BP to sell its global LPG Bottles and tank filling business

(bp) -- BP announced today that it intends to sell its LPG bottles and tank filling operations in Portugal, UK, Austria, Poland, Netherlands, Belgium, Turkey, China and South Africa, as well as its non refinery-integrated wholesale business.

Also included in the sale are LPG storage terminals, bottle filling plants, customer lists, operating licences and logistics assets.

The decision follows a review of BP's LPG portfolio last year. As a result of the review, it was concluded that BP is not the natural owner long term of the LPG bottles and tank filling business.



It was felt that the business would offer greater opportunities for other companies wanting to invest allowing BP to continue to focus its refining and marketing businesses where it has leading market positions it can sustain and grow in the long-term.

BP intends to retain its autogas business in Europe and move it into the Fuels Value Chains, and maintain LPG wholesale outlets to support its refinery operations.
The LPG bottles and tank filling activities will continue to be managed as a global business until sold. BP intends to sell the businesses as going concerns and expects significant market interest.


MRC

AkzoNobel invests EUR80 million to supply new Suzano pulp mill in Brazil

(akzonobel) -- AkzoNobel is planning to invest EUR80 million in the construction of a new pulp Chemical Island facility in Brazil. The plant, operated by the company's Pulp and Paper Chemicals business, Eka Chemicals, will supply the Suzano Maranhao pulp mill. This is AkzoNobel's second largest investment in Brazil in the past 12 months and further expands Eka Chemicals' sustainability-focused Chemical Island concept.


"This 15-year agreement emphasizes the importance of high growth markets for AkzoNobel and will help drive the company's medium-term strategy of doubling revenue in Brazil to EUR1.5 billion," said Rob Frohn, AkzoNobel Executive Committee member responsible for Specialty Chemicals.

The investment will involve supplying, storing and handling all chemicals for the 1.5 million ton per year pulp mill, which is being constructed in Imperatriz, Maranhao, Brazil. The mill is expected to come on stream in the last quarter of 2013.


The new facility will expand AkzoNobel's well-established pulp and paper activities in Brazil. The business already successfully runs Chemical Islands, as well as other production units, on several customer sites. It also operates bleaching and paper chemical plants in Jacarei, Rio de Janeiro, Tres Lagoas and Jundiai.



MRC

Perstorp will increase the price for its Capa Caprolactone monomer and polymers

(perstorp) -- Specialty chemicals company Perstorp will increase the price for its Capa Caprolactone monomer and polymers effective from March 1, 2012.


Effective from March 1, 2012 or as existing contracts permit, Perstorp will increase the price for its Capa Caprolactone monomer and polymers. Prices will be increased by up to ┬200/ton in Europe, GBR170/ton in UK , USD0.12/lb in North America, Yen20/kg in Japan and USD260/ton Asia and rest of the world.

The price increase is necessitated by increasing raw material prices that cannot be absorbed.

MRC

Poland's synthetic rubber and plastics production grew in 2011

(chemmonitor) -- Production of synthetic rubber and most plastics showed a considerable increase last year in Poland.

For instance, whole-year polyethylene output amounted to 365,000 tonnes in 2011. Local polyethylene makers generated only 30,000 tonnes in December 2010, down by 73,000 tonnes year on year.


Polyvinyl chloride output totaled 282,000 tonnes through January-December 2011. It was 15,700 in December.

Synthetic rubber production reached 186,000 tonnes in the previous year, in comparison with 16,300 tonnes in the last month of the year.
MRC

INEOS ChlorVinyls shut its plant on gas leak

(chemmonitor) -- A European producer INEOS ChlorVinyls brought its chlorine unit at Wilhelmshaven site off stream (Germany) on the back of a minor gas escape. The plant was shut immediately right after the accident happened for safety.

No one amid local citizens and plant's staff was injured in the accident.


The company produces about 190,000 tonnes of caustic soda, 168,000 tonnes of chlorine, 400,000 tonnes of vinyl chloride and 380,000 tonnes of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) per annum at Wilhelmshaven site.

The information about the restart of the plant is unclear.

MRC