LLDPE imports to Russia keep growing

If Dow and ExxonMobil preserved the LLDPE supply volumes to the Russian market, decline of Sabic polyethlyne production made up 1.2 kt, it is 40% less than August supply.

The Russian LLDPE producer is traditionally Nizhnekamskneftechim. In September the company renewed the production of LLDPE thus need in import supply was decreased. The further production of LLDPE at Nizhnekamskneftechim is planned to be renewed closer to December 2010.

In this connection in October-November the growth of LLDPE import supply to the Russian market is expected.

More detailed information about PE market see in Datascope.


MRC

(prw) -- The consumption of expanded polystyrene (EPS) in the Czech Republic is expected to rise by up to 12% this year against that of 2009, according to the Czech EPS Association.

Already, the amount of EPS consumed nationally during the first eight months of 2010 has reached 39,500 tonnes representing an increase of around 20%. The organisation estimates that the full year could result in a total of 56,000 tonnes, a rise of up to 12%.

Last year saw a fall in national demand for the material of 9.3% when compared with the figure for 2008. This decline was due not only to the ill effects of the economic recession, but also because of a slow start to Czech residential building modernisation support and energy savings programmes, said association chairman Pavel Zemene.

MRC

LONDON (ICIS) -- Al-Waha Petrochemical's polypropylene (PP) unit in Al-Jubail, Saudi Arabia, is due to restart production in the week commencing 18 October, a source close to the company said on Wednesday.

The company was forced to halt operations at the 450,000 tonne/year facility due to an undisclosed technical problem, although it was unclear whether this issue had been resolved or was the cause of the current closure.

MRC

(Plastemart) -- Brazilian Braskem A.S. hiked October polyethylene and polypropylene offer for the Brazilian domestic market at an increase of by Reals 200/mt, over September, as per Platts.

Resin demand in the Brazilian domestic market is robust as historically September and October are strong demand months, when buying is at its peak for the end of the year festivities.

LDPE has not remained unchanged for October as September offers were increased by Reals 500/mt. October PP offers for Brazil's domestic market were heard at Real 4,200-4,300/mt FOT for homo raffia and injection, Reals 4,300-4,400/mt FOT for homo film and at Reals 4,400-4,500/mt FOT for co-polymer.

HDPE offers were at Reals 4,150-4,250/mt FOT for blowmolding, film and injection, Reals 4,450-4,550/mt FOT for LDPE film.

Polypropylene and LDPE continue to be short in Latin American markets causing buyers to worry about an even tighter situation when the Braskem's 40 day steam cracker maintenance begins November 4. Along with the cracker the company's 250,000 tpa LDPE and 250,000 tpa HDPE plants will also be shutdown.

MRC

(China Plastic & Rubber Journal) -- Total Petrochemicals, one of the world's leading petrochemicals companies, has decided to expand the capacity of its polystyrene plant in Foshan located in the Guangdong Province of China.

The project is scheduled to be on-stream by the end of 2010 and will bring the capacity of the Foshan plant to over 200,000 ton per year.

The new capacity will enable an almost doubling of sales compared with 2008 levels. The project will reinforce Total Petrochemicals' commercial position within the fast growing Chinese markets, especially the high-end segments in the South and Central China.

Total Petrochemicals supplies polystyrene to various markets: the packaging, television, audiovisual, refrigerators, office automation, etc.


MRC