Evonik Acrylics Africa puts extrusion plant into operation in South Africa

MOSCOW (MRC) -- In August Evonik Acrylics Africa (EEA) is to begin producing extruded PLEXIGLAS sheets in Elandsfontein, Johannesburg, according to the company's press release.

With an initial number of 20 employees and a new extrusion facility, some several thousand metric tons of semi-finished material will be produced per year for the African market. The products, which are manufactured in accordance with international quality standards, include standard formats as well as special sizes.

"Over the past years we have continuously expanded the visibility of the PLEXIGLAS brand in Southern Africa with the aim of becoming the market leader in this region," explains Holger Morhart, Business Director of Evonik Acrylics Africa.

In May 2012, to this end, Evonik entered into a joint venture with the South African plastics processor Ampaglas Plastics Group, one of the largest manufacturers of extruded plastics in Southern Africa. Since then, the partners have further expanded the distribution network under the name Evonik Acrylics Africa. Production will begin now in August at the plant in Elandsfontein.

We remind that, as MRC reported earlier, in June 2013, Evonik has launched a new generation of PVC plasticizers under the ELATUR product brand. With this strategic portfolio expansion, Evonik is consistently developing its range of sustainable plasticizers. Plasticizers from Evonik are primarily used in the plastics, automotive, and construction industry.

Evonik, the creative industrial group from Germany, is one of the world leaders in specialty chemicals. Its activities focus on the key megatrends health, nutrition, resource efficiency and globalization. Evonik benefits specifically from its innovative prowess and integrated technology platforms. Evonik is active in over 100 countries around the world. In fiscal 2012, the company generated sales of around EUR13.6 billion and an operating profit (adjusted EBITDA) of about EUR2.6 billion. The international rating agency Moody's has upgraded the credit rating of the German speciality chemicals group Evonik Industries AG from Baa3 with a positive outlook to Baa2 with a positive outlook.
MRC

Honeywell to supply control systems for Antipinsky refinery upgrade in Russia

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Antipinsky Refinery CJSC will use Honeywell's Experion process knowledge system (PKS) to control plant processes and general refinery facilities as part of the third stage of construction of the Antipinsky refinery in Tyumen, Russia, said Hydrocarbonprocessing.

The commissioning of the plant will double the refinery's capacity to 7.5 million tpy, helping meet the growing demand for clean fuels and other oil products in Russia and the European Union (EU), according to Honeywell officials.

Deploying Experion PKS is part of an initiative to create a single, central operations center at the Antipinsky refinery. As an additional part of this initiative, Honeywell will supply up to 60 additional workstations to the refinery, which will be installed in the unified refinery control center.

"There is significant demand for Antipinsky refinery products, both in the region and throughout Russia and the EU," said Leonid Sorkin, general manager for Honeywell Russia. "Honeywell's advanced process automation systems will help the business grow efficiently and safely."

The new construction is part of the refinery's plan to increase its capacity of crude oil processing and to enable production of products in the next year that meet the EU quality of the Euro-5 emission standards. The project also includes the construction of a water treatment plant, sewage treatment plant, steam generation plant and other general refinery facilities.

This phase of construction is expected to be completed by the end of this year.

"Experion PKS provides a continuous and more comprehensive flow of information about refinery operations," said Alexander Rodionov, Russia sales leader for Honeywell Process Solutions. "This enables operators to spot potential problems more quickly, help them make better-informed decisions about plant operations and keep the plant running safely and efficiently."

Honeywell's four business divisions -- aerospace, automation and control solutions, performance materials and technologies, and transportation systems -- do business in Russia and offer numerous solutions that can help industries improve productivity while ensuring the safety and security of employees, customers and the local environment.

Honeywell has been working in Russia for almost 50 years and has offices in Moscow, St. Petersburg, Sakhalin, Kazan, Krasnodar, Irkutsk, Khabarovsk and Tyumen.

As MRC wrote before, OOO Kirishinefteorgsintez selected Honeywell to supply its experion process knowledge system (PKS) and advanced alarm manager system at the company"s refinery in Kirishi, in the Leningrad region of Russia.

MRC

VEKA Recycling launches high-quality recycled PVC-U products

МOSCOW (MRC) -- UK-based PVC recycler VEKA Recycling Ltd will be joining colleagues from France and Germany at K 2013 to announce the launch of its high-quality recyclate suitable for a wide range of new PVC-U extruded products, said Recyclingportal.

Significant investment in state-of-the-art processing equipment at its Kent site means VEKA Recycling can now supply UK and European markets with PVC-U pellet and micronised (pulver) derived from post-consumer window frames.

VEKA Recycling"K 2013 gives us the perfect opportunity to introduce our recycled finished products to the market and to explore potential product options with designers, innovators and manufacturers interested in developing new sustainable solutions," explained Tony Cattini, UK Managing Director of VEKA Recycling.

"The VEKA Recycling Group has more than two decades’ recycling experience producing pelletised material that can be used in many new extrusion products, including new windows, making it a strong and reliable partner in the PVC-U industry. With our additional UK processing capacity, we’re looking to the future with great interest and expectation," added Tony Cattini.

Established in the UK since 2007 with an annual 20,000-plus tonnes recycling capacity, the Kent-based company is part of the VEKA Recycling Group, which has processing facilities in three European countries.

As MRC wrote before, Germany-based VEKA, Inc., a manufacturer of vinyl windows and doors, will add new equipment and invest more than USD6 million to expand its Fombell facility, creating 38 new jobs in Beaver County, Pennsylvania.

Founded in Germany as VekaPlast in 1967, the firm manufactures and distributes vinyl extruded PVC profiles for the window and door manufacturing industry. The company sells predominantly to the residential remodeling and new construction housing markets. VEKA also manufactures and distributes PVC fence lineals, kits and accessories to the fence and railing industry and deck lineals to the decking industry.

MRC

Prices of North American PVC rose by USD10-15/tonne for the Russian market

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Strong demand from the domestic and foreign markets continued to put pressure on polyvinyl chloride (PVC) prices in the United States. Prices for North American PVC to be shipped to the Russian market in September-October increased by USD10-15/tonne, according to ICIS-MRC Price report.

Stong demand for PVC from both the domestic and foreign markets (Asia and South America) and the delay in delivery dates due to unplanned outages at some plants allow US producers to raise prices further.

The key producers' offers for North American PVC in September grew to USD1,040-1,060/tonne CFR St Petersburg this week. Prices for shipments in early October were also heard at USD1,010-1,020/tonne CFR St Petersburg.

Many Russian companies have refrained from purchasing resin in the United States so far because of lower prices from domestic producers and risks of foreign exchange rates (high volatility of the dollar/rouble exhange rate and expectations for further devaluation). Some companies also added that, given the logistics, September shipments of resin will arrive to their warehouses at best in late October, i.e. during the seasonal decline in demand for finished products, which is disadvantageous for them.
MRC

SIBUR completes a major investment project at its Voronezh Site

MOSCOW (MRC) -- SIBUR has launched production of styrene-butadiene thermoplastic elastomers (TPE) – cutting-edge polymer materials for the road building industry and roof coatings - at its Voronezh-based facility, according to the company's press release.

The production facility reached its full design capacity of 50,000 tonnes per year.

The process phase of start-up and commissioning operations at the new facility completed with a 72-hour trial run of all the equipment units attended by the licensor's representatives. Each separation line showed the nominal design capacity at the finished products stage.

In its report on the results of the integrated testing, the licensor expressed a high opinion of the quality of construction and installation, general readiness of the TPE-50 facility to commence operations and its full compliance with the technology transferred under the licence. The licensor concludes that "the operating personnel is well-qualified, and the equipment well-prepared ensuring output of high-quality products in the amounts as specified in the framework project."

"The new facility proceeds to operate in the production and maintenance mode," says Viktor Kuklinov, CEO of Voronezhsintezkauchuk. "From now on, the consumers will receive extra volumes of cutting-edge polymer materials for the road building industry and roof coatings."

As MRC informed previously, in late May 2013, SIBUR began integrated equipment testing at the propylene storage facility and trial production of the first polypropylene line at the company’s Tobolsk-Polymer complex. This follows testing of the first production line at the extrusion plant and the polypropylene packaging and dispatch plant. SIBUR expects to begin production at the complex by the end of 2013, once all approvals have been granted.

Thermoplastic elastomers are materials combining the properties of both rubber and plastics. The most important use of TPEs is production of polymer-modified asphalt cements, which contribute to better durability of upper layers of the road surface. Their use extends the time between repairs from 3-4 years up to 7-10 years.

SIBUR is a vertically integrated gas processing and petrochemicals company. SIBUR owns and operates Russia’s largest gas processing business in terms of associated petroleum gas processing volumes, and is a leader in the Russian petrochemicals industry. As of 31 March 2013, SIBUR operated 27 production sites across Russia, had over 1,500 large customers operating in the energy, automotive, construction, fast moving consumer goods (FMCG), chemical and other industries in approximately 60 countries and employed over 30,000 personnel.
MRC