PTT Global Chemical to shut its No.2 cracker for maintenance in Thailand

MOSCOW (MRC) -- PTT Global Chemical (PTTGC) is likely to shut its I4-No.2 cracker for maintenance turnaround, as per Apic-online.

A Polymerupdate source in Thailand informed that the cracker is planned to be shut in late September 2014. It is likely to remain off-stream for around one month.

Located at Map ta Phut, Thailand, the cracker has a production capacity of 400,000 mt/year.

As MRC wrote previously, PTTGC shut its linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE) plant for maintenance turnaround, in mid-July 2014. It is likely to remain off-stream for around three weeks. Located at Map Ta Phut, Thailand, the plant has a production capacity of 400,000 mt/year.

As MRC reported earlier, last year, Indonesian state-owned energy company Pertamina signed an agreement to purchase petrochemical products from Thailand’s PTT Global Chemical. The agreement serves as a pre-marketing strategy for Pertamina and PTT’s joint Indonesian petrochemical business. Under the agreement, PTT will deliver at least 5,000 tonnes of polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP) products each month to Pertamina for sale in Indonesia.

Recently, Pertamina and PTTGC have announced that they would start joint shipments of PE to the Indonesian market from 1 July 2014. However, they will postpone their shipments to Indonesia till August.

PTT Global Chemical is a leading player in the petrochemical industry and owns several petrochemical facilities with a combined capacity of 8.45 million tonnes a year.
MRC

PA6 consumption in Russia exceeded 20,000 tonnes in the first half of 2014

MOSCOW (MRC) - Consumption of polyamide 6 (PA 6) in the Russian market was 21,000 tonnes in In the first half of 2014, remaining at the level of the same time a year earlier, according to MRC ScanPlast.

PA 6 market in Russia are presented by foreign producers, such as: BASF, DSM Engineering Plastics, Lanxess, and national plants (the major- KuibyshevAzot). Imported PA 6 is used for the production of sausage casings (54%) and multi-layer barrier films for food packaging (43%).

Russia's imports of unfilled PA6 over the reported period were 1,300 tonnes. Polyamide 6 by Kuibyshev Azot production is processed by the technology of fibers and filaments, but also serves as a basis for the making of various compositions based on polyamide.

Traditionally, about 70% of produced PA 6, the company exports to foreign markets. Total Russia's production of PA 6 was 71,000 tonnes in the first half of 2014, where about 20,000 tonnes of the material shipped to the domestic market.

Russia's market of PA 6 can be divided into two segments, according to the processing technology. Sector of film extrusion completely depends on imports, as Russian producers do not produce PA 6 for this technology. PA 6 for production yarns and fibers, as well as compounding is mainly produced by domestic companies.
mrcplast.com

Investments into PVC processing in Russia fell by 24% in H1 2014

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Russian companies' investments in equipment for polyvinyl chloride (PVC) processing fell by 24% over the first six months of 2014. Producers of shaped and linear articles accounted for the greatest decrease, reported MRC analysts.

Investments inPVC processing equipment dropped to USD58 million from January to June 2014 versus USD76.6 million a year earlier. Local producers of shaped and linear articles reduced their costs for equipment purchasing, while producers of cables, wires and pipes, on the contrary, increased their spending.

Investments in PVC processing equipment from producers of shaped and linear articles slumped to USD16.6 million over the stated period, down by 46% year on year. Weaker demand for finished products was the main reason for the decline in investment activity from companies in this processing sector. As expected, industry leaders, among which are: Veka Rus, Profine Rus, Deceuninck Rus, Rehau Rus, Brusbox, Deke Extrusion, accounted for the main costs for new equipment purchasing.

Investments in equipment for the production of cable and pipe products rose by 10% and 20%, respectively, in the first six months of the year and totalled about USD8.4 million and USD5.7 million. among key investors - manufacturers of cable products are the following companies : Kirscable, Promteh-Dubna, Pskov cable Plant. The following companies can be singled out among cables and pipes producers, which heavily invested in equipment in the first half of 2014: Polyplastic, Pipelife Rus, Chemkor, TGP Rosal.

Russian companies reduced their purchasing of equipment for compounding, sheet extrusion and coatings this year.
MRC

BASF torn between profit and principle

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Chemicals company BASF expects the Ukraine crisis to de-escalate, easing its bottom line, said Dw.de.

The German firm has turned a healthy profit thanks to big business in Russia, but worries about sanctions. While the European Union weighs how to exert political pressure on Moscow while shielding its own economic interests, a discussion on expanding sanctions against Russia has unsettled parts of Germany's business community.

BASF recorded a double-digit rise in earnings in recent months, but the chemicals giant is weary of the effect sanctions against Russia may have on its profitability and the economy as a whole. A third of jobs in Germany are dependent on the country's strong exports and curtailing German-Russian trade could force some companies that have invested heavily in Russia to make cutbacks.

"Put yourself into our position. We have customers in those countries. Customers we have dealt with for many, many years, sometimes decades, and we have a very trustful relationship with these customers. We want to continue to serve these customers and they also rely on BASF as a supplier. So that has to be our foremost concern," he said.

Talks of further sanctions against Russia have already unsettled some multinational firms. Bock noted that BASF was already feeling the effect of previous sanctions against Russia and was wary to what extent further ones may affect the company's profitability and the economy as a whole.

"We do business in Russia and Ukraine. It's about 2% of our sales and we have seen quite a decline, mostly currency-related in Russia, but heavy decline in Ukraine, which is very important for our crop protection business. This will most probably continue over the course of the year," he said.

"We have said, however, several times, that we have certain concerns about the effectiveness of sanctions. But that is something politicians have to decide right now. If sanctions will be hardened we will comply certainly."

BASF is the largest diversified chemical company in the world and is headquartered in Ludwigshafen, Germany. BASF 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. BASF had sales of about EUR74 billion in 2013 and over 112,000 employees as of the end of the year. Second-quarter earnings before interest and tax (EBIT), adjusted for one-off items, rose 12.1% to 2.05 billion euros (USD2.76 billion).

MRC

PA6 production in Russia was 71,000 tonnes in the first half of 2014

MOSCOW (MRC) - Production of polyamide 6 (PA 6) in Russia has reached 71,000 tonnes in the first six months of 2014, up 9% compared with the same time a year earlier, according to MRC ScanPlast.

Kuibyshev Azot is a major producer of PA 6 in Russia. The producer's production capacities are 120,000 tonnes/year. The company has been constantly working on the capacity utilisation of more than 100%.

The company produces PA 6 for the production of fibers/filaments and compounding and moulding. Kuibyshev Azot mostly focuses on the exports of polyamide to foreign markets (India, China, Turkey), with more than 70% of total products supplied abroad.

In terms of technology, "yarns and fibers" national production is the dominant producer in the Russian market. Russia does not import PA for the production of yarns and fibers because of the policy of import substitution to support national converters and providing them with products at affordable prices.
MRC