Celanese announced an increase of EVA prices

(Celanese) -- Celanese Corporation, a global technology and specialty materials company and a North American leader in Ethylene Vinyl Acetate (EVA) polymers, announced today that its subsidiary, Celanese EVA Performance Polymers Inc., will increase the price of all grades of Ateva EVA by USD0,10/pound and all grades of LDPE by USD0,06/pound effective January 1, 2012, or as contracts allow.

MRC

The company last conducted a turnaround at the unit between Aug. 21 and Sept. 30 2008.

MRC

(MRC) -- In November, Russian producers increased their output of high-density polyethylene (HDPE) to 67.5 thousand tonnes. Over the 11 months, total volume of HDPE output in Russia grew by 3% and made 767 thousand tonnes, according to MRC ScanPlast.


In November, Russian producers produced about 67.5 thousand tonnes of HDPE, which was by 15% more than in October. As per MRC analysts, due to a scheduled turnaround of HDPE production at Kazanorgsyntez, Gazprom neftechem Salavat and Stavrolen, total volume of production in October fell to 58.5 thousand tonnes.

Last month, Russian producers increased their output of film and blow molding HDPE. However, the output of injection molding and pipe grades of polyethylene decreased. In some degree the decline in pipe HDPE production resulted from switching of Nizhnekamskneftechem to production of linear polyethylene in November.

Following the 11 months' results, total volume of HDPE production by Russian producers made 767 thousand tonnes that was by 3% more, year on year.


Nizhnekamskneftechem has shown the greatest increase in production - about 16%. Despite the technical difficulties in the early autumn, Gazprom neftechem Salavat this year increased the volume of the HDPE by one third to the 35.5 thousand tonnes. Because of a weekly suspension for a scheduled turnaround, Stavrolen showed a modest increase in production volumes - 4%. Kazanorgsyntez, on the contrary, this year reduced production of high-density polyethylene by 8%.

MRC

(PRNewswire) -- LyondellBasell CEO Jim Gallogly today told participants at the company's annual Investor Day in New York that LyondellBasell is well positioned for the future. The company has had successive quarters of record results and delivered USD5.5 billion of EBITDA over the last 12 months.

Gallogly and other LyondellBasell executives reviewed recent financial performance, the near-term outlook, a business segment-by-segment report of achievements, and the company's plans for growth in front of an audience of investors participating in the half-day program that was broadcast on the company's website.

"The past 18 months have been a period of significant progress at LyondellBasell," Gallogly said. "We have rebuilt this company from the plant floor up. We have improved our cost structure, strengthened our balance sheet and enhanced all aspects of our operations. The collective efforts and success of our employees around the world in implementing our back-to-basic strategy is proof we have what it takes to become the premier commodity petrochemical company. We believe we have now earned the right to grow and are well-positioned for the future," Gallogly said.

MRC

(ICIS) -- Spot powdered polypropylene (PP) prices in China fell by about 11% since early November, as sellers are under pressure to shave down their high inventory of the material, market sources said on Friday.

Bids and offers were quoted at (CNY) 9,700-9,900/tonne (USD1,523-1,554/tonne) EXW (ex-works) in Shandong on Friday, down by about CNY1,175/tonne from CNY10,950-11,000/tonne in early November, they said. ⌠The negotiation levels are hitting the lowest [on] record in the second half of this year, said a Shandong-based producer. Mounting inventory levels have caused panic-selling for some market players, said another producer from Zhejiang.

Demand for powdered PP was extremely low from its major downstream - the woven-bags industry - and this has led to a continuous decline prices of feedstock propylene, said a source from Dongming Petrochemical Group.

About 80% of China's powdered PP consumption goes into the production of woven bags. Buyers are currently procuring powdered PP cargoes on a need-to basis, taking into account actual demand.

Xianchao Packaging, a major Zhejiang-based woven bags maker in China, is cautious about stocking up on feedstock, anticipating a labour shortage leading to the Lunar New Year festivities in China in late January, said a company source.

The gloomy global economic climate going into next year is also weighing down on overall market sentiment in the powdered PP sector, some plastics processors said.

Prices of feedstock propylene in China were assessed at CNY9,150-9,300/tonne ex-tank in Shandong on Thursday, down by 19.43% from 9 October, according to Chemease, an ICIS service in China. Propylene values will likely continue falling in the coming weeks because of persistently weak demand, market sources said.

MRC