Import of suspension PVC to Ukraine dropped to 5,900 tonnes

MOSCOW (MRC) – Import of suspension PVC to Ukraine dropped to 5,900 tonnes in May. The year-to-date import of suspension made about 25,300 tonnes, 58% down year-on-year, as per MRC analysts.

A low demand for PVC from the converters this year as well as a stable production of the domestic producer Karpatneftekhim (Lukoil group) secured the reduction of imports to Ukraine in May. Following the results of May the total volume of suspension PVC exports to the Ukrainian market declined to the level of 5,900 tonnes.
In April this index made about 7,400 tonnes and was mainly secured by some major producers of window profile since they wanted to make additional inventories ahead of the season. In April high export prices and a lower price level in the local market made the Ukrainian traders significantly reduce their purchases of PVC from the USA.

In May imports of the North American resin slumped three-fold from April and amounted to about 1,000 tonnes. Yet, in late May the Ukrainian traders began actively contracting resin from the USA on a major fall in prices of PVC exports, report the analysts of MRC.


Conversely, last month’s shipments from Europe grew and made about 4,800 tonnes. A further increase of imports of the European PVC is expected in June due to a major decline of export quotations and weakening of the euro exchange rate.

In general, the total year-to-date import of suspension PVC to Ukraine made about 25,300 tonnes, 58% down year-on-year.

MRC

DOE sponsors plastic, carbon fiber research

(Plastics Today) -- The Energy Department (DOE; Washington, DC) has announced investments that support American leadership and global competiveness in manufacturing, including some plastics-related research.

The DOE awarded more than USD54 million - everaging approximately an additional USD17 million in cost share from the private sector-for 13 projects across the country to advance transformational technologies and materials that can help American manufacturers "dramatically increase the energy efficiency of their operations and reduce costs."

Projects selected for awards of particular interest to the plastics sector include research into a new continuous manufacturing process to make high molecular weight, high thermal conductivity polyethylene fibers and sheets to replace metals and ceramics parts in heat transfer equipment. Also, because polyethylene's density is 35% less than aluminum, the new materials developed as part of this project could generate fuel savings in vehicle applications. The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT; Cambridge, MA), will carry out the research with a DOE award valued at USD1 million.

The Dow Chemical Company (Midland, MI) will be sponsored to the tune of USD9 million develop a lower cost carbon fiber production process that uses polyolefin in place of conventional polyacrylonitrile as the feedstock. Low-cost carbon fiber has widespread application in automobiles, wind turbines, and various other industrial applications.
MRC

Polyplex to acquire Scholle's Vacumet Plastics division

(Plastics) -- Polyester film producer Polyplex has agreed to acquire all assets of Scholle's Vacumet Plastics division in Austell, Georgia, US, for an undisclosed amount.

The acquisition is set to expand Polyplex's metallised product range to include all plastic substrates and enable the company to offer a varied packaging range and product portfolio to its customers in the region. According to Polyplex US, the acquisition fits into the company's global growth strategy, which includes the construction of a resin manufacturing plant in Decatur, Alabama, a thick film PET plant in Thailand and a bottle-grade resin plant in Turkey.
Vacumet Plastics, which supplies metallised plastic film for consumer products and packaging components, has an annual production capacity of over 30 million pounds of film.

Scholle's sale of the division is said to be in line with the company's strategy to concentrate on augmenting its core performance packaging solutions business.

The company concentrates on flexibles, bag-in-box packaging, aseptic processing, filling technology, dispensing solutions and other emergent packaging offerings. The acquisition is scheduled for completion in July 2012.
MRC

Huron Capital completes recapitalization of Bloomer Plastics

(Business Journal) -- Huron Capital Partners LLC announced that it has recapitalized Bloomer Plastics, Inc. to support management in its growth plans. The transaction marks the 57th investment overall for Huron. Based in Bloomer, WI, Bloomer is a leading producer of engineered films for use in high performance industrial, medical and consumer end-markets.

Huron has partnered with Bloomer's management in a transaction that will provide significant capital to fund Bloomer's ambitious national expansion plans and broaden its product development and customer service capabilities. The Bloomer investment builds on Huron's long-standing expertise in the specialty chemical, adhesives and films industry.

In addition, industry veteran Kevin Keneally will be added to the Bloomer team as CEO. Keneally comes to Bloomer with over 20 years' experience in polymers, films and packaging and will focus on growing Bloomer's business into new customers and end-markets. With Huron, Bloomer's corporate development resources have grown significantly. Since 1971, Bloomer has built a reputation based on designing unique engineered film solutions for their valued customers. This strategy will be enhanced with a higher level of investment capital and resources for our product breadth and customer expansion plans."
MRC

Lanxess sets its sights on Turkey's growing market

(lanxess) -- Specialty chemicals company Lanxess plans to expand further in the Turkish market. It takes one important step in this direction today by officially opening its new subsidiary in Istanbul. Lanxess Kimya Ticaret Ltd. Sti. will manage the company’s business in this growing market in the future. Lanxess generated record sales in Turkey in 2011 amounting to some EUR 125 million, nearly triple the amount achieved in 2009.

"The establishment of our new subsidiary in Turkey represents another milestone on our global growth path. Turkey is tremendously important to Lanxess, not only because of its geographical location between East and West, but also as an engine for growth in the entire region," remarks Axel C. Heitmann, Chairman of the Board of Management of Lanxess AG. The company anticipates that the Turkish economy will grow between 4 and 5 percent a year between 2013 and 2016, significantly faster than Western Europe.

Lanxess markets its entire range of products in Turkey, from high-performance polymers and specialty chemicals to quality chemical intermediates. Activities focus on high-performance rubber products, rubber chemicals and high-tech plastics for the automotive sector, as well as color pigments for the construction industry. Lanxess previously organized its operations in the country via external distributors.

The most important sectors in Turkey for Lanxess are the automotive and tire industries. The company expects the automotive industry in Turkey to grow by 8.5 percent in 2013 and then 3.5 percent per year from 2014 to 2016. In the construction industry, Lanxess foresees growth rates of between 4 and 5 percent in the upcoming years.
MRC