Sibur, Rhodia complete studies for new surfactants unit in Russia

(rogtecmagazine) -- Rhodia, member of the Solvay group, and SIBUR have taken significant further steps in their project to create a joint venture in specialty surfactants. The aim of this strategic partnership is to create a surfactant specialty leader in the CIS market focused on the home & personal care and oil & gas markets, two sectors growing at more than 6% per year.

The two partners have completed studies to set up local production of surfactants in Russia at Dzerzhinsk, at SIBUR's petrochemicals site (400km east of Moscow), expected to be operational in 2014.

In the home & personal care market, Rhodia and Sibur are working together with customers to build business opportunities to support their growth strategy in this region, where the consumer demand is growing rapidly (CAGR 8%) and moving towards more sophisticated products in categories such as shampoos, conditioners, shower gels, laundry and household detergents.

In the oil & gas market, a series of successful trials of Rhodia's high performance solutions have been carried out with several companies to adapt formulations to the specific conditions required for the local market.

MRC

Artenius developed a new bio-based PET

(chron) -- Aiming to reduce environmental footprint, the European PET industry prepares to include a new variety of green PET resin in their products.

"Artenius has successfully created a PET packaging material that includes recycled resin in its manufacturing process, but with the same quality as virgin PET," said Jorge Foguet, Technology Manager for PET resin firm Artenius Elite.

A new green PET resin developed by the firm is to soon be released into the market.
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Arkema auto resin production delayed by weeks

(Reuters) - French specialty chemical group Arkema, one of the top three suppliers of auto resins in Europe, said on Monday it did not see the production of resin PA-12 returning to normal for several weeks, risking a slowdown in global auto production.

An explosion at the end of March at a chemical plant in Germany owned by Evonik industries is blamed for the shortage of PA-12, a resin used in the making of automobiles' break and fuel components.

"We are in a situation of force majeure," said a spokesperson for Arkema, France's leading PA-12 producer. "We cannot reach full capacity in the coming weeks."

PSA Peugeot Citroen and Renault, would not comment on the affect the slowdown in production of PA-12 has on their car production.

She added that the group is currently looking for other suppliers of PA-12 and would offer clients two other polyamides, PA-11 and PA-10, to replace PA-12 when possible.

MRC

Huntsman strengthens polyurethanes business in Eastern Europe

(chemanager-online) -- plans to expand manufacturing capacity of specialty amines used as polyurethane catalysts at its manufacturing facilities in Petfurdo, Hungary and in Barcelona, Spain. The expansions extend the Huntsman manufacturing portfolio, further leverage the company's integrated amines capability and increase existing polyurethane catalyst production capacity by 25%. Financial details were not disclosed.

Stu Monteith, President of Huntsman's Performance Products division said: "The capacity expansion leverages our strong manufacturing and technology base and enhances what is already the widest in-house manufacturing capability across the industry. We have consistently improved capability and extended the product range manufactured at our Petfurdo location over the last 10 years.

However, in the last few years demand has begun to fill production capabilities across our two main production sites in Petfurdo and Conroe, Texas. The new capacity and addition of a third manufacturing site shows the commitment that we will build, ahead of the demand curve, to match our customers' growth."
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SABIC picks Jacobs for engineering on Netherlands olefins cracker upgrade

(hydrocarbonprocessing) -- Jacobs has been awarded a contract from SABIC to provide engineering, procurement, and construction management (EPCM) services to support the upgrade of an olefins at SABIC's complex in Geleen, The Netherlands. The project is scheduled to be completed in 2013.

Jacobs Engineering Group has been awarded a contract from Saudi Basic Industries Corp. (SABIC) to provide engineering, procurement, and construction management (EPCM) services to support the upgrade of an olefins at SABIC's complex in Geleen, The Netherlands.

Officials did not disclose the contract value. They noted that the project is scheduled to be completed in 2013 as part of the scheduled plant turnaround.

Jacobs is executing the work from its office in Meerssen, The Netherlands, which is close to the site, the company said.

The project involves numerous modifications to the existing Olefins 4 naphtha cracker, which are expected to result in a significant increase of energy efficiency as well as increased ethylene production capacity.

"We are extremely pleased to receive this new contract for SABIC at Geleen, said Jacobs vice president Robert Matha.
MRC