Toyo Engineering to construct a new plant in China for DSM Nanjing Chemical

(chemmonitor) -- The Japan-based Toyo Engineering , procurement and construction company will build a new unit producing caprolactam at Nanjing site (China) for the China-based DSM Nanjing Chemical Company, Ltd.

The expected capacity of the plant will reach 200,000 tonnes of product per year.

DNCC will invest about USD 300 million in the construction.

The project is forecast to be on stream approximately in the middle of the fiscal year of 2013.

The project will allow the Chinese company to become the major producer of caprolactam worldwide.

MRC

(acron) -- In 2011 Acron's total commercial output was up 4.9% year-on-year to 5,821,600 tonnes, record high for the company history.

In 2011 Acron's ammonia output increased 2.8% and nitrogen fertiliser output rose 7.3% year-on-year. Demand for all nitrogen fertilisers remained strong in 2011 which allowed Acron and Dorogobuzh to maintain maximum utilisation of their production facilities. The Group's nitrogen fertilisers are in great demand both in Russia and in Asia, North and Latin America.

In H1 2012 Acron intends to commission a new urea facility with the production capacity of 330,000 tonnes per year which will enable the Group to boost urea and UAN production already this year.

In 2011 the environment of the complex fertiliser world market remained favourable. Due to this, all production facilities of the Group operated at high utilisation level and raised output 6.5% in this segment, including 20% increase in the output of bulk blends.

The Group posted higher output of industrial products which went up 8.4% in this segment (1,011,400 tonnes).

Due to recovery of demand for low-density and technical-grade ammonium nitrate on the part of industrial consumers (mining companies), the Group's Russian facilities increased its output 37.2% year-on-year.

Given the recovery of the Russian wood processing industry, urea-formaldehyde resin output was up 12.4% to 176,500 tonnes.

MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- The capacity of the Russian PP market over the 2011 rose by 4% year on year and exceeded 810 thousand tonnes. Russian producers met the growing market demand having increased their production volumes and exports reduction, according to MRC ScanPlast.


The growth of the Russian PP market in 2011 slowed down. By the end of 2011, the calculated PP consumption in Russia had risen to 810.8 thousand tonnes, that was by 4% more year on year. According to MRC, in 2010, market capacity grew by 22%. Such a notable growth mostly resulted from a low comparison base of the crisis 2009 year. Before 2008 inclusive, the Russian PP market had grown on average by 18% per year. After the recession, the dynamics of growth slowed on average to 10% per year.


Last year local producers met growing demand for PP in the Russian market by increasing the output to 681.4 thousand tonnes. Export shipments of the Russian PP also increased from 41.8 thousand tonnes in 2010 to 63.8 thousand tonnes in 2011. Imports, on the contrary, decreased by 3% to 192.8 thousand tonnes. Last year the structure of PP consumption notably changed by grades.

Capacity of the Russian market of the homopolymer of propylene decreased by 2% and made 602.4 thousand tonnes. The main reduction in consumption fell at the producers of PP bags and flexible containers and BOPP films. In 2011, the market of impact copolymers of propylene increased by one third and made 133.3 thousand tonnes.

The main increase in consumption fell at producers of polypropylene by injection molding technology (production pallets, automotive components, closures, etc.). A small decline in consumption was seen in the sector of pipe and sheet extrusion.


Over the last year, the market of stat-copolymers increased by 9% though overall consumption increased by 7%. A moderate growth in demand for Random-copolymer of propylene was seen in the sector of injection molding and pipe extrusion. Increased demand for stat-copolymer for pipes production resulted from the growth of domestic production and imports. Growing demand in the sector of injection molding was mainly ensured by domestic production.

MRC

(plasticsinfomart) -- Producers and distributors across a broad range of industries which place products on the EU market face ⌠significant extra costs under EU proposals to nearly triple the number of banned chemicals.

There are currently six substances outlawed in the EU. However, the European Chemicals Agency has recommended to the EU Commission adding a further 13 chemical compounds to that list.

The new list includes chemicals used in paint production, pigments, ceramics, glazes and metal processing.

⌠This would be a marked expansion and represent a huge undertaking for industry to ensure its stock of products were compliant; a process likely to entail significant costs said John Doherty, a partner and EU regulation specialist at law firm Manches.

Mr Doherty said the bans could be in place within approximately two years.

⌠This is a further example of the seemingly ever-increasing compliance burden imposed by the EU, which is stacking up costs for the UK construction industry, amongst others, at a time when it could do without them.

⌠Industry needs to consider whether any exemptions can be negotiated, which the regulations do allow for if there is no suitable alternative in a particular function.

MRC

(Plastemart) -- Taiwan's CPC Corp has restarted its 380,000 tpa No. 4 naphtha cracker this week following a routine maintenance, but operational rates will be kept low.

The unit was shut in December for maintenance and restarted on Thursday but runs at the unit will stay below full-tilt due to sluggish demand in the Lunar New Year period.

CPC has two other crackers, of which the smaller of the three units- a 230,000 tpa No. 3 cracker -- will be shut permanently around April.

That would reduce its naphtha demand until it commissions a new 700,000 tpa cracker by end 2012 or early 2013.

MRC