March PVC prices for CIS markets to rise by USD30/tonne in the US

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Strong demand from the domestic market and scheduled outages for maintenance at some polyvinyl chloride (PVC) plants in the United States continue maintaining export prices high. March offer prices for the CIS markets start from USD1,080/tonne, according to ICIS-MRC Price report.

Strong demand from the domestic market and the upcoming long shutdowns for maintenace works at Westlake and Shin-tech's plants led to a serious reduction in export PVC quotas for March shipments in the US. PVC export prices for March shipments exceed USD1,080/tonne for the CIS markets amid limited export quotas and higher ethylene prices.

Negotiations over March PVC shipments from the United States began this week. Offer prices for the CIS markets were heard in the range of USD1,080-1,100/tonne CFR St Petersburg and CFR Odessa, Novorossiysk, whereas February shipments were negotiated at USD1,050-1,070/tonne CFR St Petersburg and CFR Odessa, Novorossiysk.

Many market participants have refrained from purchasing PVC in the United States so far. The main reason for this is the weakening of the national currency against the dollar (in Russia - 6%, in Ukraine - 8.5%). Weak seasonal demand for finished products and consequent serious limitations of current assets also force them to refrain from purchasing North American resin.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Grand Pacific Petrochemical Corp has shut a styrene monomer (SM) plant for maintenance turnaround, as per Apic-online.

A Polymerupdate source in Taiwan informed that the plant was shut on February 15, 2014. It is likely to remain off-stream till March 11, 2014.

Located at Tashe in Taiwan, the plant has a production capacity of 130,000 mt/year.

As MRC wrote previously, Idemitsu Kosan, one of Japan’s largest refining and petrochemical companies, is in plans to shut its SM plant for maintenance turnaround in April 2014. It will remain off-stream for around one month. Located in Chiba, Japan, the plant has a production capacity of 210,000 mt/year.

Besides, Taiyo Petrochemical is in plans to shut its SM plant for maintenance in September 2014. The shutdown is expected to remain in force for around 30 days. The plant is currently operating at full production capacity levels. Located at Ube in Japan, the SM plant has a production capacity of 370,000 mt/year.

Also, another major Asian petrochemical producer Samsung Total is likely to shut its No.1 SM plant for maintenance turnaround in March 2014. It is likely to remain off-stream for around one month. Located in Daesan, South Korea, the No.1 SM plant has a production capacity of 650,000 mt/year.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- PolyOne Corporation, a premier global provider of specialized polymer materials, services and solutions, has announced the hiring of Cathy K. Dodd as vice president, marketing, reported the company on its site.

Ms. Dodd succeeds Julie A. McAlindon who was promoted to president of PolyOne's Designed Structures and Solutions following the acquisition of Spartech. Ms. Dodd will be responsible for developing and executing PolyOne's marketing strategy and leading all corporate marketing functions to achieve the company's objectives of profitable sales growth, innovation, specialty mix improvement and value creation.

Ms. Dodd joined PolyOne from Eastman Chemical Company where she served in strategic marketing roles, including director of downstream engagement and design, as well as director of global chemicals marketing. In addition she worked at Honeywell International as brand manager for FRAM and Autolite, as well as global market manager for healthcare specialty films. Ms. Dodd began her career at Ashland Oil, serving in various marketing, supply chain and commercial roles.

Ms. Dodd earned a bachelor's degree in business administration in marketing and management from the University of Kentucky in Lexington, Kentucky.

As MRC informed previously, The Board of Directors of PolyOne Corporation has recently declared a quarterly cash dividend of USD0.08 per share on the common stock outstanding. Dividend is to be paid on April 4, 2014, to stockholders of record on March 14, 2014.

PolyOne Corporation is a global provider of specialized polymer materials, services, and solutions. PolyOne is a provider of specialized polymer materials, services and solutions with operations in specialty polymer formulations, color and additive systems, polymer distribution and specialty vinyl resins.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Celanese Corporation, a global technology and specialty materials company, reaffirms the previously announced price increase of USD0.04/pound for all high VA (vinyl acetate) grades of Ateva EVA, effective February 1, 2014, as per the company's statement.

In addition, Celanese is expanding the announcement to include all grades of Ateva EVA and low density polyethylene (LDPE), effective immediately or as contracts allow.

As MRC informed earlier, in November 2013, Celanese said it would begin discussions concerning the possible closure of both the acetic anhydride facility in Roussillon and the vinyl acetate monomer (VAM) production unit in Tarragona. This action is initiated to safeguard the competitiveness of the Celanese acetyl business.

Celanese Corporation is a global technology leader in the production of differentiated chemistry solutions and specialty materials used in most major industries and consumer applications. Based in Dallas, Texas, Celanese employs approximately 7,400 employees worldwide and had 2013 net sales of USD6.5 billion.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Clariant, a world leader in specialty chemicals, has created a new range of polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP)-based white masterbatches, where the raw materials have been tested using the EP 3.1.3 (Polyolefin Materials for Pharmaceutical Packaging) standard, according to the company's press release.

The new white "EP range" consists of four low and high density PE grades and one PP grade and are offered with supporting documentation to EP3.1.3, USP23 parts 87 and 88, a Drug Master File (DMF) and a Change Control Agreement.

Clariant has recently completed a test programme on raw materials of its masterbatches, and is now offering products that use raw materials that have been pre-evaluated to both the above USP and EP standards.

Since the launch of the MEVOPUR range of masterbatch and compounds for healthcare applications at the end of 2010, Clariant has been active in bring new ideas and products to the market, with the objective of ‘Enhancing Products and Process’ and ‘Protecting the Patient and the Drug’.

In particular in the last 12 months, new additive masterbatches have attracted high interest because Clariant had pre-tested the raw materials for the masterbatches using the extraction and biological evaluation protocols of US Pharmacopeia (USP) 23 parts 87 and 88.

As MRC reported earlier, in summer 2013, Clariant introduced AddWorks, its new brand for polymer additives solutions. It consists of: AddWorks - application oriented solutions specifically designed by segments of the plastics industry, AddWorks LXR - a new range of polymer additives designed to provide particular effects in a wide variety of applications.

Clariant AG is a Swiss chemical company and a world leader in the production of specialty chemicals for the textile, printing, mining and metallurgical industries. It is engaged in processing crude oil products in pigments, plastics and paints.
MRC