Activity keeps up growing in the Russian PVC market

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Suspension of Sterlitamak capacities, plant shutdown at Sayansk and imposibility of efficient PVC supply from China - all these factors destabilize the market situation - according to MRC Price reports on the Russian PVC market.

In August, acetylene-based PVC imports from China went down to 11 kt; in July, supplies of Chinese resin were at the level of about 19 kt. In September, acetylene-based PVC imports are going to be even lower. Traditionally, China and Kazakhstan jointly stage military excercises, and as a result, railway traffic through Alashankou - Dostyk transfer point is going to be almost totally paralized.

Impossibility of efficient replenishment of acetylene-based PVC stocks from China, long-term forced suspension in Sayansk - all these factors have led to some rush in the market. Many converters are actively building up additional stocks for October. Supply of Chinese resin in the Russian market is rapidly reducing; lack of some PVC grades is already reported. Prices in the middle of the week went up to RUB 46.500 - 47.500/mt, including VAT, FCA.

Supply of PVC from North America, contrariwise, keeps up growing. According to the results of August, overall imports of North American suspension have reached their record at the level of 23,5 kt. American PVC oversupply is obvious, however, many converters still prefer Chinese resin. As per experts, North American PVC is new for the Russian market, and the market should get used to it, test it, as it was with acetylene-based resin from China.

You will be able to find out more information on the Russian PVC market from top managers of leading Russian companies "Russian Polymer Summit - 2010". Please, refer to http://www.polymersummit.ru/ Summit official web site.

MRC

For more information about the Russian PVC market, please, refer to MRC Price reports.

(plastemart) -- A proprietary, multi-matrix, thermoplastic material when combined with a variety of core materials produces a fiber-reinforced, thermoplastic structural panel that can be formed, when required, into a wide variety of products has been developed by AeroQuest Technologies. The environmental benefits of this material are that it produces no volatile organic compounds (VOC's) such as are given off in the production of fiberglass products and that it is recyclable, which fiberglass is not.

Its market benefits are that products made of the material are lightweight (40-60% lighter) than products made of competing materials; it is highly impact resistant and durable; it is impervious to water and most chemicals; it has excellent stiffness and tensile strength; it has high vibration and sound dampening properties and it is cost competitive to products made with typical "sheet & post" construction, or in the case of housing, "stud & joist" construction.

MRC

(plastemart) -- Keyuan Petrochemicals, Inc., a leading independent manufacturer and supplier of various petrochemical products in China, announced that on September 1st, it commenced construction of its first Styrene-Butadiene-Styrene ("SBS") production facility in Ningbo, Zhejiang Province, which will be adjacent to its current production facility. The new SBS facility is expected to add 70,000 metric tons to Keyuan's production capacity by the end of 2011 with an estimated cost of $17.5 million in capital expenditures.

MRC

(plastemart) -- LyondellBasell Industries has started operation at the 320,000 tpa Hostalen Advanced Cascade Process (ACP) high density polyethylene plant at the site in Munchsmunster, Germany. The start up follows two years of construction, preparatory tests and test runs on the plant's components. The plant enhances LyondellBasell's flexibility to supply advanced HDPE grades to customers in Europe and the Middle East.

Hostalen ACP technology surpasses standard bimodal HDPE performance by producing resins with an advanced toughness/stiffness balance, superior impact resistance, higher stress crack resistance, good organoleptics and processing advantages. Other technology features include excellent plant reliability, fast grade changes and high monomer conversion rates. Typical customer applications include thin-wall packaging, caps and closures, large blow molding and textiles for packaging. ⌠Multimodal HDPE grades offer significant cost savings through processability improvements, downgauging and energy savings, explained Tassilo Bader, LyondellBasell's vice president, Polyethylene and Polyolefins Solutions - Europe, Asia and International.

MRC

(DuPont) -- DuPont Performance Polymers is launching a new family of products, designated "FG" (Food grade) that meet demanding requirements for use in food contact applications.

The materials being introduced make the DuPont offering one of the broadest portfolios of engineering plastics and thermoplastic elastomers for food contact applications. These products utilize the company's expertise and long experience in polymer science, quality, safety and regulatory compliance for the global food products market.

The DuPont FG portfolio consists of numerous products including DuPont Hytrel TPC-ET, Delrin Acetal, Zytel HTN (High-Performance Polyamide), Crastin PBT, Zytel 6, 6/6 and 6/12 Nylon (Polyamide), Rynite PET and Sorona EP PTT.

MRC