Customer sectors for technical textiles in Russia grow

(textination) -- Russia's light industry has been decreasing since years. There are only a handful of specialty textile manufacturers. The bulk of the merchandise is imported.

It is the same with technical textiles. Demand is expected further to rise, because in the coming years the expenditure for health care and production volume in the automotive sector will increase. The construction industry also looks towards better times. That should bring German manufacturers of technical textiles ample orders.

The demand for chemical fibers and yarns in Russia is expected to grow in the years 2010 to 2013 by one third. This Russian experts have predicted mid-November 2011. As a result, sales of man made fibers is expected to increase to 186 130 t and to 133 600 tons of chemical yarns in 2013. Domestic production covers the national needs with just 46%. The balance needs to be imported.

MRC

Elevance Renewable Sciences and Arkema to develop and produce renewable polymers

(arkema) -- Elevance Renewable Sciences Inc. and Arkema announced today a global partnership for the development and production of renewable specialty polymers.

Elevance is providing novel, differentiated, functionalized renewable starting materials, including the company's 9-decenoic methyl ester, from their bio refineries.

Arkema has a long and well-established background in the field of bio-based specialty polymers. By combining their expertise, both companies will work on the development of a range of specialty bio-based polymers based on Elevance specialty methyl ester intermediate.

"Arkema's position as producer of high-performing bio-sourced technical polymers is a natural fit for our unique specialty chemicals," said Andy Shafer, executive vice president of sales and market development for Elevance. "We are pleased to be partnering with them in this important market for both of us".


"Our partnership with Elevance offers Arkema the strategic opportunity to expand our current feedstocks for biosourced raw materials and to strengthen our leading position on the fast-growing bio-sourced polymer market with increased capacities for our customers globally," said Jean-Luc Dubois, Scientific Director, for Arkema.

MRC

China chemical plant blast leaves 13 dead, many injured

(bbc) -- An explosion at a chemical factory in northern China has killed at least 13 people, state officials said. Part of the plant was flattened by the blast and witnesses said houses within a 2km diameter had windows smashed. Police believe the blast, which left another 43 people injured, may have been caused by chemicals.

The blast took place at the Keeper Chemical Plant in Zhaoxian County. Cheng Weiqing, deputy head of the Shijiazhuang City Public Security Bureau which oversees Zhaoxian County, says tremors were felt in at least three villages near the plant.

He told Xinhua that the damaged factory produced farming and other chemicals, including ammonium sulphate, guanidine nitrate and nitro guanidine. A brief statement from the State Administration of Work Safety said the building where the blast took place specialised in producing guanidine nitrate.


Guanidine nitrate is a oxidising agent that is used as high energy fuel for space rockets. It is harmful to human health if inhaled.

MRC

Elementis to record profit into plant expansion in U.S.

(bloomberg) -- Elementis Plc (ELM), the world's largest maker of hectorite-clay additives used in cosmetics, plans to increase investment and pump USD15 million into U.S. expansion over the next two years, Finance Director Brian Taylorson said.

Capital expenditure will rise to USD20 million to USD25 million in 2012, from USD14 million last year, Taylorson said. Elementis, which reported record profit today, is budgeting for a similar level of investment in 2013, he said.
The maker of paint and chromium, based in London, is in the early stages of a new expansion program in the U.S. to capture market share for additives used in water-based paints, Taylorson said in a phone interview today. Elementis is focusing on higher-margin chemicals used in lubricants and coatings in industries spanning oil-drilling and aerospace, while running its chromium business for cash.


"Our priority is to see if we can reinvest excess cash," Taylorson said. Pretax profit before one-time items gained 40 percent to USD134.5 million. Revenue climbed 9 percent to USD760.5 million.


MRC

Germany's Bayer swings to EUR397mln net profit

(bayer) -- The Bayer Group had a very successful year in 2011 both strategically and operationally, posting record levels of sales and EBIT.

"We achieved the Group targets that we raised after the first quarter," said Bayer CEO Dr. Marijn Dekkers at the Financial News Conference in Leverkusen on Tuesday. The company also made good progress toward further innovation and expanding its activities in emerging markets. For 2012 Dekkers predicted a slight improvement in underlying earnings despite an economic situation marked by uncertainty.

Sales of the Bayer Group rose by 4.1 percent in 2011, to EUR 36,528 million (2010: EUR 35,088 million). Adjusted for currency and portfolio effects (Fx & portfolio adj.), sales were up by 5.5 percent. "Thus we exceeded the record set in 2010," Dekkers said. Sales in the emerging markets rose by 9.0 percent on a currency-adjusted (Fx adj.) basis, contributing disproportionately to the expansion in business. The operating result (EBIT) advanced by a substantial 52.0 percent to EUR 4,149 million (2010: EUR 2,730 million).

MRC