Clariant inaugurates new pigments facility in Greater China

(plastemart) -- Clariant continues to expand its global production capabilities to support customers in the Greater China region, with the inauguration of a new pigments facility.

The new plant in DaGang in the city of Tianjin, which came on-stream end of 2011, is a joint-venture between Clariant and Tianjin Bohai Chemical Industry Company with a total investment of CNY 120 million. Alongside Clariant's existing powder pigment plant in Hangzhou, it reinforces Clariant's on-going commitment to fulfill the needs of customers in China's growing pigment and pigment preparations market for high quality solutions.

The new facility, which leverages state-of-the-art technology, will produce pigment preparations in liquid and solid form for applications in the coating, plastics, and printing industries, and for consumer products and industrial special applications. It includes 16 production lines, and warehouse, laboratories and office space, occupying a surface of 13,000m?.

The introduction of a further production site in the region will give customers access to a wider choice of products, as well as improved services with a shorter lead-time for greater efficiency. The new plant in DaGang will be adding to Clariant's already rich pigment production capabilities worldwide with 12 pigment plants and 11 preparation plants across Europe, Asia and America. Clariant has invested CHF 200 million in Greater China during the past five years.

MRC

(sabic-ip) -- SABIC's Innovative Plastics (Pittsfield, MA) business has announced that its collaboration with CK Technologies (Montpelier, OH), a provider of engineered plastic systems, and Volvo Trucks North America has produced the trucking industry's first injection-molded roof fairing, soon to be featured on all 2013 Volvo heavy-duty trucks.

This large component, molded with SABIC's tough Cycoloy polycarbonate/acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (PC/ABS) resin and CK Technologies' proprietary in-mold coating (IMC) technology, delivers high strength, excellent heat stability and impact performance with a Class A surface. The roof fairing demonstrates the feasibility of replacing traditional thermosets with thermoplastics to reduce weight and energy requirements for manufacturing and enable recycling.

Further, the IMC process yields a fully primed part, eliminating the secondary coating steps that generate volatile organic compounds (VOCs). This major breakthrough provides a more environmentally responsible alternative to thermosets without sacrificing the outstanding performance and aesthetics that truck OEMs and end customers expect.
MRC

(polyestertime) -- While wine glass bottles are still the majority, the opportunity for alternative packaging is increasing, said David Schuemann, owner and creative director of CF Napa Brand Design, a firm specializing in branding, which includes packaging and structural designs, for the wine, spirits, and beer industries.

A few years ago, PET packaging suppliers jumped at the opportunity to produce plastic bottles for the wine industry. Many wine producers from New Zealand, the U.S., and France switched from glass bottles to plastic bottles.

Weight savings, prevention of breakage, and recyclability are part of the popularity of PET bottles.
When PET wine bottles first hit the market, it was "the talk of the town" and the industry viewed it as a green
alternative to heavy bottles, Schuemann said.

However, PET wine bottles still face a unique set of challenges, he said. "The PET bottles look quite small, and the consumer may not understand that it is the standard size of wine," he said. "Also, the PET bottles preserve the look of the original glass containers, and it can be difficult to communicate to the consumer that it is actually an alternative, environmentally-friendly package."
MRC

(fineorganics) -- On March 18, 2012, Fine Organics inaugurated its newest facility dedicated to the production of distilled mono-glycerides (GMS) near Mumbai.

The 10,000 MTPA facility is designed in keeping with Fine's high standards in plant safety, productivity and controls. The world-class facility, built with in-house knowledge and technology expertise, is a result of the collaborative efforts of Fine's R&D team and the Projects team.

Fine Organics finds itself in the middle of a high growth market in India and abroad. It is witnessing a surging global demand for specialty additives derived from plant sources. The new facility will enable Fine to stay ahead of this demand and to increase its reach and presence locally as well as globally.

Fine Organics is determined to maintain its reputation as a leading global supplier of specialty additives by building such facilities. These facilities feature a safe work environment, a high level of productivity and consistent quality achieved through complete process automation and a streamlined organizational structure. The new facility is one of the many expansions planned by Fine Organics until 2013.
MRC

(fibre2fashion) -- The State Oil Company of Azerbaijan Republic (SOCAR) will be building a petrochemical complex having a capacity to produce 550,000 tons of polypropylene, which is widely used in the textile industry, Vice President of SOCAR has announced.

SOCAR will be constructing the oil and gas processing plant and petrochemical complex at an estimated total cost of EUR13 billion, near the capital Baku. 30% of the capital would be invested by the Azerbaijan Government and SOCAR, and the remaining amount would be private investment.

The petrochemical complex is likely to be commissioned by 2020. Besides its own thermal power plant, it will have 30 processing plants to process 10 million tons of oil and 10 billion cu m of gas.
MRC