Radius Systems acquires global valve producer and supplier Aeon Group Holdings

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Radius Systems, the UK's leading supplier of PE pipes and fittings to the Gas and Water utilities sector, has announced the acquisition of 100% of the issued share capital of Aeon Group Holdings Ltd, according to the company's press release.

Andy Taylor, CEO of Radius Systems, said, "After the acquisition of the Subterra brand in June, AEON is our second acquisition following the purchase of Radius Systems by POLYPLASTIC Group in February this year. Our new owners have had no hesitation in supporting this transaction which keeps us on course with our agreed strategy to complement our core pipe and fittings business with closely associated products, services and technologies and in so doing enhancing our value added to our customer base. We are extremely pleased to add the Aeon brand and technologies to our portfolio and look forward to welcoming a skilled and dedicated workforce into the Radius/Polyplastic family."

As MRC reported earlier, in late February 2013, Polyplastic Group, the Russian and CIS market leader in plastic processing, completed the acquisition of Radius Systems.

Aeon, one of the leading global manufacturers and suppliers of valves to the fire protection, gas, water and oil exploration and transportation sectors, operates from three facilities in the United Arab Emirates (Dubai), Poland and the UK.

Radius Systems is the leading UK producer of PE pipe and fittings solutions to all major utilities companies in the gas, water and telecoms sectors. Radius generated net sales of over EUR100 million in 2012 and employs 370 people at its facilities in Hilcote (Derbyshire), Banbridge and Lurgan (both in Northern Ireland).

Polyplastic Group is the Russian and CIS market leader in engineered polymer products. Polyplastic is the largest producer of PE pipes and fittings in Europe with a total annual production of c. 250,000 tonnes and the market leader in polymer composite materials supply to the automotive, white goods and building materials sectors in the Russia/CIS markets with annual sales of c.80,000 tonnes.
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MOSCOW (MRC) -- Giving a major boost to the petrochemical industries in the state, India's Kerala State Industrial Development Corporation (KSIDC) is planning to set up a petrochemical park, reported Plastemart.

The new petrochemical park will be built on 500 acres of land adjacent to the the Integrated Refinery Expansion Project of BPCL- Kochi Refinery site at Ambalamugal in Kochi.

KSIDC is in the process of finding land for the project in Puthencruz, Thiruvaniyur and Kunnathunad Villages and land acquisition will be completed before December 2015. The petrochemical park will have a Small Scale Industries (SSI) park with focus on MSME sector.

"Seven companies have already expressed interest in starting units in the park. The proposed petrochemical park will have internal roads, culverts and drainage, water treatment plant, water supply and distribution, common effluent treatment plant, green belt and facilities for feedstock transfer through pipeline," said T P Thomas Kutty, executive director, KSIDC.

He added that interested groups can approach KSIDC with detailed project report to start companies in the park. It is estimated that projects worth Rs 8,000 crore is in the pipeline in connection with the refinery expansion project.

BPCL Deputy General Manager George Paul said the proposed petrochemical complex will produce 5,00,000 tonnes of propylene and 75,000 tonnes of ethylene, which will make the raw material for the downstream products.

As MRC informed previously, oil major Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd (BPCL) is in the process of exploring a 50:50 polyurethane (PU) joint venture in Kochi with city-based Manali Petrochemicals Ltd., at an outlay of around Rs.2,500 crore.

Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL) is an Indian state-controlled oil and gas company headquartered in Mumbai, India. Bharat Petroleum owns refineries at Mumbai, Maharashtra and Kochi, Kerala (Kochi Refineries) with a capacity of 12 and 9.5 million metric tonnes per year.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Global consumption of Long Fiber Thermoplastics is projected to exceed 326 thousand tons by 2018, driven by burgeoning automotive applications as per Global Industry Analysts, Inc., said Plastemart.

Driven by advantages such as creep resistance, low warpage, and impact strength, Long Fiber Thermoplastics (LFTs) are finding increased use as metal substitutes in a number of structural and semi-structural applications. Demand for LFT worldwide grows in tandem with the developments in the automotive industry, as about 78% of LFT materials go into manufacturing structural parts of automobiles. The trend towards sleek, small, lightweight vehicles is playing an instrumental role in increasing opportunities for LFT across the automotive sector because the stiffness offered by the composite material is ideal for structural parts of shorter lengths.

End-of-Life legislations, particularly in Europe, which make recycling of materials compulsory is also driving growth in the market. Long Glass Fiber Reinforced Polypropylene (LGFRP) is growing in popularity among auto makers, owing to the latter’s mono-material construction that enables recyclability. The lightweight, recyclability, and low cost advantage enjoyed by LFTs will continue to offer long term growth opportunities. LFT consumption in non-automotive applications is forecast to grow at a CAGR of 5.3% over the analysis period.

Europe represents the largest market worldwide. Asia-Pacific is forecast to emerge as the fastest growing market led by strong growth in China and India. Polypropylene is the dominant resin type for long fiber thermoplastics. In terms of end-use, the automotive sector continues to be the largest LFT consuming industry. LFTs are used for manufacturing door modules, front-end modules, instrument panels, and underbody shields, among others. Non-automotive applications for LFT include industrial, and general goods, among others.

Key players covered in the report include Composite Technologies Co. LLC, CPI Binani Inc., Daicel Polymer Limited, JNC Corporation, PlastiComp LLC, PPG Industries, RTP Company, SABIC EUROPE BV, SAMBARK LFT Co. Ltd., Shanghai Genius Advanced Material Co., Sumitomo Chemical Company Ltd., Ticona Engineering Polymers, and TechnoCompound GmbH, among others.

As MRC wrote before, Japan-based Sumitomo Chemical will permanently wind up the operations of an ethylene plant at its Chiba Works in Ichihara, Chiba, in or before September 2015, following a decline in domestic demand for ethylene derivatives.
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MOSCOW (MRC) -- Sahara Petrochemicals Company has signed a contract with DAELIM for the Butanol plant that's capacity is 330,000 metric tonnes annually of n-butanol and 11,000 metric tons of iso-butanol in Jubail Industrial city, said Menafn.

Sahara Petrochemicals Company is an affiliate of Tasnee and Sahara Olefins Company and the Saudi Acrylic Acid Company.

The expected experimental operation start-up is expected to last from three to six months by the end of the first half of 2015 starting from January, 2014. The contract is valued at USD293 million approximately.

Saudi Butanol company aims to improve the financing and ownership of the plants producing Butanol. The company was established between SADARA, Saudi Kayan Petrochemicals & SAAC.

Sahara Petrochemicals Company, an affiliate of Tasnee and Sahara Olefins Company and the Saudi Acrylic Acid Company, has signed a contract with DAELIM for the proposed Butanol plant in Jubail Industrial city.

The design capacity of the Butanol Plant is 330,000 metric tonnes per annum of n-butanol and 11,000n metric tons per annum of iso-butanol. The expected experimental operation start-up will be in the second quarter of 2015 and is expected to last from three to six months. The contract is valued at approximately 293 million, the construction period will be from January, 2014 until May, 2015.

Saudi Butanol company was established between SADARA, Saudi Kayan Petrochemicals & SAAC for the purpose of financing and ownership of the plant producing Butanol.

Last month, Daelim also signed onto a contract worth 175 million, to deliver a fluid catalytic cracker and acid water treatment facility for Kuwait National Petroluem Company (KNPC). The contract was part of KNPC"s Clean Fuels Project that will expand KNPC's large-scale Mina Al-Ahmadi refinery.
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