Arkema announces new polymer plant in China

(Azom) -- Arkema has announced the construction of a latex plant in China to produce a range of emulsion polymers for use primarily in the coatings and adhesives markets. Arkema will invest $30 million in the new plant located on its Changshu platform. Start-up is expected in late 2012.

Expanding manufacturing into China for emulsion products enhances Arkema's position as an integrated global raw materials source for its customers in many industries, and reinforces Arkema's strategy to grow its position in Asia and increase its acrylics downstream integration. Adding capability for emulsion products will further enhance Arkema's offering in the region to coatings manufacturers, especially after the completion of the Coatex acrylic polymer plant which is expected to start up mid 2011 as announced in July 2009.

MRC

Huhtamaki sells European plastics business

(prw) -- Finland-based packaging manufacturer Huhtamaki is selling its European rigid plastic consumer goods operations, excluding the business in Italy, for ┬52m.


The company is selling the businesses to Island Lux, an affiliate of Sun European Partners, which is the European adviser to Sun Capital Partners, a US-based private investment firm.

The divested operations include manufacturing plants in Finland, France, Poland and Turkey, and sales units in Germany and Lithuania. The divested units make packaging for dairy, edible fats, ready meals and ice cream packaging.

MRC

Composite parts manufacturer opens new plant in Hungary

(prw) -- Hungarian transport composite components manufacturer Composites One is constructing a new ┬3.5m greenfield plant in Somogyvar in the south west of the country.


The company, based in Szigetszentmiklos south of Budapest, intends to move its production from its current base facility to the new unit within the next two years.

Composites One, which produces a range of plastic composite parts for light planes, buses, trucks and rail rolling stock as well as making moulds, expects to employ up to 300 workers at its new site. Its current site has 1,200 square metres of manufacturing space.

MRC

Indorama PET plant third line commissioned by Uhde Inventa-Fischer

(plastemart) -- In September 2009, Uhde Inventa-Fischer successfully commissioned the first line of Indorama's PET resin plant in Alabama (USA). The second line came online in June 2010. The plant has an annual capacity of 432,000 tons and uses Uhde Inventa-Fischer's proprietary MTR technology. The plant produces various grades of resin at the same time, to be used for bottled water and CSD applications, among others. It sources the PTA from an adjacent BP facility.


The MTR process eliminates the SSP and the high energy costs inherent to this process. It reduces investment, operating and maintenance costs, has a higher raw material yield and results in products of superior quality. The MTR process is based on Uhde Inventa-Fischer's proprietary 2 Reactor technology which uses the patented ESPREE and DISCAGE reactors to obtain the desired high melt viscosities. Uhde Inventa-Fischer's scope of supply and services included the licence, the basic and detail engineering, supply of all equipment and supervision of the erection and commissioning activities.

MRC

Formosa to start a scheduled maintenance at its No. 2 cracker

(Bloomberg) -- Formosa Petrochemical Corp. plans to shut its No. 2 ethylene plant for scheduled maintenance on Oct. 5 for 40 to 45 days. Repairs have seen some delay at its smaller No. 1 ethylene plant that was shut in first week July, on account of rains. The No. 2 plant has a capacity to produce 1.035 mln tpa of ethylene, while the No. 1 unit produces 700,000 tons. Repairs at the No. 1 plant are expected to be complete in early October, subject to government approval for starting it after the accident.

MRC