March ethylene output falls in Japan by 8.1%

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Japanese production of ethylene fell 8.1% in March on the year to 510,900 tonnes, reported Reuters with reference to the data from the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry.

Ethylene, made from naphtha, is a basic feedstock for petrochemicals that are made into products such as plastics.

As MRC wrote before, Japan-based Sumitomo Chemical will permanently wind up the operations of an ethylene plant at its Chiba Works in Ichihara, Chiba, in or before September 2015, following a decline in domestic demand for ethylene derivatives.

We also remind that, as informed previously, ethylene production from export-oriented steam crackers associated with advantaged gas-based feedstocks is set to alter the global ethylene markets, according to analysis from energy research firm Wood Mackenzie's new Chemical Markets Service.

Ethylene producing assets that have access to low cost gas feedstocks, such as the ones in North America, will lead the competition with total ethylene and derivative investment set to reach USD40-50 billion in the next decade. Over the same time period, global ethylene demand will grow by 3.3% per year, on average, according to Wood Mackenzie. The Dow Chemical Company, LyondellBasell Industries N.V. and Exxon Mobil Corporation are among the leading companies engaged in the ethylene industry in North America.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Brand owners can now select Eastman Tritan copolyester and Eastar copolyester from Eastman Chemical Company for carbon filtration and reverse osmosis systems, reported the company on its site.

Brands that market point-of-use (POU) and point-of-entry (POE) water filtration systems and components know that the ability to clearly see the filter at work can result in more frequent filter media replacement - and greater sales.

Tritan and Eastar meet the requirements of the National Sanitation Foundation (NSF) for water filtration units and deliver the benefits of transparent filter housings with excellent durability, improved chemical resistance and toughness. Unlike polycarbonate (PC), both materials are made without bisphenol A (BPA), a big advantage for brand owners looking to answer consumers’ needs for BPA-free products.

Growing consumer concerns about water quality and lack of confidence in municipality processes have led to a growing market for POE and POU water filtration products.

Opaque products are the most common material in the water filtration housing market. Clear or transparent housings make up less than 10 percent of the market because most clear materials fall short of NSF performance requirements for hydrostatic and burst pressure, and pressure fatigue. Consumers prefer a transparent housing that allows them to see the filter working and indicates filter replacement timing.

Eastman Tritan copolyester and Eastar copolyester meet NSF performance standards, a critical part of fitness for use. Tritan and Eastar provide a clear view of the filtration media, without the breakage and durability issues associated with some clear plastics, including styrene acrylonitrile copolymers (SAN). The glasslike clarity of Tritan and Eastar also allow for greater tinting flexibility, compared with the noticeable blue cast of SAN.

The toughness of Eastman Tritan copolyester and Eastar copolyester helps ensure longer filter housing life and can reduce issues related to breakage, cracking and product failure. Certain housings are designed with replaceable media, requiring the housing to be sanitized with each filter change, which is ideal for the dishwasher durability of Tritan.

In addition, when put up against two competitive materials - talc-filled polypropylene and SAN - in a rigorous drop-impact test, Eastman Tritan copolyester outperformed.

As MRC wrote previously, earlier this year, Eastman Chemical Company, a global specialty chemical company, enhanced its medical packaging portfolio with Eastalite copolyester, the company’s first opaque offering, which is styrene-free and can be a sustainable alternative to high-impact polystyrene (HIPS).

Eastman (headquartered in Kingsport, Tennessee, USA) is a global specialty chemical company that produces a broad range of products found in items people use every day. With a portfolio of specialty businesses, Eastman works with customers to deliver innovative products and solutions while maintaining a commitment to safety and sustainability. Its market-driven approaches take advantage of world-class technology platforms and leading positions in attractive end-markets such as transportation, building and construction, and consumables.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Solvay has published its 2013 Sustainable Development Report, showing a variety of concrete measures that the Group has put in place to become a model in sustainable chemistry, supporting its long term growth, said the company in its press release.

"Sustainable development is a driving force of Solvay’s strategy. It is part of our vision and integrated into the way we conduct our business, ranging from the day-to-day work on the sites to our investment decisions, to ensure that our solutions will answer to global challenges," said Jacques Kheliff, Group General Manager Sustainable Development.

"Sustainable development is also a lever for growth: a portion of our business is already oriented towards markets driven by the demands and opportunities associated with society’s challenges." Solvay last year developed five priorities for 2020 to answer to social, societal and environmental challenges:
To achieve excellence in safety, health and occupational hygiene for everyone on all our 117 sites in 56 countries.
To increase the share of our sales in markets or with activities meeting the requirements of sustainable development. To relentlessly improve the performance of our technologies, processes and products so as to avoid any harm and to limit their environmental impact throughout the lifecycle of our products.
To lower greenhouse-gas emissions, energy and water consumption, to reduce negative impacts on soil, water, air quality and the use of resources.

As a first important step in its sustainability commitment, Solvay in 2013 signed a global agreement on social and environmental responsibility with the IndustriALL Global Union, which reflects the Group’s aim to develop a rich and balanced dialogue with its employees and their representatives worldwide.

As MRC wrote before, Solvay has signed an agreement to sell its polyvinyl chloride (PVC) compound business Benvic Europe to U.S. investment company OpenGate Capital. The closing of this transaction is expected in the first half of 2014 and is subject to the approval of the anti-trust authorities. The deal was announced in late December of the year.

Solvay S.A. is a Belgian chemical company founded in 1863, with its head office in Neder-Over-Heembeek, Brussels, Belgium. The company has diversified into two major sectors of activity: chemicals and plastics. Solvay supplies over 1500 products across 35 brands of high-performance polymers – fluoropolymers, fluoroelastomers, fluorinated fluids, semi-aromatic polyamides, sulfone polymers, aromatic ultra polymers, high-barrier polymers and cross-linked high-performance compounds.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) - JSC "Crimean Titan" (Armyansk, Crimea), part of Group DF Firtash, increased the production of titanium dioxide by 6% to 26,600 tonnes in the first quarter of 2014, according to the companie's press-release.

The company increased its production of sulfuric acid by 9% to 137.649 tonnes in the first quarter of 2014. The producer's total production of titanium dioxide was 108,000 tonnes in 2013, while in 2012 it was 106,000 tonnes.
The company plans to produce 110,000 tonnes of titanium dioxide in 2014.

The company has launched 660,000 tonnes/year unit for sulfuric acid, which helped to increase the production of main products. New sulfuric acid unit provides feedstock for 120,000 tonnes/year production of titanium dioxide.

As MRC reported previously, "Crimean Titan" can be shut if the delivery of feedstock from Dnepropetrovsk and Zhytomyr regions are stopped.

Private Joint Stock Company "Crimean Titan" was found in August, 2004. 100% of the shares belong to Ostchem Germany GmbH, a member of the Group DF. The main activity of PJSC "Crimean Titan" - the production of titanium dioxide pigment grades, which is used in paint, rubber industry, plastics industry and many other industries.
Titanium dioxide accounts for about 90% of the companie's total exports. The company supplies its products to more than 60 countries.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) - Export volumes of Russian polycarbonate (PC) to foreign markets decreased to 4,000 tonnes, down 3% compared to the same period last year, according to MRC DataScope report.

The main destination for exports of Russian PC was China. Total exports of Russian PC to China was about 3,000 tonnes in Q1 2014, which made 75% of total exports volumes over the reported period.
Exports of Russian PC to China in Q1 2014 decreased by 19%, compared with the same period last year. The most popular exported brand to China over the reported period was injection moulding PC.

Russian PC is popular in the Chinese market because of good quality in the first place, and cheaper price. Since the beginning of this year, the price range for injection moulding PC in the main ports of China has kept at USD2,430-2,570/tonne.

The main buyer of Russian polycarbonate in China is a Swiss company Ameropa. The only major exporter of Russian PC is Kazanorgsintez.
MRC