PVC imports from China continues falling

MOSCOW (MRC) -- PVC supplies from China to the Russian market considerably fell according to expectations. For the first two weeks they made up about 6.5 KT, MRC analysts say.


Kaustik (Sterlitamak) start-up in the second half of October after the forced outage caused by the ⌠ethylene conflict with Salavatnefteorgsintez relieved definite tension in the Russian PVC market and made the marketers sure about resin offer availability in October-November.


Meanwhile sharp PVC prices rise in the Chinese domestic market under a pressure of high demand influenced exports prices which reached the level of USD 1.100/mt, DAF Dostyk.


High prices for the Chinese resin as well as complicated logistic system made many marketers limit the volumes of resin purchases in China.


Imports supplies from China traditionally take leading positions in total PVC imports volume and, for example, in July they made up more than 18.5 KT. But high level of prices for resin that will start lowering not earlier than in the second half of November, according to experts, as well as sufficient Russian and North American PVC offers resulted in decrease of volumes of Chinese resin imports.


MRC

Olefins producers in Asia unable to compete with counterparts in Middle East

(Plastemart) -- Olefins producers in Asia are finding it increasingly difficult to compete with their counterparts in the Middle East. Ethane-based ethylene production costs in Saudi Arabia are around US$200/MT, US$250/MT in Qatar and US$615/MT in the US while naphtha-based ethylene production costs in Asia currently stand at US$1000/MT.


Ethylene producers in Japan and South Korea have seen depleting margins in the past two weeks. Since their rates are not competitive enough for spot ethylene cargoes, they are directing all their ethylene to downstream plants. As Middle East producers balance domestic demand for natural gas with that in their steam crackers, the feedstock is becoming increasingly costlier for the ethylene producers. However, the feedstock prices still do not compare with those in Asia.


MRC

Long sees big PET prospects

(Plastics News) -- PET packaging veteran Bill Long has his eyes on bringing more recycled material into the production stream. ⌠[There are] lots of remaining opportunities to continue to grow, both with organic customers in existing markets, and through conversion of additional packaging mediums from [other] substrates to PET, Long, president of Amcor Rigid Plastics in Ann Arbor described his vision of the future of PET.


But first, U.S. processors have to do something about low PET recycling rates, which hover around 26-27 percent of virgin material that is introduced into the marketplace, he said.


Amcor Rigid Plastics is part of Australian packaging giant Amcor Ltd. Long joined Amcor PET Packaging in 2002 following its acquisition of Ratingen, Germany-based Schmalbach-Lubeca AG's global PET and closures businesses.


MRC


Ticona continues its push into China

(Plastics News) -- Ticona Engineering Polymers remains focused on expanding in China, even though recent events might have slightly altered some time lines and priorities, according to Wilfried Jobst, the firm's Shanghai-based commercial director for Asia.


Last May, Celanese Corp.'s Florence, Ky.-based Advanced Engineered Materials unit, which includes Ticona, acquired DuPont Co.'s Zenite-brand liquid crystal polymer and Thermx-brand PCT specialty resin business, but no related manufacturing assets. That move has only increased Ticona's need for more production capacity for those materials.


Ticona had indicated in 2008 that it eventually would like to build capacity in China to produce its own Vectra-brand LCPs. Now, Jobst said, Ticona is aiming to have such a facility operating at Celanese's integrated chemical plant in Nanjing, China, by 2013. That major facility, the group's only production site in China, The Nanjing complex also produces Ticona's GUR-brand ultrahigh-molecular-weight polyethylene and its Celstran-brand long-fiber-reinforced thermoplastic resins.


MRC


Dow polyethylene resin for rotational molding

(Plastemart) -- Dow has introduced an experimental polyethylene resin for rotational molding that offers significant performance advantages over incumbent materials when used in the production of large storage tanks.


Laboratory and large scale production evaluations of the resin have demonstrated that, compared to reference materials, the new resin offers improved sintering (densification), hereby allowing shorter oven times, a homogeneous and fine molding microstructure.


For rotational molders needing to produce storage tanks the performance attributes of this Experimental Polyethylene Resin translate to reduced energy costs, reduced cycle times and finished products with higher impact strength due to a broader processing window.


This developmental resin has the potential to open up new marketing opportunities and reduce operational cost savings for rotational molders focused on large storage tanks, said Karin Katzer,
Dow's market manager.


MRC