Singapore's PCS reduced toluene deliveries on production disruptions

(chemmonitor) -- Regular and spot customers of Singapore's PCS now see delivery cuts this month from the company. This is owing to a number of technical glitches at one of the maker's production unit located at Jurong Island.

The manufacturer operates one more facility of the type at the same site. Both facilities are currently run at around 65 percent capacities.

The firm generates 100,000 tonnes of benzene per annum at No. 1 unit, while the plants' annual toluene capacity is 50,000 tonnes per annum.

MRC

(plasteurope) -- As the second month of 2012 gets underway, there are no signs of any real improvement in the dire situation in Rimnicu Vilcea, as petrochemical group Oltchim (Rimnicu Vilcea / Romania) continues to send both its own workers as well as employees of subsidiary Petrochemical Arges into ⌠technical unemployment.

By now a mantra, group CEO Constantin Roibu continues to blame a lack of both feedstocks and capital for the measures.

A small glimmer of hope may be the fact that the measures so far had applied to about 1,000 employees, while this latest round ⌠only affects 840 workers, who have been sent home but continue to receive 80% of their wages.

MRC

(plasteurope) -- Making its debut in November last year, Germany's Dreyplas (Meerbusch) has been appointed the official distributor of Sabic's polyolefin product range in Poland.

The German group's portfolio comprises a range of raw materials, additives and processing aids - mostly sourced from the Far East - for European plastics converters and compounders. Beyond the German-speaking markets, Dreyplas' distribution activities are either handled by a network of local sales representatives (Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary) or by its Polish affiliate Plaskobel (Lodz).

Dreyplas GmbH is a new but experienced player among the pan-European distributors. The company's diversified portfolio comprises raw materials, additives and processing aids for plastics converters and compounders as well as for the producers of adhesives, paints and coatings, chemicals and building materials.

MRC

(prw) -- The global packaging industry will grow in value to almost $820bn (?520bn) by 2016, predicts a new report from Pira International, driven mainly by increasing demand for packaging in emerging and transitional economies.

The Future of Global Packaging Market and Technology Forecasts to 2016 provides market sizes and forecasts broken down by packaging product, end-use sector and geographic market, in a comprehensive overview of the status of the packaging industry in 50 countries globally.

This growth is being driven by a number of broad trends such as growing urbanisation, investment in housing and construction, a burgeoning healthcare sector and the rapid development still evident in the emerging economies, including China, India, Brazil and some eastern European countries.

MRC

(prw) -- The European Commission is concerned that France has incorrectly implemented the definition of packaging and packaging waste in its national law, as required by EU waste legislation.

On the recommendation of Environment Commissioner Janez Potocnik, the Commission is to ask France it to amend its national legislation accordingly. If France fails to reply within two months, the Commission may refer the case to the European Court of Justice.

Directive 94/62/EC on packaging and packaging waste covers all packaging waste regardless of the material used, and is intended to reduce the volume of waste and encourage sustainable growth.

The Directive sets criteria for defining packaging and packaging waste that Member States are required to translate into their national legislation. The definition is important as it determines the scope of application of the Directive.

According to the Commission, France has not yet transposed the criteria jointly decided at EU level into its domestic law, which could lead to the packaging waste rules not being applied to all the relevant items.

MRC