SK Global Chemical to shut its SM plant in South Korea

MOSCOW (MRC) -- SK Global Chemical is in plans to shut its styrene monomer (SM) plant, reported Apic-online.

A Polymerupdate source in South Korea informed that the plant is planned to be shut early next week. It is likely to remain off-stream for the entire duration of August 2014.

The intended shutdown has been attributed to weak economic fundamentals.

Located in Ulsan, South Korea, the plant has a production capacity of 350,000 mt/year.

As MRC wrote before, Styrindo Mono Indonesia (SMI) is in plans to shut its No.1 styrene monomer (SM) plant for maintenance turnaround in H2 November 2014. The plant is slated to be shut for around one month. Located in Merak, Indonesia, the plant has a production capacity of 100,000 mt/year.

Besides, Idemitsu SM (Malaysia), an affiliate of Idemitsu Kosan, one of Japan’s largest refining and petrochemical companies, is likely to shut down its SM plant for maintenance in August 2014. It is likely to remain shut for around one month. Located at Pasir Gudang in Malaysia, the SM plant has a production capacity of 600,000 mt/year.

We also remind that Taiyo Petrochemical is in plans to shut down 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.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- CB&I has announced a cooperation agreement by which CB&I will market and provide engineering services for Versalis' low density polyethylene (LDPE) and ethyl vinyl acetate copolymer (EVA) technologies in North America, as per Hydrocarbonprocessing.

CB&I says it will be able to offer both tubular and autoclave high pressure processes, which will enhance the range of products at Versalis' LDPE and EVA plants and add a high-quality product mix to meet any market needs.

"The LDPE and EVA technologies complement our olefins processes and our Novolen polypropylene technologies," said Daniel McCarthy, president of CB&I's technology operating group. "Versalis has vast experience in petrochemicals and polymers, and CB&I is already partnered with them for other petrochemicals processes. This expansion of our cooperation is a testament to our successful relationship."

LDPE and EVA are used to produce film applications for agriculture, packaging and stretch hoods, cables, foams, hoses, injection molding and extrusion coating.

"The marketing of our LDPE and EVA through our partnership with CB&I – by means of their significant presence in the petrochemicals market worldwide – has come to be part of the strategy Versalis is pursuing to strengthen its positioning on the international marketplace and gives the opportunity to enhance and expand our technological footprint paired with high-quality standards," said Versalis CEO Daniele Ferrari.

We remind that, as MRC reported earlier, Eni will invest EUR125 million in its Versalis plant in Mantua to under the Group 2014-2017 four-year strategic plan.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- DuPont Co.’s sales and net income experienced slight changes for the second quarter 2014, as operating earnings dropped to USD1.17 per share in the second quarter, down from USD1.28 per share in 2013, said Plasticsnews.

The firm’s net income increased slightly to about USD1.07 billion, up USD40 million from 2013. However for the half year, net income is down to about USD2.52 billion compared to USD4.39 billion in 2013.

DuPont’s sales decreased by 1 percent to about USD9.71 billion in the second quarter compared to USD9.84 billion in 2013. Sales also declined for the six-month period, down to about USD19.8 billion compared to USD20.3 billion in 2013.

The company’s Performance Chemicals segment was its second-largest performer sales wise for the three-month period, reporting sales of about USD1.7 billion. That, however, was down 8 percent compared to 2013. Operating earnings were down USD17 million, or 6 percent, to USD251 million.

Chair and CEO Ellen Kullman said DuPont will move ahead with its planned separation of its Performance Chemicals segment, which is still on track for mid-2015. She said DuPont has launched the initial stage of a broad initiative to reset the firm’s operating model.

DuPont’s Performance Materials business was its third best performer among its seven primary business segments, recording sales of about USD1.58 billion, which was down 2 percent compared to 2013. Operating earnings decreased USD29 million, or 9 percent, to USD303 million.

The firm’s largest segment was Agriculture, recording sales of about USD3.62 billion, which DuPont said was no change from 2013. However, the firm reported an 11 percent decrease in earnings to USD836 million.

Regionally, the U.S. and Canada accounted for about USD4.6 billion of its total second quarter sales, which dropped 3 percent compared to 2013. Its sales in the Europe, Middle East and Africa region increased 2 percent to about USD2.12 billion, while sales in the Asia Pacific held at about USD2.09 billion. Sales in Latin America dropped 4 percent to USD895 million.

DuPont is an American chemical company that was founded in July, 1802. The company manufactures a wide range of chemical products, leading extensive innovative research in this field. The company is the inventor of many unique plastics and other materials, including neoprene, nylon, Teflon, Kevlar, Mylar, Tyvek, etc. DuPont was the developer and main producer of Freon used in the production of refrigeration equipment.
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MOSCOW (MRC) -- China is preparing to invest in a major bottle grade PET production project planned by the Belarus PET and polyester fibers producer Mogilevkhimvolokno to start up by 2016, said Plasticsnews.

As part of a bi-lateral strategic partnership between the countries, Belarus invited the Chinese government to join in the construction of a new 200,000 metric tons per year PET plant at the state-owned polyester firm’s site in Mogilev, Belarus.

A draft partnership contract is being drawn up following a visit to Belarus by a top level Chinese delegation in June. Belarus Prime Minister Mikhail Myasnikovich invited further discussion on details of the project when he met Chinese government members in the Belarus capital Minsk.

Belarus has already sealed a separate infrastructure investment deal with China to create the Chinese-Belarusian Industrial Park in the Smolevichi District near Minsk. Occupying 8,048 hectares the site will initially employ 25,000 people. The foundation stone was laid at a ceremony last month.

A Chinese partner company in the Szao Industrial Park Development, responsible for creating the Smolevichi park, is CAMC Engineering which is also reported to be involved in a fledgling PET joint venture with Mogilevkhimvolokno, according to Belarus media.

Mogilevkhimvolokno, an offshoot of the state petrochemicals group Belneftekhim, aims to upgrade and expand its polyester production. The PET facility is one element of a new integrated PET and polyester fibres complex it plans, upgrading technology from a dimethyl terephthalate (DMT) raw material base to terephthalic acid (PTA).
Mogilevkhimvolokno already signed an upstream partnership deal with the Kazakhstan oil and gas producer KazMunayGas (KMG) for the supply of intermediate paraxylene, required by the Belarus polyester complex.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Complementing its strong and innovative transparent specialty portfolio, Styrolution, the global leader in stryrenics, has launched three new Zylar grades: Zylar 650, Zylar 245 and Zylar 765, as per the company's press release.

The new grades expand the innovative Zylar portfolio, which consists of diverse grades of methyl methacrylate-butadiene-styrene copolymers. Zylar products are characterized by water clear transparency, high flowability, good chemical resistance and customizable toughness. The development and addition of Zylar 650, Zylar 245 and Zylar 765 are further proof of Styrolution's commitment to innovation in transparent specialties and offers customers new material options in a range of industries including healthcare, household, toys/sports/leisure and packaging.

Currently produced out of Styrolution's Schwarzheide facility, the new grades, as well as the entire Zylar portfolio, provide global and EMEA customers with greater supply security. This will be further enhanced in the fourth quarter of 2014 with the startup of a new NAS and Zylar plant in Ludwigshafen. With two European production sites for Zylar, EMEA customers will not only benefit from local supply but also from dedicated service teams that offer expertise in selected focus industries, technical support, regulatory services and certifications.

Portfolio enables a diverse range of innovative applications: With resistance to alcohol, washing and cleaning agents, Zylar is an ideal material for a wide range of applications. Given its unique properties, Zylar offers material solutions for household applications, such as vacuum cleaner parts, shower heads, garment hangers and transparent refrigerator components, as well as sports and leisure applications including display screens on treadmills and exercise equipment. The products are also employed in the healthcare industry for housing filters and infusion connectors and are ideal for packaging products such as storage containers and canisters for cleaning solutions. Additionally, a majority of the portfolio is FDA approved for food contact, has received drinking water approval and has passed biocompatible testing - making it a safe solution for a range of applications across industries.

As MRC informed previously, last August, Styrolution announced the start-up of its Luran S plant located in Ulsan, South Korea. Luran S belongs to Styrolution's specialties portfolio, which is well-known for its innovation, quality and customizability. It is the brand name for Styrolution's styrene acrylonitrile copolymers that have been impact-modified with acrylic ester rubber, acrylonitrile styrene acrylate (ASA). It is used in outdoor applications in various industries including automotive, electrical & electronics, building & construction, as well as sports & leisure. The new plant has a capacity of 43,000 mt per year, complementing current ASA capacity in Europe and North America.

The Styrolution Group GmbH is a global provider of styrenics , headquartered in Frankfurt am Main. The company is a joint venture between BASF (50%) and INEOS (50%), were merged into the main styrene operations of the two partners. Its main focus is on the production of monomer, polystyrene, styrenic specialties, and ABS. The company offers styrene plastics for a variety of everyday products from different industries , such as automotive, electronics, construction, household, leisure, packaging, medicine and health.
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