August PE production in Russia was kept at the level of July

MOSCOW (MRC) - Russian producers practically managed to keep the output of polyethylene (PE) in August at the July's level, despite scheduled maintenance in Salavat and Angarsk, according to MRC ScanPlast.

Russia's PE production in August was 135,200 tonnes from 135,800 tonnes in July. The increase in production at the facilities of Ufaorgsintez, Tomskneftekhim and Kazanorgsintez offset the decrease in the PE production in Salavat and Angarsk because of the scheduled maintenance works there.
Russia's PE production by grades in August was as follows. Production of low density polyethylene (LDPE) in August was about 46,100 tonnes, which is equal to July's results. The decline in PE production at "Gazprom neftekhim Salavat" and " Angarsk polymer plant " due to the maintenance works in August was offset by an increase in the output by Ufaorgsintez and Tomskneftekhim.

August production of high-density polyethylene (HDPE) fell to 89,100 tonnes, from 89,700 tonnes in July. A number of plants reduced HDPE production in August (Stavrolen - down by 6% from July; "Gazprom neftekhim Salavat" - down by more than twofold due to the turnaround; Nizhnekamskneftehim - down by 2% from July), while Kazanorgsyntez increased its HDPE production to 44,500 tonnes, up by 8% compared to July.

Overall, Russia's PE production exceeded 1.11 m tonnes in the eight months of this year, from 888,000 tonnes year on year.


MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- LANXESS, German specialty chemicals company, is expanding its portfolio of phosphorus-based chemicals by taking over the business operations belonging to the French subsidiary of the insolvent Dutch company thermPhos International B.V., reported the company on its site.

The transaction closes with immediate effect.

LANXESS is acquiring the production assets and the customer list of the thermPhos site in Epierre, South Eastern France - a globally leading Phosphorus Pentoxide and Polyphosphoric Acid producer. Both products are complementary to the company’s existing phosphorus portfolio. They can be used as chemical intermediates including flame retardants and pharmaceuticals.

The site will be integrated into the production network of LANXESS’ business unit Functional Chemicals (FCC), which belongs to the company’s Performance Chemicals segment.

Apart from phosphorus-based chemicals, FCC manufactures specialty plasticizers and colorants. It employs about 480 people worldwide, with the majority based at its sites in Leverkusen and Krefeld-Uerdingen, Germany.

As MRC wrote previously, Lanxess has recently developed a new polyester material grade based on polyethylene terephthalate (PET). The new material grade - Pocan TP 555-001 - is excellently suited to manufacturing housings, sockets and other components for light-emitting diodes (LED). What makes the product unique is its excellent light reflection, which hardly declines at all over time, and its high heat stability. Besides, it is reinforced with glass fibers and contains special additives.

Lanxess is a leading specialty chemicals company with sales of EUR9.1 billion in 2012 and roughly 17,400 employees in 31 countries. The company is currently represented at 50 production sites worldwide. The core business of Lanxess is the development, manufacturing and marketing of plastics, rubber, intermediates and specialty chemicals.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Mitsui Chemicals has taken off-stream its naphtha cracker for maintenance turnaround, reported Apic-online.

A Polymerupdate source in Japan informed that the cracker was shut on September 19, 2013. It is likely to restart operations on October 2, 2013.

Located in Osaka, Japan, the cracker has a production capacity of 450,000 mt/year.

As MRC informed earlier, in late August 2013, Mitsui Chemicals shut down a naphtha cracker at its Ichihara plant in Chiba. The cracker"s capacity is 612,000 tpa of ethylene. The ethylene cracker was shut due to problems with an electrical system. The company has been investigating the cause of the problem. The resuption of operation of the cracker is unspecified yet.

Mitsui Chemicals,a Japanese chemical company, is a part of the Mitsui conglomerate. The company has a turnover of around 15 billion USD and has business interests in Japan, Europe, China, Southeast Asia and the USA. The company mainly deals in performance materials, petro and basic chemicals and functional polymeric materials.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Due to risen costs, particularly for raw materials, Evonik Industries, the German specialty chemicals company, sees the need to adjust the prices of methacrylate monomers, according to the company's statement.

The sales prices in Europe for products from the Acrylic Monomers Business Line will increase by EUR95/tonne as of October 1, unless otherwise contractually specified.

We remind that, as MRC reported earlier, in June 2013, Evonik edching 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. Besides, recently Evonik Industries has developed and launched on the market a novel combination of bio-based high-performance polyamides and bio-based high-performance fibers.

Evonik Industries is an industrial corporation in Germany and one of the world's leading specialty chemicals companies. Company's specialty chemicals activities focus on high-growth megatrends, especially, health, nutrition, resource efficiency, and globalization, and on entering attractive future-oriented markets. In 2012 Evonik generated sales of EUR13.6 billion and an operating result (adjusted EBITDA) of EUR2.6 billion.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Evonik Corporation’s High Performance Polymers Business Line has announced a distribution agreement with chemicals, plastics and composites distributor Nexeo Solutions for VESTAMID, VESTAMID Care, TROGAMID and TROGAMID Care product lines used in medical device applications, reported the company on its site.

"We are very excited about this alliance with Nexeo Solutions," said Sabine Fleming, business development manager of Evonik Corporation’s High Performance Polymers Business Line. "Nexeo Solutions has a dedicated healthcare team with significant expertise in the distribution of plastics and chemicals used for medical devices. This alliance will offer Evonik Corporation broader medical market exposure and our customers more supply chain flexibility for our specialty high performance polymers. Our customers will benefit from Nexeo Solution’s excellent distribution service and market presence."

TROGAMID is a key ingredient for stopcocks, valves used to restrict or isolate the flow of liquids or gases.

Evonik Corporation’s VESTAMID and TROGAMID are specialty polymers characterized by excellent chemical resistance, biocompatibility, durability.

As MRC wrote previously, Evonik Industries, the German specialty chemicals company, has announced a significant expansion of its Jurong Island, Singapore oil additives plant, to be completed in early 2015. With ongoing improvement and debottlenecking projects scheduled to be finalized during the first half of 2014, these optimizations and the planned expansion will nearly double the capacity of the oil additives plant in Singapore.

Nexeo Solutions is the largest global chemical, plastics and composites distributor and environmental services with a centralized business model. As a private company employing more than 2300 employees with operations across North America, Europe and Asia, Nexeo Solutions is a leading distributor of chemicals, plastics, composites and environmental services.

Evonik Industries is an industrial corporation in Germany and one of the world's leading specialty chemicals companies. Company's specialty chemicals activities focus on high-growth megatrends, especially, health, nutrition, resource efficiency, and globalization, and on entering attractive future-oriented markets. In 2012 Evonik generated sales of EUR13.6 billion and an operating result (adjusted EBITDA) of EUR2.6 billion.
MRC