Lanxess to build new neodymium polybutadiene rubber plant in Singapore

(chemicals-technology) -- Lanxess will build a new neodymium polybutadiene rubber (Nd-PBR) plant at Jurong Island Chemical Park, Singapore.

The USD200m plant is expected to produce 140,000 metric tonnes per annum (tpa) of Nd-PBR, which will be used in the treads and sidewalls of green tires. Nd-PBR will also be used for the modification of plastics in the manufacture of high-impact polystyrene (HIPS) for injection molding applications.

The plant, which is scheduled to start operations in the first half of 2015, will use Butadiene as the raw material.
As part of the construction, Lanxess has signed long-term agreements with Petrochemical Corporation of Singapore (PCS) and TP Utilities, a wholly-owned unit of Tuas Power, for supplying the required raw material for the construction of the facility.


PCS managing director Akira Yonemura said: "We are also very pleased to announce our decision to go ahead with our new butadiene plant, which is made possible through the close collaboration with LANXESS.
"This new investment will further strengthen PCS's competitive position and we look forward to working with LANXESS for the successful completion and start-up of both our new plants."
PCS is constructing a new butadiene extraction unit and associated infrastructure necessary to provide the raw material.

TP Utilities director and Tuas Power president and chief executive officer Lim Kong Puay said: "We thank LANXESS for continuing to show strong confidence in our services by selecting TP Utilities again as a key supplier to its latest milestone project. We will be supplying steam to LANXESS' new Nd-PBR plant, when it begins operation, for a contract period of ten years, with an option to extend the service."


MRC

Asahi Kasei Chemicals to construct new acetonitrile plant in South Korea

(chemicals-technology) -- Asahi Kasei Chemicals will build a new acetonitrile plant at the site of Tong Suh Petrochemical's Ulsan plant grounds in South Korea.

The new plant, with a production capacity of 11,000 tons per year, is expected to come onstream in January 2014.
The proposed acetonitrile plant will use crude acetonitrile byproduct from other acrylonitrile plants in Korea.
The facility, along with the company's Japanese acetonitrile plant, will help Asahi Kasei Chemicals to meet the growing demand for acetonitrile.

Produced by refining the crude acetonitrile obtained as a by-product of acrylonitrile, acetonitrile is used to manufacture pharmaceuticals and agrichemicals. Asahi Kasei Chemicals operates an acetonitrile plant in Kawasaki, Kanagawa, Japan, which has a production capacity of 14,000 tons per year.

The company is currently building a new acrylonitrile plant in Ulsan with start up slated for January 2013.
Headquartered in Tokyo, Asahi Kasei has plants in Japan, China, Singapore, Thailand, the US and Germany.
MRC

Cereplast plans to release several advanced bioplastic resin grades

(plastemart) -- Cereplast plans to release a number of advanced bioplastic resin grades at NPE 2012. The new products include an EVA (ethylene vinyl acetate) Hybrid grade, Hybrid 106D, Compostable 4008D and Sustainable 1020D. The Hybrid 106D is a high starch and high melt flow injection molding bioplastic resin grade, whereas the Sustainable 1020D is a transparent injection molding grade. Compostable 4008D from Cereplast is a paper extrusion coating resin grade.

In addition, the company will display the Cereplast Compostables line of resin products, including newly added Compostable 3020, Compostable 3010 and Compostable 3002 grades. The Compostable products are used on blown film extruder lines to manufacture compostable bags.


Cereplast Compostables resins are ideal for applications where high levels of biobased content and excellent compostability are required, particularly in the food service industry. Cereplast Sustainables resin portfolio, which includes the new Hybrid 105D and Hybrid 102D grades, will also be featured at NPE 2012.

These resins combine high biobased content with survivability and durability of traditional plastic, which make them suitable for applications in packaging, consumer electronics, automotive and other industries. Frederic Scheer, Chairman and CEO of Cereplast, stated that NPE 2012 is an excellent platform for the company to showcase its technologically advanced biobased materials to the global market.



MRC

Sibur and Gazprom Neft to set PP production in Omsk

(steelguru) -- Mr Levan Kadagidze head of Gazprom Neft commercial division said that Sibur and Gazprom Neft were looking at the possibility of setting up the production of polypropylene in Omsk at the under-construction plant Poliom.

The companies already have a joint venture that makes polypropylene NPP Neftekhimiya, which operates as part of Moscow Oil Refinery. Mr Kadagidze said "The partnership has proved successful, and now we, Sibur and the Titan group are working on the next project for the production of polypropylene in Omsk at the under-construction plant Poliom."

He said that Gazprom Neft is now in the active phase of negotiations with a leading world film producer over the possibility of joint production at production facilities on the premises of Moscow Oil Refinery.

The company is also keeping with its plans to set up the production of terephthalic acid and polyethylene terephthalate. Mr Kadagidze said "Sibur and Gazprom Neft in December of 2010 signed a memorandum that concerns the development of [terephthalic acid and polyethylene terephthalate] production. The assumption is that production will be based at Gazprom Neft's Omsk oil refinery."

Titan began building the Poliom polypropylene factory in 2008. In December of 2011, the plant turned out its initial test batch of product, but it has not yet been put in to industrial production. Production capacity is 180,000 tonnes per year. Titan is also looking at the possibility of building a second, 85,000-tonne-per-year line at the plant.
MRC

PP production in Ukraine reduced by quarter

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Ukrainian producer Linik in February reduced the production of polypropylene by a quarter compared with January. In March, the company plans to keep capacity utilization at the February level, according to MRC ScanPlast.


Ukrainian producer Linik last month reduced the output of polypropylene to 6,170 tonnes. Since March the company has stopped to work by tolling scheme due to non-expediency of further work. By mid-March the oil refinery will have stopped completely its work. The unit for the production of PP will continue to work on imported feedstock (PPF).


In March, Linik will produce polypropylene with imported feedstock. As per market participants, this month the company plans to produce about 6,000 tonnes of polypropylene. The main volume of the polymer will be suupplied to the domestic market, export sales were suspended for indefinite period.


Last two weeks, Ukrainian producer did not ship polypropylene to the domestic market. Due to the switching to the new scheme of work the company was busy with the execution of export contracts, though some of contracts had been cancelled. Since March 1, the shipments of polypropylene to the domestic market were resumed.

MRC