BASF quits JV with Astra Polymers

(plastemart) -- BASF and Astra Polymers Compounding Co., Ltd. have decided to discontinue plans for a joint venture in the Middle East Region. The joint venture plans were based on an agreement between Astra Polymer and the Plastic Additives business of former Ciba AG which has been acquired by BASF in 2009.

As the leading Plastic Additives supplier worldwide, BASF is committed to support polymer growth in the Middle East with local production as well as the services that customers demand in the Middle East Region.

MRC

MRC Reference

BASF. The share in the Russian market in 2008:
PS - 9.1% (GPPS - 5.9%, ABS - 11.4%, EPS - 10.6%).

Annual sales growth in Russia over the 5 years:
PS - 15%.

Imports by polymers processing technologies:
foaming;
injection molding

(plastemart) -- Exxon Mobil Corp.'s polyethylene supply from Singapore is affected due to an outage at its 480,000 tpa plant. Consequently, its polyethylene supply is affected.

The upstream 900,000 tpa naphtha cracker at the site continues to run, while operational issues have shut down the 600,000 tpa polyethylene (PE) plant and its 405,000 tpa polypropylene (PP) plant early this week. An increase is expected in the number of ethylene July loading cargoes for sale.

MRC

(prw) -- Carl Reeve, managing director of Data Plastics, has announced the purchase of his firm's tenth acquisition of an injection moulding company. The Witney, Oxfordshire, based operation has purchased the assets and goodwill of London-based trade moulder Abbey Plastics & Tooling.

The owner of Abbey Plastics & Tooling, David Parker, will work with Data Plastics to develop a range of polycarbonate drinking glasses and will also continue to offer product and tooling design and new product development assistance to former Abbey customers.

MRC

(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

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.