Thai SM makers may delay plant shutdowns amid strong prices

SINGAPORE (ICIS) -- Styrene monomer (SM) producers in Thailand are considering delaying scheduled maintenance at plants to take advantage of the current strong spot prices of the material, market sources said on Thursday.

Spot prices rose above $1,250/tonne (┬900/tonne) CFR (cost and freight) China this week, up more than $100/tonne from $1,150/tonne CFR China a month ago, based on ICIS data, largely due to buoyant demand for styrenics.

Integrated Refinery & Petrochemical Complex (IRPC) was inclined to push back its planned 30-day maintenance at its 200,000 tonne/year SM facility in mid-October, said a company source.

⌠The postponement of the maintenance is currently being discussed due to strong SM and styrenics prices," the source said.

IRPC also operates a 100,000 tonne/year PS and a 100,000 tonne/year acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS) units at the petrochemical complex, as well as a 30,000 tonne/year expandable polystyrene (EPS) unit.

Another producer, Siam Styrene Monomer Co (SSMC), may also delay the scheduled maintenance of its 300,000 tonne/year SM unit in Mab Ta Phut from mid-November, said market source.

SM values were enjoying a good run due to the seasonally buoyant demand for styrenic resins, particularly in China, where the manufacturing season typically lasts from August to October.

However, with the long holidays across China in recent weeks, factories were expected to continue running at high production rates possibly into November, market sources said.

MRC

Japan's Tosoh Corp shuts Nanyo No 1 VCM line for turnaround

SINGAPORE (ICIS) -- Japan's Tosoh Corp shut down its 250,000 tonne/year No 1 vinyl chloride monomer (VCM) line in Nanyo, Yamaguchi prefecture, for a maintenance turnaround on 2 October, a source close to the company said on Thursday.

The shutdown was expected to last until the end of November, the source said.

The company recently restarted its 400,000 tonne/year No 3 VCM line at the same site on 1 October, after a brief shutdown that began in mid-September.

Tosoh has a total VCM capacity of 1.2m tonnes/year at the Nanyo site and is the largest producer of the product in Asia.

VCM is used extensively as a raw material for the manufacture of polyvinyl chloride (PVC).

MRC


Cepsa declares force majeure on San Roque PTA

ARTIMINO, Italy (ICIS) -- Cepsa Quimica has declared force majeure on purified terephthalic acid (PTA) supplies from its San Roque, Spain, plant, a company source said on Thursday.


The company source said one 150,000 tonne/year line at the plant should have come out of an isophthalic acid (PIA) campaign on 22-23 Septmeber, but was unable to do so.

The source added that Cepsa Quimica expected to be on sales allocation in October.

The plant has a total nameplate capacity of 450,000 tonnes/year, according to ICIS data.


MRC


bpi.films continues track record of innovation with RIX12

(BPI) -- bpi.films has extended its range of pallet stretchwrap with the addition of another innovative product - Supreme RIX12. This new, highly versatile, multi-layer cast stretchfilm is aimed at customers employing semi automatic stretchwrapping machines. It allows these users to enjoy a number of advantages normally only afforded by more advanced, power pre-stretch machinery - in particular the ability to apply thinner layers of film which helps to deliver significant cost savings and a marked reduction in packaging waste.

Aside from providing impressive cost and operational benefits, the thinner nature of RIX12 also ensures a number of environmental advantages. As it takes less film by volume to wrap a pallet, less resultant packaging waste is created. Plus, this reduced waste is 100% recyclable.


Commenting on the launch of the new product, Ausra Landey, Marketing Co-ordinator at bpi.films said: ⌠Pallet stretchwrap may be a tried and tested form of transit packaging but that doesn't stop bpi.films looking for new ways of improving upon this popular media.


MRC


Total Petchems to complete China PS unit's expansion in Q1 '11

SINGAPORE (ICIS) -- Total Petrochemicals expects to complete the expansion of its 100,000 tonne/year polystyrene (PS) plant at Sanshui county, southern China, in the first quarter of 2011, a source close to the company said on Thursday.


Once expanded, the facility - which produces both general purpose and high-impact grades of PS - would have a capacity of 200,000 tonnes/year.


Total Petrochemicals also operates a 95,000 tonne/year PS plant in Singapore.


PS resins are used in the packaging, utensils, toys and consumer electronics sectors.


MRC