China`s textile industry growth slows in Q1

(yarnsandfibers) -- China's textile industry, which contributes significantly to the country's exports, posted slower growth in the first quarter of 2012 due to weak external demand, according to National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) data released on Thursday.

Industrial output by major textile enterprises rose 14.7 percent year-on-year to reach 1.24 trillion yuan (USD197 billion) in the first three months of this year, marking a slowdown of 16.92 percentage points from a year ago, the new figures showed.

The combined profits of major textile companies dipped 2.21 percent year-on-year to 33.42 billion yuan between January and February, compared with an increase of 61 percent in the same period of last year.

In the first quarter, fixed-asset investment in the textile industry totaled 117.81 billion yuan, up 17 percent over a year ago. The growth rate was 21.51 percentage points lower than last year.

The NDRC data showed China exported USD20.44 billion worth of textiles and USD29.57 billion worth of garments from January to March, at a year-on-year growth rate of 1.4 percent and 3.9 percent, respectively.

MRC

(article.wn) -- Bangkok Synthetics Co Ltd (BST) and its affiliate BST Elastomers have declared force majeures on overall production in Map Ta Phut, Thailand, following a fatal explosion and fire on 5 May that damaged some of their plants at the site.

Officials say explosions and a fire at one of the world's largest petrochemical industrial estates have killed 12 people and injured more than 100 others in eastern Thailand.

The blasts Saturday forced the evacuation of more than 1,000 people living near Map Ta Phut industrial estate, Thailand's largest industrial park. The park is in Rayong province, 180 kilometres (110 miles) southeast of Bangkok.

Rayong Gov. Seni Jittakasem says authorities are investigating the cause of the explosions, which occurred when workers were cleaning a chemical tank at a Bangkok Synthetics plant, a synthetic rubber manufacturer.

BST Elastomers Company Limited produces synthetic rubbers for automobile tyres, automobile parts, shoe soles, sporting goods, and other rubber products.

MRC

(akersolutions) -- Aker Solutions on Monday inaugurated its carbon capture plant in Mongstad, Norway, calling it an important milestone for the company. The plant was completed mechanically in June 2011 and was followed by commissioning and start-up activities.

Aker Solutions on Monday inaugurated its carbon capture plant in Mongstad, Norway, calling it an important milestone for the company. After years of research and development, the capture technology will now be tested and verified in a large plant, according to the company.

The main objectives are to verify operational parameters and to increase the technical and economical knowledge regarding operation of an industrial-scale plant.

The facility includes a new amine plant, which has a capture capacity of about 80,000 tpy.
MRC

(chemmonitor) -- The Chinese styrene market witnessed a fall in March. The import mitigated by about 20,679 tonnes month on month.

Imported volumes of the product reached only 324,097 tonnes, if compared with 344,776 tonnes through February 2012.

However, the import volumes in March 2011 were significantly higher than in the existing year. The figure was 342,816 tonnes.
MRC

(chemmonitor) -- Polyef, a Russia-based company, decided to initiate a polyethylene terephthalate (PET) capacity expansion project.

The facility has a rated capacity of 0.12 million tonnes per year. The manufacturer intends to raise its output by 0.09 million tonnes per year.

Polyef Group was founded in 2006. The company produces and sales polyester fiber, clothing, furniture and silicon syntepon.
MRC