HDPE imports to Ukraine increased by 7% in the first eleven months of the year

MOSCOW (MRC) - Imports of high density polyethylene (HDPE) to Ukraine increased by 7% to 126,000 tonnes in the first eleven months of this year, compared with the same period last year, according to MRC DataScope.

HDPE imports to Ukraine rose to 10,600 tonnes in November, following the October decline at 8,300 tonnes. Structure of Ukraine's imports of HDPE by sector was as follows.

Karpatneftekhim (LUKOIL group) resumed HDPE production in September, which resulted in the reduction of HDPE imports in September and October. However, Ukrainian producer shut its HDPE production in November, and as a consequence, imports began to grow again.

November imports of film HDPE to Ukraine increased to 4,800 tonnes, compared with 2,900 tonnes in October. Total imports of film HDPE to Ukraine was 55,300 tonnes in the first eleven months of the year, up by 20% year on year.

Ukraine imports of pipe HDPE (excluding imports of Russian bimodal PE) fell almost twofold to 1,100 tonnes in November, compared with the October's level. Total imports of pipe HDPE to Ukraine reduced to 21,600 tonnes in the first eleven months of the year, compared with 25,500 tonnes year on year on the back of a weaker demand for plastic pipes.

Imports of blow moulding and injection moulding HDPE to Ukraine were 2,800 tonnes and 1,500 tonnes in November, compared with October's level of 1,600 tonnes and 1,700 tonnes, respectively. Total imports of blow moulding and injection moulding HDPE to Ukraine increased to 23,800 tonnes and 17,700 tonnes in the first eleven months of 2013, up 12% and 8% from the same period in 2012.

Total imports of HDPE to other consumption sectors declined to 7,700 tonnes in the first eleven months of the year, compared with 8,400 tonnes year on year.


MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Ufaorgsintez (part of Bashneft Group), Russia's third largest producer of low density polyethylene (LDPE), has announced an increase in contract prices from 16 December 2013, according to ICIS-MRC Price report.

Thus, the company will increase its contract LDPE prices by Rb1,000/tonne from the level as of 1 December 2013. Higher contract prices were caused by stronger demand for polyethylene (PE). A company source said, some of January LDPE quantities had already been contracted.

OAO Ufaorgsintez, organized in 1956, produces organic synthesis products in Russia and Europe. Its products include ethylene, propylene, ethanol, cumol, ethyl benzol, phenol, acetone, copolymer rubber, polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP). The plant's annual low density polyethylene (LDPE) capacity is about 90,000 tonnes. The overall plant's PE output totalled 75,600 tonnes over the first ten months of 2013. The company exports its products to Belarus, Kazakhstan, Finland, Germany, France, and Brazil.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) - Imports of Chinese polyethylene terephthalate (PET) to Russia increased by 34% (22,600 tonnes) in the first eleven months of the year, compared with the same period in 2012, despite a general decline in imports of PET to Russia, according to MRC ScanPlast.

Total imports of Chinese PET to Russia reached 88,000 tonnes over the reported period. At the same time total imports of PET chips to Russia fell by 7.7% (13,000 tonnes) to 156,500 tonnes in the first eleven months of the year.
Chinese producers managed to take the advantage in imports because of lower price. Throughout the year, price of Chinese PET was on average down by USD30-40/tonnes from Korean material.

The increase in imports of Chinese PET accompanied by displacing of other importers' share. Korean producers have lost their share in the Ryssian market most of all.

Imports of Korean PET to Russia decreased by 25% (15,000 tonnes) to 44,000 tonnes. Russia's imports of PET was almost 10,000 tonnes in November, with 40% occurred for Chinese material.

MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Qatar Petrochemical Company (Qapco) has announced plans to build a new plant at Mesaieed Industrial City at a cost of QR1.2 bln (USD330 mln) to produce 400,000 tpa of ethylene by 2016, as per Plastemart.

With this Qapco’s installed ethylene production capacity will be hiked from the existing 800,000 tpa to approximately 1.2 mln tpa.

In its final stages of launch, the plant is to start operating within next three years, and will be a joint venture of Qapco, Qatar Petroleum and Total.

As MRC reported previously, in late 2012, Qapco inaugurated the third LDPE plant at Mesaieed Industrial City. The new facility will produce prime high pressure grade LDPE than existing QAPCO facilities, thus positioning the company as a global leader in LDPE production.

Qatar Petrochemical Company (QAPCO) is a Qatar-based company established in 1974 and is a joint venture between Industries Qatar (80%) and Total Petrochemicals (20%). The company is currently one of the largest producers of low density polyethylene (LDPE) in the region. In addition to LDPE, QAPCO also produces linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE), ethylene, and sulfur, which it sells to over 4500 industry customers in 145 countries through its extensive global marketing network.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- BASF is expanding its mobile emissions catalysts production capacity in Chennai, India, the company said in its statement.

Construction of a new 47,000 square meter facility will begin in December 2013, enhancing the company’s existing emissions catalysts operation in Chennai with new production lines and manufacturing capabilities.

Start-up is planned in the first quarter of 2015.

Upon project completion, a total of nine manufacturing lines will be housed in the new operating site, producing light duty, heavy duty and motorcycle emissions control catalysts to meet growing market demand and customer technology needs. Once operating at full capacity, the site is expected to employ approximately 300 people.

"BASF is investing to more than double our manufacturing capacity in India to help customers meet these emerging needs. At the same time, this expansion project will allow us to establish Chennai as our regional production hub to serve the fast-growing motorcycle manufacturing markets in India and ASEAN," said Anup Kothari, vice president of BASF's mobile emissions catalysts business in the Asia-Pacific region.

"In the past, BASF has successfully delivered advanced emissions control catalysts for cars, trucks and motorcycles to customers in India and throughout South Asia. The expansion project further demonstrates our strong commitment to achieving ambitious growth in the region, and our focus on delivering effective solutions to leading OEMs to prepare them for future challenges."

As MRC wrote previously, as part of BASF's major innovation investment in China, the company opened the first Innovation Campus Asia Pacific and its new Greater China headquarters at its site in Pudong, Shanghai in November 2013. The investment amounts to EUR 55 million. With this expansion the company's site will be one of BASF's largest outside of Germany. The further expansion of the facility is also planned.

BASF’s Catalysts division is the world’s leading supplier of environmental and process catalysts. The group offers exceptional expertise in the development of technologies that protect the air we breathe, produce the fuels that power our world and ensure efficient production of a wide variety of chemicals, plastics and other products, including advanced battery materials.

BASF is the leading chemical company. It produces a wide range of chemicals, for example solvents, amines, resins, glues, electronic-grade chemicals, industrial gases, basic petrochemicals and inorganic chemicals. The most important customers for this segment are the pharmaceutical, construction, textile and automotive industries.
MRC