Dupont, Dow to help global automakers avoid output crunch

(Reuters) - Dupont (DD.N) and Dow Chemical (DOW.N) are among chemical firms working with global automakers who are bracing for a crunch in production, after a German chemical plant explosion cut a chunk of supply of a nylon resin used in brake and fuel systems.

The risk of production cuts is greater for car markers in the United States and France, and less in Japan and Germany, UBS said in a research note.

"We see high risk of production stoppages in the second quarter," UBS analysts said in the research note issued on Thursday. But they also saw an "equally high probability" that alternatives would be found within the same quarter.

The global supply of PA-12, used in several industries including auto manufacturing, was already stretched thin before the explosion at an Evonik Industries AG RAGES.UL plant in Marl, Germany on March 31, that led to the nylon resin shortage.

Auto experts and analysts are not clear how the shortfall would affect China, which has overtaken the United States as the world's largest auto market.

MRC

(plastemart) -- A fire broke out last Saturday at Egypt's Nasr Petroleum Company. The company is in the process of restarting its 146,300 bpd refinery in Suez.

The accident has prompted EGPC to delay two naphtha shipments, originally scheduled for H2 April, to be lifted in May and June from Suez port. A third April naphtha cargo was due to be shipped out last weekend when the fire broke was slightly delayed.

Since Suez exports about 60,000 to 90,000 tons of naphtha to Asia, this delay in naphtha shipments is likely to have an impact on the Asian market amid tight supplies in May du e to limited cargoes from Europe.

According to an official, the fire started at a warehouse at the refinery, which is operated by Egyptian General Petroleum Corporation's (EGPC) subsidiary El Nasr Petroleum since 1913.

MRC

(dow) -- Dow Chemical Company will construct a new world-scale ethylene production plant at Dow Texas Operations in Freeport, TX, as part of Dow's previously announced comprehensive plan to further connect its U.S. operations with cost-advantaged feedstocks available from increasing supplies of U.S. shale gas.

The new ethylene production facility at Dow Texas Operations will employ up to 2,000 workers at its construction peak. This decision marks another significant milestone in the Company's strategy to further develop the competitive advantage for Dow's Performance Plastics, Performance Materials and Advanced Materials businesses by expanding access to low-cost natural gas-based feedstocks, which are used in the production of Dow products that are essential to over a dozen consumer markets.

"For the first time in over a decade, U.S. natural gas prices are affordable and relatively stable, attracting new industry investments and growth and putting us on the threshold of an American manufacturing resurgence," said Andrew N. Liveris, Dow Chairman and Chief Executive Officer.

MRC

(sabic) -- SABIC's latest SABIC Vestolen A RELY bimodal high density polyethylene grades are able to meet the stringent requirements for typical pressure pipes, as well as helping customers with considerable energy savings when producing the pipe.

Two grades of SABIC Vestolen A RELY are currently available, both typically suitable of producing pressure pipe that meets the PE 100 standard. SABIC Vestolen A RELY 5924R delivers good low sag performance for large-diameter pipes and pressure pipes with a low standard dimension ratio (SDR).

SABIC Vestolen A RELY 5922R helps customers meet the stringent slow crack growth requirements for pressure pipe, enshrined in PAS (Publicly Accessible Standard) 1075. Certification to PAS 1075 enables the grade to be used for pipes intended for installation using the most demanding techniques, including new trenchless methods such as guided boring and horizontal directional drilling.

These methods have a reduced impact on the environment, but they are more demanding of pipe properties, since surface damage during the installation process is more likely to occur.

MRC

(reuters) -- Solvay announced today its new high purity semiconductor grade Phosphoric Acid plant in Bernburg, Germany, is supplying this high added value etching acid to manufacturers of electronic devices and components and the semiconductor industries.

This new high purity acid complements Solvay's product portfolio of high purity wet chemicals for the electronics and semiconductor industries such as hydrogen fluoride and peroxides. The plant which uses a novel and very precise crystallization technology has been developed by Solvay and its Dutch technology partner TNO.

"This new Phosphoric Acid plant complements a number of investments and capacity expansions carried out by the Electronic Wet Chemicals Division over the past two years, especially in China and the USA, in other high purity products like Hydrogen Peroxide, Hydrofluoric Acid and Ammonium Fluoride.

With Phosphoric Acid we are adding a new critical material to our product range whilst relying on our analytical, logistics and customer support capabilities to improve our offering to our semiconductor customers", said Steve Dobson, Head of Solvay's Electronic Wet Chemicals Division.

MRC