Dow UNIPOL polypropylene technology is gaining popularity in China

(Dow) -- Jiutai Energy has signed a license agreement with Union Carbide Chemicals & Plastics Technology, a wholly owned Subsidiary of The Dow Chemical Company (Dow) for a 350 KTA methanol-to-olefin based polypropylene (PP) plant. Jiutai will license UNIPOL Polypropylene Process Technology from Dow Licensing & Catalysts to produce homopolymers, random copolymers and impact copolymers.

Jiutai Energy is the eleventh UNIPOL Polypropylene Technology licensee signed in China since 2006.

Methanol-to-olefin polypropylene production is gaining popularity in China due to the region’s abundant coal reserves. In addition, Chemical Market Associates, Inc. (CMAI) reports that China is experiencing a polypropylene market growth rate of 7 % per year - compared to a 5.2 percent per year global market growth rate - due to a fast growing economy and a drive to become less reliant on imported raw materials.

The UNIPOL PP process for polypropylene is a comprehensive technology and services package with established worldwide success. It combines product and catalyst know-how with leading gas-phase process technology and technology transfer expertise. Licensed by Union Carbide since 1985, UNIPOL PP technology is now available through Dow. Resins produced by UNIPOL polypropylene technology from Dow account for 17 percent of global polypropylene output.
MRC

(apic) -- HMC Polymers is operating its polypropylene (PP) units at Map Ta Phut in Thailand with a combined production capacity of 750,000 mt/year at reduced rates.

At present, the plants are operating at lower rates of around 90% production capacity. The lower run rates have been attributed to weak demand fundamentals in the domestic and other Asian markets.

HMC Polymers is one of the leading manufacturer of polypropylene for Asia and worldwide. HMC Polymers is the first PP producer in Thailand. HMC Polymers produces a wide range of Moplen polypropylene grades including homopolymer, heterophasic and random copolymer resins, as well as specialty polypropylene resins such as Adstif, Clyrell and Purell.
MRC

(equities) -- Jacobs Engineering Group announced it was awarded a contract by Lotte Chemical UK Ltd to provide construction management services for a new polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plant to be built at the Wilton International Site in Redcar, Cleveland, United Kingdom.

Officials did not disclose the contract value, but noted the contract is scheduled for 18 months.

The new 200 thousand metric tons per annum PET plant (LC1 project) being built is located on an integrated pure terephthalic acid (PTA) and PET site, adjacent to Lotte's existing PET plant. The addition of the new line fortifies the capacity of Lotte Chemical UK's existing T8 facility and supports its transition into a wider range of PET products, including resins incorporating post consumer recycled PET.

Lotte Chemical's Chief Operating Officer, Gary Conroy, stated, "Jacobs has been selected to support us on this very important project for Lotte on the basis of their strong local presence and capable personnel, backed up by industry experience. Our philosophy for the LC1 Project is very much a ‘one team' approach and is about working closely with our partner contractors to ensure we all achieve success together. We feel that in Jacobs we have selected a key partner to help us towards that success."
MRC

(finder) -- Purac will be presenting biobased solutions for high performance Poly Lactic Acid (PLA) at Fakuma 2012, 16 - 20 October in Friedrichshafen, Germany. Fakuma 2012 is one of the most important exhibitions for the plastics processing industry worldwide. These innovations open up new possibilities for producers seeking biobased alternatives to current fossil fuel based engineering plastics.

PLA now offers the possibility to replace PS, PP and ABS in those applications where heat resistance is a key requirement. Purac’s solutions for high performance PLA for the injection molding and thermoforming industries unlock bioplastic potential for high temperature applications, such as microwavable food packaging and hot beverage cups, and also for durable applications in a range of high end markets, such as automotive, carpet, clothing and consumer electronics and appliances.

Purac is a leading company in lactic acid based bioplastics and the worldwide market leader in lactic acid, lactic acid derivatives and lactides. Company's products have a wide range of applications in many different industries. The main markets are food, pharmaceuticals, medical, cosmetics, animal feed and the technical and chemical industries.
MRC

(borealisgroup) -- Borouge is on the way to increase its capacity further with a multi - billion dollar mega- project called Borouge 3. By the end of 2013 the company will have added a 3rd Ethane cracker to create the largest Ethane cracker complex in the world.

This new cracker will serve two polyethylene and two polypropylene plants as well as a low density polyethylene plant. All these plants will boast the enhanced Borstar process technology and in total will drive the annual production capacity of Ruwais operations to 4.5 million tonnes per year. A US D1 billion contract was awarded in early 2010 to build the next ethane cracker.

Borouge, a manufacturer of polyoleofins, was founded in 1998, and is a joint venture of the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company and Austria's Borealis. It has two complementary ventures: Abu Dhabi Polymers Co Ltd (Borouge) - a production company based in Abu Dhabi - and Borouge Pte Ltd based in Singapore.

Borouge is a leading supplier of environmentally superior polyolefin plastics -polyethylene and polypropylene. They focus on differentiated high end applications in the Middle East and Asia Pacific with Borstar Enhanced Polyethylene produced in Abu Dhabi, UAE and the full range of Borealis specialities.


MRC