Arkema introduces a new polymer

(arkema) -- Arkema Coating Resins has introduced Celocor opaque polymer, a voided latex product that imparts hiding and functions as a partial replacement for titanium dioxide (TiO2). Compared to competitive opacifiers with similar functionality, Celocor opaque polymer offers a more balanced approach to performance attributes such as tint strength, gloss development, burnish resistance and scrub resistance.

"We recognize that the cost and availability of TiO2 are among the most important issues that coatings formulators are facing today," Eric Kaiser, Global Marketing Director for Arkema Coating Resins, explained. "Celocor opaque polymer gives paint developers more formulating options in their approach to TiO2 reduction."

Celoco opaque polymer provides an effective way to reduce raw material costs and improve hiding in a wide range of products, including interior or exterior coatings from flat to semigloss. Additionally, this product meets the standards of Arkema Coating Resins EnVia program and is designed to help formulators achieve their sustainability and regulatory goals in finished coating products.
"Everything we do is based around the needs of the formulator," Kaiser said. "In speaking with our customers, we found that they are very interested in having more options for TiO2 reduction while maintaining a good balance of performance attributes in their products. Our new Celocor opaque polymer meets that need."



MRC

(3sigma) -- 3 Sigma is installing a wide-format specialty coater, with production trials beginning in the first quarter of 2012. The new coater, designed and built to 3 Sigma specifications, will accommodate 76-inch web materials and can apply multiple coatings and/or adhesives on both the front and back of the web. A laminating station produces pressure-sensitive constructions with liner or multi-layered product designs.

Announcing the new capability, Mike Sotzing, 3 Sigma Vice President of Operations, said, ⌠This new 3 Sigma specialty coater will be our most versatile piece of equipment.


With it, 3 Sigma will be able to produce more complex applications and constructions for specialty and niche markets, as well as those we now serve. When installation is complete, 3 Sigma will operate 14 coating lines. We saw significant growth in 2011 and expect another major leap forward in 2012 by virtue of this expanded capability.

Since 1980, 3 Sigma has been a fast-growing, resourceful innovator of specialty top-coating and pressure-sensitive adhesive coated products. 3 Sigma offers expertise in solvent, emulsion, and hot melt technologies, to provide the optimum solution for any label need.

MRC

(chemnet) -- China's Shen Hua Chemical Industrial shut its butadiene rubber plant in Nantong on Wednesday for about a month, a source close to the company said Thursday.

High butadiene feedstock costs and poor domestic demand were among the factors leading to the shutdown of the 72,000 mt/year BR plant.

A decision to shut the plant was made late December.

Several domestic tire producers have been operating their plants at reduced rates, citing poor demand from overseas markets such as the US and Europe, and as a result, tire and rubber inventories have increased, industry sources said.

Several BR rubber producers were operating their plants at about 60-70% of capacity, a producer said.

Rubber stocks are estimated at about 250,000 mt in Qingdao, of which 220,000 mt comprise natural rubber and 30,000 mt synthetic rubber, a rubber dealer said Wednesday.

Butadiene costs have risen as end-users have sought to secure their feedstock requirements ahead of turnarounds, both locally and overseas.

For instance, Sinopec Maoming plans to shut its No. 1 naphtha-fed steam cracker in southwestern Guangdong province over February 13-25 for scheduled maintenance.

The cracker supplies crude C4 feedstock to a 50,000 mt/year butadiene extraction unit, which will run at an undisclosed reduced rate as a result of the shutdown.

MRC

(styron) -- Styron Europe GmbH and its affiliate companies in Europe announced price increases for all polystyrene and copolymers grades. Effective immediately, or as existing contract terms allow, the prices for the products listed below will increase as follows: general purpose polystyrene grades (GPPS) by 140 Euro/tonne, high impact polystyrene grades (HIPS) by 150 Eur/tonne, ABS resins by 160 Eur/tonne, SAN resin by 125 Eur/tonne.


The price increase responds to the accelerating costs associated with the manufacturing of polystyrene and copolymers grades in Europe.

Styron is a leading global materials company, dedicated to innovate and deliver for its customers. Styron's unique and balanced product portfolio brings together plastics, rubber and latex businesses that share feedstocks, operations, customers and end users.

The company benefits from global scale, a long-standing tradition of unrivaled customer relationships and a robust innovation pipeline. Styron has approximately USD 5 billion in revenue, with 20 manufacturing sites in all geographies.

Styron's 2100 employees are committed to listen to customers' needs and provide them with innovative and sustainable solutions in markets such as appliances, automotive, building and construction, carpet, commercial transportation, consumer electronics, consumer goods, electrical and lighting, medical, packaging, paper and paperboard, rubber goods and tires.

MRC

(dsm) -- DSM is to make further investments in its Kaohsiung polymerization facility in Taiwan to upgrade and develop the company's Specialty Polyamide capabilities for its Novamid and Akulon Polyamide engineering plastic business. The Kaohsiung site has been a part of DSM since 2010 and already produces specialty Polyamide 6 and 6/66 materials for its Novamid product line.

Construction has already begun and the investment is expected to be completed by the last quarter of 2012. This investment is in line with DSM's strategy of focused growth and part of the continued expansion of its Akulon and Novamid Polyamide product lines. It also demonstrates how DSM, as a leading supplier of engineering plastics, is committed both to Asia and to the specialty polymers market.

In May 2010 DSM added Novamid to its portfolio through a swap deal with Mitsubishi Chemical Company. The Novamid product line gave DSM not only a foothold in the Polyamide 6 business in the Japanese market but also added Polyamide copolymers and other specialties to the DSM Polyamide portfolio.

"These new capabilities at our Kaohsiung facility will provide a sustainable supply chain for our Polyamide specialties globally" said Richard Pieters, Global Business Director for Polyamide at DSM.

⌠We are extremely committed to the polyamide business. This is crucial to our strategic intent of building a sustainable leadership position in Asia, being one of the High Growth Economies. said Jayant Dhobley, President, DSM Engineering Plastics Asia Pacific.

The exact amount to be invested has not been disclosed.

MRC