Georgia Gulf, PPG changing name to Axiall after merger

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Georgia Gulf Corporation announced that when its pending merger with PPG’s commodity chemicals business is completed, it will change its name to Axiall Corporation. The company will trade on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol AXLL, said Georgia Gulf in its press-release.

"The new and distinctive brand represents a clear break from the legacy names of the two businesses, and gives us the flexibility to enter new markets, make future acquisitions, and diversify our portfolio without the need to rebrand our organization."

"The new name is the result of more than five months of effort and creativity by a group of employees from both Georgia Gulf and PPG," said Paul Carrico, president and chief executive officer.

As MRC wrote earlier, Georgia Gulf and PPG's announced the merger between commodity chemicals business in July,2012.

Georgia Gulf Corporation is a leading, integrated North American manufacturer of two chemical lines, chlorovinyls and aromatics, and manufactures vinyl-based building and home improvement products.

Pittsburgh-based PPG will continue to operate with a focus on its other businesses, including paints and coatings, glass and fiberglass, and specialty materials like silicas. The company operates in more than 60 countries around the world.


MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- The first working week of 2013 in the Russian polyethylene market was fairly quiet. Polyethylene prices remained unchanged in comparison with the last week of December, according to a Price Report ICIS-MRC.

Expectedly buying activity in the first week of the current year in the Russian polyethylene market was quite calm, especially in the first half of the week. The converters did not replenish their inventories. Quite a big number of converters in the second half of December formed their inventories for the first half of January.

The price spread in the market of low-density polyethylene (LDPE) is still quite wide. The offers for the supply of 158-LDPE was voiced on average at Rb53,500-56,000/tonne, including VAT, CPT Moscow. Buying activity is low; the offer of polyethylene is ample.

The market of HDPE last week was also quite calm. The prices injection moulding HDPE declined slightly in the spot market under the pressure of low demand and excess supply. HDPE prices remained at the level of the second half of December and were at Rb71,000-73,000/tonne, including VAT, CPT Moscow, for the film grades, and Rb65,200-66,000/tonne, including VAT, CPT Moscow, for injection moulding PE.


MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- A new innovative TE-cap, a combination of a lightweight paper pot and a deep-freeze grade polypropylene (PP) lid, was developed by IPS. The patented lid design provides a tamper evident seal delivering product security, with easy opening and re-closure for consumer convenience, reported Plastech.

Historically tamper features were usually limited to injection moulded pots. This innovative lid means that now even paper containers can be made Tamper Evident. The packaging features an injection moulded break-off tab and skirt which eliminates the need for foil or membrane sealing and provides instant evidence of any interference. This is a convenient way to assure the consumer that package contents have not been tampered with prior to purchase.

According to Gerard Connolly, Sales and Marketing Manager at IPS, brand owners are looking to protect their most valuable asset - their brand. The TE-cap is the perfect packaging solution; it eliminates the need for heat sealing, improves line efficiencies, optimizes package safety and protects their brand. The company is confident that the TE-cap will make an immediate impact in the frozen dairy sector. It offers effective decorative options for visual impact and maintains product freshness, making it ideal for other markets including chilled foods and ready to eat products.

We remind that another large chemical producer Borealis, had launched last year the next generation transparent polypropylene (PP) grade Borpact SH950MO for packaging of deep freeze products. SABIC has also developed a new brand of high clarity polypropylene SABIC PP Qrystal QR681K, as MRC reported earlier.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- New, state-of-the-art, open-air Houston's BBVA Compass Stadium is the first U.S. stadium to utilize SABIC's polycarbonate LEXAN THERMOCLICK sheet product for its enclosed entrance facade, reported Plastech.

SABIC’s 50-mm THERMOCLICK sheet made a major contribution to the unique style of the new urban stadium, which reflects the industrial heritage of its East Downtown location and the Dynamo brand. The material’s nine-wall configuration delivers a high level of thermal insulation for energy savings, and the 1,000-mm wide panels - twice the width of traditional panels - reduced installation time and labor to support tight construction budgets.

The stadium is a new milestone in SABIC’s three decades of success delivering state-of-the-art materials to help architects and designers achieve ever-higher levels of safety, durability and design excellence.

"We’re excited about the opportunity to share this exceptional SABIC product with the U.S. architectural community," said, Kurt Voss, chief executive officer, AmeriLux International LLC. "LEXAN THERMOCLICK sheet has already sparked the interest of architects and designers all over the world and as demonstrated in the Houston stadium, it has great potential to be further utilized in the vast U.S. building and construction market."

We remind that SABIC introduced a number of new products last year as part of its sustainability strategy. As MRC informed earlier, SABIC's Innovative Plastics business had expanded its portfolio of high-performance material solutions by adding two new LEXAN sheet products to its already robust materials portfolio, including LEXAN H6500 sheet, a new PC/acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (PC/ABS) sheet grade and LEXAN H6200 sheet. Besides, the company developed a new grade of high density polyethylene (HDPE) - SABIC HDPE PCG4906 - for large containers used in healthcare applications in close cooperation with Mauser, a well-known supplier of blow moulded industrial packaging solutions.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Saudi Arabia's Yanbu National Petrochemicals, better known as Yansab, on Saturday reported a 3.6% year-on-year drop in fourth-quarter profits to 640.8 million Saudi riyal ($170.8 million), citing lower prices for most products.

The results were better than analysts predicted for Yansab, an affiliate of Saudi Basic Industries Corp. EFG Hermes had forecast SAR620 million in profits for the three months ended Dec. 31. NCB Capital had projected a drop to SAR420 million.

Operating profits fell 0.9% to SAR727.9 million, Yansab said in a statement posted on the website of the Saudi stock exchange. Earnings per share in 2012 overall fell to SAR4.3 riyals from SAR5.6 in 2011.

Yansab blamed lower product prices and settlement of an insurance claim for the year-on-year fall in revenue, but said increased sales volume had helped cushion the impact. Yansab's share price fell 0.8% to SAR49.5 on Saturday.

Yanbu National Petrochemical Company (Yansab) is a Saudi Joint Stock Company registered in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

The objectives of Yansab are to engage in manufacturing of petrochemical products (ethylene, ethylene glycol, high density polyethylene, low linear density polyethylene, polypropylene, Butene 1, Butene 2, MTBE and BTX).

MRC