Sabic presents new pipe-grade HDPE line

(plastemart) -- Vestolen A RELY family of tough, sustainable and cost-effective bimodal high-density polyethylene (HDPE) materials for pressure pipe applications introduced by Sabic. The SABIC Vestolen A RELY portfolio offers converters considerable energy savings and enables environmentally responsible pipe installation. Further demonstrating its commitment to sustainable technologies, the company also presented today its revolutionary new Strain Hardening method, a fast, cost-efficient and highly accurate method for evaluating the slow crack growth resistance behaviour of HDPE. This Strain Hardening method avoids the use of detergents - that can pose an environmental hazard - and avoids the use of valuable drinking water. The term ⌠RELY refers to the material's outstanding reliability, which is critical for transporting potable water, gas and other valuable liquids. It also reflects SABIC's global reputation as a strong and reliable business partner that can ensure a long-term supply of advanced material solutions. Both new materials are classified as PE100 grades, demonstrating compliance with the highest industry standards for HDPE pressure pipe.

Geert Drummen, Sabic's CEO in Eastern Europe, is going to participate in Russian Polymers Summit on October 14, 2010, organized by ICIS and MRC. For more information please refer to http://www.icisconference.com/russianpolymers/ Summit official web page.

MRC

(PlastEurope) -- Garden equipment manufacturer Husqvarna has specified ⌠Hostacom ERC 475L, a PP compound produced by LyondellBasell, to replace ABS in its redeveloped ⌠Flymo range of lawnmowers. The choice was driven by sharp rises in raw material prices and the requirement to use existing tooling in production. It was also important that a replacement offered sufficient impact strength and stability of shape when used in the manufacture of body casings. Plastics distributor K.D. Feddersen said that the newly-developed talc-filled ⌠Hostacom has the same shrinkage as ABS, combined with good mechanical performance.

The compound has undergone several development phases to improve brilliance, surface quality and scratch resistance, it added. The material has also enabled a reduction in cycle times compared to ABS, thanks to 20% reduction in processing temperature.

A representative of LyondellBasell top management is going to participate in Russian Polymers Summit on October 14, 2010 organized by ICIS and MRC. For more information please refer to http://www.icisconference.com/russianpolymers/ Summit official web page.

MRC

(Bloomberg) -- China Petroleum & Chemical Corp., the nation's biggest oil refiner, has raised its Tahe plant's processing capacity to 5 million metric tons a year.

MRC

TAIPEI (Reuters) -- The largest of state-owned CPC Corp Taiwan's three naphtha crackers should resume full operations within a few weeks after shutting down because of a typhoon, a company executive said on Tuesday.

The company is taking apart its No.5 cracker in southern Taiwan to check for problems following a typhoon that caused an outage on Sunday.

The cracker with a nameplate capacity of 450,000 tonnes per year (tpy) did not appear to be flooded despite high water and heavy rains elsewhere in southern Taiwan, he said.

MRC

(PackagingNews) -- Plastic packaging specialist Nampak is looking to trial milk bottles with 30% recycled content after a university study found that 50% recycled content was a feasible target for HDPE milk bottles.

Using post consumer food grade rHDPE pellets, the experimental work assessed the properties of blends of virgin HDPE with between 10% and 50% rHDPE, and also quantified the effects on material properties of five thermal cycles through an extruder.

The researchers concluded that the recyclate grades studied had very similar properties - including flow behaviour, quality and molecular and chemical structure - to the virgin materials.

MRC