Total Petrochemicals develops new PP resin

(prf) -- Total Petrochemicals Inc., a leading polypropylene (PP) producer, and Milliken Chemical, a division of Milliken & Company, collaborated on a new metallocene PP resin clarified with Milliken's Millad technology. The new material, Total Petrochemicals' Lumicene polypropylene, produces thermoformed parts with superior clarity and gloss and excellent side wall stiffness.

Lumicene is an extremely clean resin that complies with U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulations regarding food contact. During processing, this resin delivers optimum thermal stability for superior color, clarity and processability, as per Total.

MRC

SIBUR expands polypropylene range

TOMSK (SIBUR) - Tomskneftekhim, SIBUR associate, started production of new general purpose polypropylene (PP) grade.



According to SIBUR, new 21020-16Н grade delivers high thermostability and thermal-oxidative ageing resistance, which gives converters opportunity to produce new goods with better durability and strength properties.



The product will expand the range of company's general purpose grades and will be used to produce technical and consumer goods: geotextiles, carpet lining, strapping materials, woven sacks, elastic packaging and toys.



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.

Russian converters expecting PP price decrease

MOSCOW (MRC) -- The last week of June was marked by a serious decrease in demand in the Russian polypropylene market. Many market players expect PP prices to go down in the domestic market being pressed by continuously falling prices in Asia - according to MRC Price reports.

Russian converters had seriously cut down polypropylene purchases by the end of June. Launch of PP plants after the scheduled maintenance in Ufa and Kapotnya with the total capacity of 200.000 tpa at the end of June should lead to market saturation and, as a result, price decrease. Continuously falling prices in Asia is also a serious argument for the converters.

Russian producers have not chnaged July PP prices seriously. Raffia prices vary within the range of RUB 58.500 - 60.000/mt, including VAT, FCA. In the second half of July, PP production in Tomsk is going to be shut down for planned repairs. Operations are expectedly to be resumed in mid-August.

PP prices in Asia had been falling since the beginning of May and lost more than USD 150/mt by the end of June. The European market, contrariwise, is demonstrating a stable growth of prices being pushed up by scarce supply. Despite the EUR 20/mt decrease of contract prices for propylene in Europe, some European producers have raised July PP prices by EUR 15 - 30/mt. Some companies have nevertheless not chnaged their prices. Generally, PP-homo prices for Russian companies were fixed within the range of EUR 1.220 - 1.280/mt, FCA.

MRC

For more information about the Russian PP market, please, refer to MRC Price reports.

Total Petrochemicals to acquire polystyrene lines in Europe

(plastemart) -- The European Commission has given a nod of approval to Total Petrochemicals Feluy (TPF) to acquire the polystyrene production lines of Polimeri Europa at Feluy, a subsidiary of Italian oil and gas company Eni (E). As per the deal, TPF will continue polystyrene production on behalf of Polimeri until September 2011. This does not include the expandable polystyrene unit reactors, which will close in September 2010.

MRC

Lanxess invests in plasticizer production

(prw) -- Chemicals group Lanxess is investing a ⌠mid-single-digit amount of million euros in expanding production facilities for the plasticiser Mesamoll in Krefeld-Uerdingen, Germany, by 40%.

The Mesanoll products are alkanesulfonic acid esters that have good resistance to saponification, as well as outstanding solvating and migration properties, says Lanxess. They are compatible with various polymers, including PVC and polyurethane.

The company has also launched a new fast-solvating grade - Mesamoll TP LXS 51067 - for PVC floor coverings and wall coatings applications.

MRC