Engro to expand its PVC production capacity in Pakistan

(plastemart) -- Engro Polymer and Chemicals Limited (EPCL) will invest up to USD15 million in 2013 to enhance the production capacity of PVC resin, according to the company’s chief executive officer, as reported by Thenews.com.pk.

Almost USD10-15 mln will be invested in 2013 to enhance production from the existing three PVC resin plants at Port Qasim, Karachi. The company is looking into multiple ways for raising investment funds. It could be debt, equity, or a mix of debt and equity.

Debottlenecking will help produce an additional 35,000 to 40,000 tonnes of PVC resin.

Engro Polymer & Chemicals Limited (EPCL) is the only fully integrated chemical complex in Pakistan. EPCL is a subsidiary of Engro Corporation, involved in the manufacturing, marketing and distribution of quality Chlor-Vinyl allied products and PVC under brand name ‘SABZ’.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) - A world leader of petrochemical industry, concern BASF, has become one of the key suppliers for the automotive giant - Group PSA Peugeot Citroen, according to the company's press release.

Jean-Baptiste Formery, Purchasing Executive Director Vehicle Components at PSA Peugeot Citroen, has announced that the company BASF Coatings, part of the concern BASF, has won the title of a 'key supplier' for the automotive Group PSA Peugeot Citroen.
It should be noted that the automaker Group PSA Peugeot Citroen determines those companies as its 'key suppliers' that have the best expertise in the field and set standards in their respective market segments. Thus, BASF Coatings has been included in this prestigious list as a reliable supplier of high-quality coatings with in-depth technical competence in the various markets.

The Coatings Division of the BASF Group develops, produces and markets a high-quality range of innovative automotive OEM coatings, automotive refinishes and industrial coatings as well as decorative paints.Company. One of its enterprises is located in Clermont (France). In Russia, the interests of BASF Coatings represents LLC "BASF East," whose main production facilities are located in the Moscow region (Pavlovsky Posad).

We remind that BASF's experts have met the representatives of the leading automakers to discuss the technologies to reduce vehicle weight and decrease the harmful effects on the environment at the conference "Innovative BASF solutions for the automotive industry", held on 28 August, 2012, as part of the exhibition "MIMS-Automechanika 2012" (Moscow, Expocentre).

Also, as MRC reported earlier, at the end of the year BASF plans to begin construction of a second Polish catalyst plant for offsetting vehicle emissions, which will allow BASF to increase its European capacities for the production of catalysts to offset emissions by more than half.
MRC

(apic-online) -- Chongqing Pengwei Petrochemical Co. has restarted operations at its purified terephthalic acid (PTA) plant.

Located at Chongqing in China, the PTA plant has a production capacity of 900,000 mt/year. The plant was taken off-stream for a maintenance turnaround on October 14, 2012.

The company restarted operations at the plant on December 7, 2012. As per earlier schedule, the company was to restart operations on November 7, 2012.

Chongqing Pengwei Petroleum & Chemical Co., Ltd. Is located in Chongqing. It was established in September 15th, 2006.The registered capital was 596 million RMB.

It is specialized in producing Purified Terephthalic Acid (PTA), and chemical raw materials, selling chemical fiber and providing technical consultation of chemical. Now it has been investing 2 billion RMB to a project which can produce 600000T PTA every year.PTA is the main material in the process of producing PET. It can be widely used in many fields, such as chemical fiber, container, packaging and film.
MRC

(apic-online) -- South Korea's LG Chem finalized its 2013 term supply contract for a total 24,000 mt of solvent-grade mixed xylenes at a premium of around USD8/mt to the monthly average of Platts FOB Korea solvent-MX assessments, a market source said Tuesday.

Under the contract, LG Chem will supply 2,000 mt/month of product to a South Korean trading company over January-December 2013, the source added. LG Chem had sold its 2012 term solvent-MX at around similar levels of a premium of USD8/mt, he said.

LG Chem has capacity to produce a total 105,000 mt/year of solvent-MX at its Yeosu (55,000 mt/year ) and Daesan (50,000 mt/year) aromatics plants.

South Korea's other two main solvent-MX producers have already concluded their 2013 term deals.

"YNCC has a higher premium, as the company has better port facilities which can accommodate bigger berths and the quality of solvent-MX is better," a South Korean trader said.

"Overall, the term contract prices have gone up compared to 2012 due to tighter supply and firmer demand," another trader noted.
MRC

(hydracarbonprocessing) -- The plant has a capacity of 350 tpd and will reduce Kaustik’s electricity consumption at the site by approximately 30%, according to Praxair officials. The plant will also supply merchant products to local markets such as metals, metal fabrication, glass, automotive, food, electronics and healthcare.

Praxair on Tuesday announced the startup of its first large-scale air separation plant in Volgograd, an industrial region in southern Russia.

This plant will produce oxygen, nitrogen and compressed air for Kaustik, a division of the Nikochem Group, under a long-term contract.

The plant has a capacity of 350 tpd and will reduce Kaustik’s electricity consumption at the site by approximately 30%, according to Praxair officials.

The plant will also supply merchant products to local markets such as metals, metal fabrication, glass, automotive, food, electronics and healthcare.

“The Volgograd facility represents our vision to become a world-class industrial gases organization in Russia," said Todd Skare, president of Praxair Europe.

"The startup of this plant will allow Praxair to efficiently and reliably supply Kaustik, while also supplying liquefied and packaged gas products in the region and nearby areas where we see enormous potential for growth."

"We have received the full support of the Volgograd administration for this project and are confident that we will continue to identify opportunities for additional investments in the region."
MRC