUKOIL President Vagit Alekperov and President of The Republic of Tatarstan Rustam Minnik have signed the Agreement about Cooperation between the Company and Republic Government.

According to the agreement, sides are going to cooperate in geologic research of entrails, mining and processing of hydrocarbon materials, development of oil products supply system, production and social infrastructure.

The agreement, in particular, provides for the supplies of oil products by LUKOIL facilities into wholesale and retail markets of Tatarstan, construction of a new and reconstruction of existing petrol stations.

MRC