Arkema declares two production force majeurs

LONDON (ICIS) -- Arkema has lifted two declarations of force majeure on supplies of butyl acrylate (butyl-A), methyl acrylate (methyl-A) and ethyl acrylate (ethyl-A), a company source confirmed on Wednesday.


The French major officially lifted the declarations on 20 September after bringing its plant at Carling, France, back up to full production levels.


Arkema declared force majeure on ethyl-A deliveries on 10 August after suffering problems with waste disposal at its plant.

MRC

First 50% PET recycable bottles produced and tested in UK

(prw) -- Belu has launched the UK's first water bottle with a 50% recycled PET content.
The bottled water company says the high recycled content of its new 500ml bottle represents a 46% carbon saving compared to its PET equivalent.

In a poll of 50 consumers of bottled mineral water which Belu carried out in August, 95% of people said plastic water bottles should be made from recycled materials and the same percentage of people would buy a product such as this.

The poll also showed that only 29% assumed that plastic bottles are made from recycled plastics.

MRC

Indian Oil offers new range of petrochemical products

(NewsLive) -- Indian Oil, the leader in the downstream petroleum business, launched it's PROPEL range of petrochemical products here today, after successfully completing its world scale petrochemical projects in record time. The company, acknowledged as the leader in the petroleum downstream sector in the country, is expected to bring to play its formidable reach, network and infrastructure into the petrochemicals business.

Having identified Petrochemicals business as the prime driver of future growth, IndianOil had earmarked Rs. 30,000 crore (US $ 6.8 billion) investments during 2007-12 in world-class plants and a countrywide marketing infrastructure. These plants have been designed to use product streams from the Corporation's own refineries, to produce a wide range of value-added petrochemical products and intermediates for segments as diverse as detergents, polyesters and polymers/plastic. IndianOil had projected a turnover of Rs. 18,000 crore from its petrochemicals business by the year 2011-12, making it one of the largest petrochemicals players in the country within a short period of time.

MRC

Dutch EPS capacities expanded

(PlastEurope) -- Synbra Technologies' new plant for expandable PLA currently is in the final construction phase and is expected to begin regular operations in October. Developed in cooperation with plant manufacturer Sulzer and lactide producer Purac, the plant initially will produce about 5,000 t/y of ⌠Biofoam.

The Dutch EPS specialist recently expanded its processing business. At the end of July 2010, group member Synprodo, specialised in the manufacture of moulds, took over the EPS activities of packaging company Van der Heijden Nederland. The latter has been processing EPS into moulded parts for the past 30 years, manufacturing PU flexible foams, cardboard boxes as well as air cushioned packaging, among others.

MRC

HCPL may build giant oil refinery in India

(plastemart) -- In a bid to cater to increasing demand from Western India, Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd (HPCL) has shortlisted the Lote Parshuram area in coastal Ratnagiri district, Maharashtra, for setting up a 9-15 mln tpa refinery. Feasibility studies are being carried out and land is being identified for the proposed facility. Environment clearance will be needed for the refinery which is expected to be ready in about 3-4 years. The company's Mumbai refinery is very old and its cost of modernization would be prohibitive and hence a greenfield refinery is being set up.

MRC