INEOS EPS plant in Marl to continue operations

(plasteurope) -- Even though the site's styrene and polystyrene plants are due to be closed by the end of the year. Ineos (Rolle / Switzerland) plans to continue operating the remaining lines in Marl / Germany.

A company spokeswoman told Plasteurope.com that the Rolle-based group would hold on to its 260,000 t/y cumene plant as well as its 110,000 t/y EPS line at the site. To date, the latter had been fed with styrene produced in Marl, a job which in future will probably be assumed by joint venture partner BASF (Ludwigshafen / Germany) or Shell Chemicals (London / UK).

It also remains unclear whether Ineos Styrenics four European EPS plants will be consolidated. Ineos did not comment on a relevant Plasteurope.com query. However, sources close to the company said the Marl EPS line will likely continue operations ⌠for now. Aside from Marl, Ineos also runs EPS production facilities in Breda / The Netherlands as well as Ribecourt and Wingles - both in France.
MRC

(plasteurope) -- Thanks to an investment of GBP 4.5m (EUR 5.4m) in a state-of-the-art waste wash plant, PE film producer British Polythene Industries (BPI, Greenock, Scotland) has increased recycling capacity at its Rhymney / South Wales plant by 25,000 t/y. The new plant will be used, in particular, to recycle waste film from the agriculture and horticulture markets. It will enable bpi.recycled products to strengthen its range of 100% recycled PE products.

In addition to being one of the largest facilities of its kind in Europe, the wash plant will also be one of the most environmentally friendly. It employs features such as low energy, high output motors, energy-saving lighting and rainwater harvesting to replace water lost each day.

BPI is Europe's largest recycler of waste PE, now capable of reprocessing up to 95,000 t/y annually from a network of strategically located, approved sites across the UK. Waste farm plastic is a continuing problem for UK farmers and growers. An estimated 80,000 t is generated annually, much of it heavily contaminated with soil, sand and other contaminants.

As a result, a large percentage of it is exported to countries such as Vietnam and Malaysia, where it is often recycled using primitive, manual techniques. A high volume of the UK's waste farm polythene is also still being sent to landfill or illegally burnt.
MRC

(plasteurope) -- Although the medium-term prospects for Europe's masterbatch industry are not exactly exciting, the market is nevertheless expected to grow at a modest 2% per year in the near future.

Europe's masterbatch consumption rose by an average 2% each year in the period from 2005-2010, reaching an overall market value of EUR 2.9 bn in 2010. In volume terms, eastern Europe and Russia are expected to see above average consumption growth of about 2.5% a year, shoring up demand development for the entire continent. Given these prospects, European masterbatch consumption is set to rise from its present 900,000 t to about 1m t by 2015, the latest report by British market researcher Applied Market Information has found.

Aside from overall market data and forecasts, "Corporate performance and ownership among masterbatch producers - A review of Europe's 50 largest players" also profiles Europe's 50 leading masterbatch producers, indicating key financial data, output figures as well as individual production portfolio.

Contrary to Asia, where masterbatch demand is set to see the world's highest growth rates amid China's rapid economic development, Europe's masterbatch industry is more mature. Following a dramatic alignment as a result of the 2008/2009 financial crisis, at a time when European producers were already grappling with lower growth rates, the situation has meanwhile calmed down, AMI says. With no more room for consolidations, few players have entered the European masterbatch scene in recent years and the M&A activities of existing producers have also abated.

MRC

(biofuelsdigest) -- In the Netherlands, Avantium announced a Joint Development Agreement for the development of PEF bottles with Danone Research. Based on the YXY technology, the Avantium and Danone Research joint objective is to contribute to the emergence of a new renewable material generation which will not be in direct competition with food.

YXY is used as a fast and efficient chemical-catalytic technology to convert carbohydrates produced from plants, grains, energy crops, lignocellulosic matter, waste streams, waste paper or agricultural residues, into a wide variety of bio-based polymers. Based on ongoing R&D programs, Avantium will also continue to develop PEF from renewable feedstock not competing with food.

Avantium has recently opened its pilot plant in Geleen, the Netherlands, with the capacity of producing 40 tons of PEF for application development. The collaborations with Danone and The Coca-Cola Company are key to secure a smooth transition into the mass production phase of PEF bottles. Avantium is in active discussion with other leading brand owners to develop PEF bottles, fibers and film. In the longer term Avantium will license its YXY technology to enable large scale, world-wide production and use of its bio-sourced plastic materials.

MRC