Rosneft takes EU to court over Ukraine sanctions

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Rosneft, the state oil company, has launched legal challenges to the sanctions, imposed over Russia’s actions in Ukraine, as per Financial Times.

The EU bans, with similar measures adopted by the US, have all but frozen Russian companies and banks out of western capital markets, at a time when they have to refinance more than USD130bn of foreign debt due for redemption by the end of 2015.

Rosneft filed a case against the EU’s European Council in the general court under the European Court of Justice on October 9, requesting an annulment of the council’s July 31 decision that largely barred it and other Russian energy companies and state banks from raising funds on European capital markets.

The challenges follow verdicts that have gone against the council in relation to similar measures imposed on Iran and Syria. In particular, the court has ruled that in implementing sanctions, European states have been too reliant on confidential sources, which impair the targets’ ability to mount an effective defence.

However, as the sanctions generally remain in place during the often lengthy appeals process, legal action does not promise quick relief from the economic pain such measures inflict.

Rosneft’s request was filed on behalf of the company itself and other unidentified parties. The capital markets sanctions that the company wants overturned also affect Russia’s biggest state lenders Sberbank, VTB, VEB, Gazprombank and Rosselkhozbank, as well as Gazpromneft, the oil arm of the state gas monopoly, and Transneft, the state-owned pipeline monopoly.

Rosneft, Rosselkhozbank and Sberbank declined to comment. VTB said it had not made a final decision with regard to legal action over the sanctions. "We are carefully studying this issue and taking legal advice," the bank said.
Transneft said it was not involved in the case. Gazpromneft, Gazprombank and VEB did not respond to requests for comment.

The EU said the council would defend the sanctions in court. "The council takes great care to ensure legal robustness when adopting restrictive measures and takes due account of relevant case law of the court," it said.
"The fact that court proceedings are brought does not mean that the restrictive measures will be suspended during those proceedings."


MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- BASF has inaugurated its expanded mobile emissions catalysts manufacturing operation in Shanghai, China, further strengthening the company’s regional presence and its position as a leading supplier to the automotive industry, as per the company's press release.

The inauguration event culminates a three-year expansion project which doubles the company’s production capacity for mobile emissions catalysts in China, adding new light duty emissions catalysts production lines, a new heavy duty diesel catalysts plant and a state-of-the-art automated warehousing facility.

"Our Shanghai expansion project positions BASF to meet growing demand in China by providing a full line of innovative emissions catalysts solutions that allow our customers to address increasingly stringent emissions requirements," said Marc Ehrhardt, Senior Vice President of BASF’s Mobile Emissions Catalysts business.

Catalysts technologies such as the Three-Way Catalyst (TWC), Diesel Oxidation Catalyst (DOC), and the advanced Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) technology system for heavy duty diesel applications will be locally manufactured in Shanghai.

As well as serving as BASF’s Asia Pacific hub for its emissions catalysts business, the Shanghai site houses the company’s regional Research and Development Center, and complements BASF’s emissions catalysts manufacturing operations in Guilin, China; Chennai, India; Rayong, Thailand; and joint venture manufacturing sites in Korea and Japan.

As MRC informed earlier, BASF is also expanding its mobile emissions catalysts production capacity in Chennai, India. Construction of a new 47,000 square meter facility began in December 2013, enhancing the company’s existing emissions catalysts operation in Chennai with new production lines and manufacturing capabilities. Start-up is planned in the first quarter of 2015.

BASF is the leading chemical company. It 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.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Specialty chemicals company Clariant has inaugurated its first regional innovation center in India (RIC India), the company announced Wednesday.

Located in Navi Mumbai, the new facility will host approximately 100 technical employees in chemical research and application development in the near future. Research efforts will focus on the areas of surfactants, specialty polymers and functional chemicals.

"The RIC India reinforces the direction Clariant is taking as it moves into the future, providing a catalyst to unleash innovation and customized solutions for hyper growth in the region," said Deepak Parikh, Clariant's region head in India.

The RIC bundles research, application development and analytical laboratories, business functions and technical marketing under one roof. This will foster close collaboration with the local and regional customers, suppliers and scientific partners to identify the most relevant and attractive business opportunities, according to company officials.

“Innovation to meet the challenges and trends of regional and global markets is at the core of Clariant’s strategy," said Christian Kohlpaintner, a member of Clariant's executive committee.

"With its close proximity to local and regional customers, the RIC India will facilitate cross fertilization of ideas and accelerate Clariant’s innovation efforts toward delivering fast and tailor made solutions," he added.

To mark the inauguration, Clariant welcomed guests from industry, academic and research institutions to the new facility.

The RIC India in Mumbai will be integrated into Clariant’s global innovation network managed by Clariant in Switzerland.

As MRC wroet before, Clariant Chemicals (India ) Ltd., an affiliate of Clariant AG announced the successful closure of the acquisition of Plastichemix Industries. Clariant in India will now be one of the leading masterbatches producer, that will offer a wide range of products like black, white, additive, filler & colour masterbatches, flushed pigments & mono-concentrates and engineering plastics
compounds.

MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Specialty chemicals company Lanxess has introduced the newly commercialized, ultra-high molecular weight EPDM grade Keltan 9565Q, which Lanxess believes will successfully replace natural rubber in dynamic applications, as per the company's statement.

Increasingly sophisticated automotive and industrial applications require improved high temperature performance which natural rubber, known to degrade quickly at elevated temperatures, cannot provide. "Keltan 9565Q with its tailored molecular structure matches the strength and resilience of natural rubber, while also maintaining these superior properties after high temperature exposure," explains Niels van der Aar, Head of Technical Service & Application Development for Lanxess Keltan Elastomers business.

"That high temperature resistance also enables Keltan 9565Q to be processed at elevated temperatures, thus improving molding productivity and reducing costs," says van der Aar.

"The saturated polymer backbone gives EPDM its superior ozone, UV, and heat resistance properties. Taking advantage of these benefits has long been of interest for dynamic applications, but only now with Keltan 9565Q does EPDM also offer the strength, fatigue resistance, and resilience achieved by natural rubber at lower temperatures," van der Aar concludes.

EPDM, which Lanxess offers under the brand name Keltan, is used for the manufacture of door sealants, hoses, belts or anti-vibration parts. The product is also used in plastic modification, wire and cable, construction and oil additives.

As MRC wrote previously, last July, Lanxess celebrated the opening of its first production facility in Russia. In the new plant at the Lipetsk site, Lanxess subsidiary Rhein Chemie manufactures polymer-bound rubber additives for the markets in Russia and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), primarily for the automotive and tire industries. A production facility for the bladders used in tire production is to be added in 2016. The overall investment volume in euros amounts to a seven-digit figure.

Lanxess is a leading specialty chemicals company with sales of EUR 8.3 billion in 2013 and roughly 17,300 employees in 31 countries. The company is currently represented at 52 production sites worldwide. The core business of Lanxess is the development, manufacturing and marketing of plastics, rubber, intermediates and specialty chemicals.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- BASF has announced the appointment of Gerry Podesta as the Senior Vice President for the Dispersions & Pigments business in North America effective November 1, sid the producer in its press release.

Podesta succeeds Derek Fairclough, who will lead BASF’s Environmental, Health, Safety & Security organization also effective November 1.

Most recently, Podesta served as the Senior Vice President for BASF’s Performance Materials business in North America since July 1, 2009. He served in a prior role as Group Vice President for the Performance Chemicals business of BASF between 2003 and 2009.

Podesta joined BASF in 2003, after 20 years with General Electric, where he was Vice President and General Manager, GE Plastics Americas. Podesta holds a bachelor’s degree in plastics engineering from the University of Massachusetts.

As MRC wrote before, Christopher Toomey, Senior Vice President of Regional Procurement for BASF in North America , will assume responsibility for the BASF Coatings business in North America, effective November 1.

BASF’s Dispersions & Pigments Division in North America offers a comprehensive portfolio of resins, binders, latex, pigments and effect pigments, colorants, and systems to meet specific application needs for the coatings, construction, and printing, packaging and plastics markets. Our innovative products also help manufacturers in the adhesives, nonwovens and fiber bonding industries meet functional and performance demands. The addition of key product areas such as formulation additives, rheology modifiers, light stabilizers, photoinitiators, and antioxidants significantly enhances the existing BASF product portfolio for these markets.

BASF Corporation, headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, is the North American affiliate of BASF SE, Ludwigshafen, Germany. BASF has nearly 17,000 employees in North America, and had sales of USD19.3 billion in 2013.

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.

MRC