Petro Rabigh to restart polypropylene plant by August 13

(ICIS News) -- Rabigh Refining and Petrochemical Co (Petro Rabigh) plans to restart its polypropylene (PP) plant by end of week along with its fluid catalytic cracker (FCC). Earlier this week, an outage at its fluid catalytic cracker (FCC) created shortage of propylene that feeds Petro Rabigh's 700,000 tpa PP plant. Hence the PP plant also came down.


In addition to the propylene and PP facilities, Petro Rabigh's complex houses a 1.3 mlm tpa ethane cracker, a 300,000 tpa high density polyethylene (HDPE) line, a 600,000 tpa linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE) line and a 700,000 tpa monoethylene glycol (MEG) plant.

MRC

Sales of polyethylene for extrusion coatings up 2 times

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Polyethylene consumption in extrusion coatings sector amounted 86 kt last year, which is two times more than year 2008 volumes - according to published MRC Annual report.

Last year wasn't the most lucky for polyethylene converters: sales decreased in five out of seven processing sectors. The "leaders" of sales decrease are pipe extrusion (-32%) and cable extrusion (-27%). Vice versa, in extrusion coatings sector polyethylene supply went up by 51%, and in blow moulding sector - by 5%.

Until 2007 inclusive, speed of polyethylene consumption growth in extrusion coatings sector was the highes(48% annually). In 2008 this sector, vice versa, showed the most serious fall (36%).

In 2009 market recovery is connected with the increase of steel pipes production. In this sector polyethylene sales went up by 64% (to 68 kt). Oil and gas projects, especially ESPO, ESPO-2 and Nord Stream

MRC

More detailed analysis of polyethylene processing capacities and consumption by sectors, markets, types of finished goods and converters is availamble in "Polyethylene in Russia - 2010" Annual report.

Graham Packaging acquires Liquid Container

(prw) -- US-based Graham Packaging has signed a deal to buy blow moulder Liquid Container and its subsidiaries for $568m (┬431.1m).


Liquid Container has 14 blow moulding plants ≈ all in North America ≈ and expects to generate EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization) of $72m (┬54.6m) on sales of almost $400m (┬303.4m) in 2010.

MRC

Changes in Wavin management team

(prw) -- Wavin has announced that management board member Andy Taylor is leaving the company in order to pursue new opportunities. The supervisory board has therefore nominated Maarten Roef, currently managing director Wavin North West Europe, as new board member, subject to the approval of shareholders.

MRC

DuPont negotiating about financial help

(DuPont) -- Council member Mark Kowalcyzk and borough solicitor Erik Dingle arrange a meeting with representatives of the NEPA Alliance to discuss what would be required for assistance to the borough under the state Act 47 distressed municipalities program.


The borough has consistently faced a budgetary shortfall of about $30,000 a year, and the expectation is that the Alliance representatives will be able to assist in developing a plan to prevent that problem from recurring.


The borough has planned increases in the trash fee but will try to keep taxes at the current levels, Council President Stanley Knick said.

MRC