LyondellBasell to Close Two PP Production Lines in Wesseling, Germany

(lyondellbasell) -- LyondellBasell has announced that it would shut down two polypropylene (PP) lines in Wesseling, Germany, by mid-2012. The lines, with a combined capacity of 90 KT per year, are among the company's smallest and oldest PP production units.

⌠We continue to focus on reducing costs to maintain our competitive position in Europe, said Bob Patel, Senior Vice President, Olefins & Polyolefins, Europe, Asia and International. ⌠We have sufficient capacity to meet the needs of our customers in Europe from our larger scale facilities.

LyondellBasell produces PP at eight sites in Europe including facilities in Germany, France, Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom.


LyondellBasell is one of the world's largest plastics, chemical and refining companies. The company manufactures products at 58 sites in 18 countries. LyondellBasell products and technologies are used to make items that improve the quality of life for people around the world including packaging, electronics, automotive components, home furnishings, construction materials and biofuels.

MRC

Poland PET Affiliates Amalgamated by Indorama

(indorama) -- With effect from Jan 1, 2012, Thai polyethylene terephthalate (PET) producer Indorama Ventures (IVL), has merged two of its subsidiaries in Poland into a single entity, Indorama Ventures Poland.

Two Poland-based companies have been recently amalgamated by their parent company Indorama. The Thailand-headquartered firm is employed in polyethylene terephthalate (PET) business.


Now the firms operate under the title of Indorama Ventures Poland. The company operates a PET manufacturing unit in Wloclawek.

The facility produces 0.14 million tonnes per year. Its capacity is planned to be expanded 0.22 million tonnes per annum by the following year.

MRC

High Butadiene Costs Urged Huayu Rubber Co to Shut Down Butadiene Rubber Facility for Jan 2012

(chemmonitor) -- Huayu Rubber Co., Ltd (China) shut down a 80,000 ton/year butadiene rubber facility at Heze, Shandong province for Jan 2012 due to high feedstock costs. Butadiene costs went too high and the company could not afford it.

Meanwhile, Huayu Rubber runs its 80,000 tonne/year butadiene rubber facility at the same site which is operating at its ultimate capacity.



Being the key butadiene rubber manufacturer in Shandong province, Huayu Rubber's plant closure should soothe the current excess supply picture in the domestic market.


MRC

China's Befar shuts PO line on mechanical problems

(ICIS) -- China's Befar Group has shut its 80,000 tonne/year propylene oxide (PO) line in Shandong because of mechanical problems, a company source said on Friday.

The unexpected shutdown occurred on 29 December in the evening, the source said, adding that the company did not know when the unit would be able to be restarted.


The company's other 110,000 tonne/year PO line at the same site is operating normally, according to the source.

PO prices are at CNY12,100-12,400/tonne (USD 1,915-1,962/tonne) DEL (delivered) north China for spot customers, according to data from Chemease.

Befar primarily supplies PO to end-users in northern and eastern China.


MRC

China's Sinopec Beihai Petrochemical starts up new refinery

(ICIS)--Sinopec Beihai Petrochemical has started up its new 5m tonne/year refinery at Beihai in Guangxi and will offer oil products from next month, a company source said on Friday.

The company also plans to start up all auxiliary units, primarily a 1.7m tonne/year fluid catalytic cracker, a 2.6m tonne/year gasoil hydrogenation unit, a 1.2m tonne/year delayed coker and a 200,000 tonne/year polypropylene (PP) plant at the same site before the Lunar New Year holiday (22-28 January).


However, initially the units will not run at high operating rates, the source said.
⌠We will begin to supply oil products in January, the source added.
The refinery was previously scheduled to start on 18 December, but production was delayed until late December as a fluid catalytic unit was not ready for operation at the time.

Production at this refinery will help to push up Sinopec's crude throughput in 2012, industry sources said.

MRC