Lego to build EUR 125m complex in Hungary

(europeanplasticsnews) -- This summer, global toy maker Lego announced, it will start constructing a new EUR 125m factory complex near Nyiregyhaza, Hungary.

The 80,000m? green field complex, being built on a fresh site west of the Danish toy group's existing Nyiregyhaza plant, is due for completion in 2014, according to its Hungarian subsidiary Lego Manufacturing.

In Hungary, Lego's new Nyiregyhaza complex is expected to create 250 new jobs when it is fully operating and have a total workforce of around 1,550.

Details of this plan were revealed in mid January (2012) when Lego, based in Billund, Denmark, formally agreed on a 100 ha. site for its new complex. Lego Manufacturing's chief executive Jens Peter Clausen signed a contract with the Nyiregyhaza city mayor Ferenc Kovacs.

Lego was prompted to invest in a new site, not only in the face of vigorous growth in the toy markets of Eastern Europe, but also because the lease on its present manufacturing site in the city is set to expire in 2015.

The group's choice of a larger site is part of its future business plan in Hungary, allowing for further expansion over the coming 15 years. ⌠The factory investment is based on long term plans, demonstrating that the Lego Group believes the Nyiregyhaza area is the right place for Duplo' production for many years to come, the CEO explained in September last year.

Construction will begin on site with a 13,000m? pallet warehouse due to be completed this year. Work on a product packing unit is due to start in 2013, followed by the construction of the new plastics moulding plant equipped with 450 injection presses, according to Lego.

Construction will begin on site with a 13,000m? pallet warehouse due to be completed this year. Work on a product packing unit is due to start in 2013, followed by the construction of the new plastics moulding plant equipped with 450 injection presses, according to Lego.

When all production is finally switched from its existing site and the new energy efficient plant is finally inaugurated in September 2015, Lego expects to expand its capacity by 30%.

MRC

(europeanplasticsnews) -- Faurecia, a major French supplier of seats, interiors, exhaust systems and exterior parts, is angling for a much bigger share of North American sales.

CEO Yann Delabriere, 61, is counting on strong sales to German automakers, along with fast-growing demand for luxury components, diesel exhaust systems for commercial trucks, and parts for global vehicles such as the Ford Focus and Fiesta to fuel his company's market share growth.

In fact, Delabriere predicts that Faurecia, which ranks No. 9 on the Automotive News list of the top 100 suppliers to North America, will move up to No. 5.

Faurecia sales in North America were up almost 30% for the first nine months, and the fourth quarter could be even better.

Delabriere said: "We have said that we need to build 60 new plants or major expansions of existing plants worldwide through 2015. We already have 42 projects under way. We will spend EUR 2.3bn through 2015."

MRC

(chemmonitor) -- Petchem and polyolefins producers using naphtha and based in Europe and Northeast Asia witnessed a decrease of revenues in Q4 of the previous year.

Producers started to lose margins in Q3, but a larger decrease was observed in October-December.

The situation partially resulted from a high destocking activity towards the end of the year. The overall economic instability and a cautious behaviour of buyers on the back of a bleak economic outlook also impacted the situation.

MRC

(BYMNews) -- Effective 6th February 2012, Scott Bader Europe is increasing the price for its range of Crystic polyester, DCPD based and Vinyl ester resins by EUR100/tonne. Crystic gelcoats, Crestapol resins and Crestomer adhesives will also increase by EUR100/tonne.
Pigmented gelcoats and resins will increase by a minimum of EUR120/tonne with pigment pastes increasing by a minimum of EUR150/tonne. New prices will be applied to orders invoiced or delivered on or after this date subject to existing customer contracts.

This price increase is in response to continued rises in the costs of key oil based feedstock raw materials required for the manufacture of UPR resins, plus further rises in titanium dioxide.

MRC

(Arkema) -- As part of a drive to optimize its functional polyolefin range, Arkema announces that it is to discontinue its Evatane 33-15 (High Content Ethylene - Vinyl Acetate Copolymers) and Lotryl 14MG02 (Ethylene - Acrylate Copolymers) grades.


This withdrawal is part of a rationalization program to be completed in 2012 designed to shorten production wheel and reduce inventories of finished products, while delivering even better customer service.

In the past three years Arkema has sought to methodically optimize its Evatane, Lotryl and Orevac T (Ethylene - Vinyl Acetate and Maleic Anhydride Terpolymers) ranges, and to channel its sales towards higher added value grades.

Marketed under the tradenames Evatane, Lotryl, Lotader and Orevac, Arkema's Functional Polyolefins are used in wide-ranging industrial applications, including hotmelt adhesives, cables, multilayer packaging films, technical polymer modification, solar panels, petroleum additives, bitumens and inks.

MRC