BASF to increase production capacity for tertiary butylamine plant in Nanjing, China

MOSCOW (MRC) -- BASF will expand the production capacity of its existing world-scale production plant for tertiary Butylamine (tBA) at the Nanjing Chemical Industry Park in China, as per the company's statement.

The company plans to increase the existing production capacity by 60%, from 10,000 tons to 16,000 tons per year. The expansion is expected to come on stream in early 2015, subject to regulatory approval. The capacity increase will further strengthen BASF’s leading position as a global supplier to the rubber and tire industry.

"The expansion will enable us to continue meeting the notably increased demand of our customers in Asia especially China reliably out of our local assets in China," said Dr. Guido Voit, Senior Vice President, BASF Intermediates Asia Pacific. "We are proud to support the growth of our customers as their reliable local supplier with our commitment in product stewardship and high safety standards."

tBA is a primary aliphatic amine that is used as an intermediate for the production of accelerators for the rubber and tire industry. It is also used in the pharmaceutical and agricultural industries as a building block. In addition to the plant in Nanjing, BASF produces tBA in Geismar, Louisiana, and in Antwerp, Belgium.

As MRC wrote before, in early 2014, BASF and China Petroleum & Chemical Corporation (Sinopec) brake ground on the construction of its world-scale isononanol (INA) plant in Maoming Hi-tech Industrial Development Zone, Maoming, China. At start-up in 2015, the plant, which is the first of its kind in China, will serve the increasing market demand for next-generation plasticizers. A newly-formed 50-50 joint venture company has been created, BASF MPCC Company Limited.

BASF is the world’s leading chemical company. Its portfolio ranges from chemicals, plastics, performance products and crop protection products to oil and gas.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- LG Chem, South Korean petrochemical company, is in plans to take off-stream its butadiene (BD) plant for maintenance turnaround, reported Apic-online.

A Polymerupdate source in South Korea informed that the plant is planned to be shut in March 2015. It is likely to remain off-stream for around one month.

Located in Daesan, South Korea, the plant has a production capacity of 145,000 mt/year.

As MRC informed previously, on October 15, 2014, LG Chemical took off-stream an aromatics plant in South Korea for maintenance turnaround. It will remain off-stream till end-November 2014. Located at Yeosu in South Korea, the plant has a benzene capacity of 240,000 mt/year, toluene capacity of 100,000 mt/year and solvent-grade MX capacity of 55,000 mt/year.

LG Chem Ltd., often referred to as LG Chemical, is the largest Korean chemical company and is headquartered in Seoul, South Korea. According to ICIS report, it is 15th biggest chemical company in the world in 2011. It has eight domestic factories and global network of 29 business locations in 15 countries. LG Chem is a manufacturer, supplier, and exporter of petrochemical goods, IT&E Materials and Energy Solutions.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Russian companies increased exports of general purpose polystyrene (GPPS) to foreign markets from January to October 2014 by 2.6 times year on year to 36.5 tonnes, whereas exports of high impact polystyrene (HIPS) rose by 1.8 times - up to 36,800 tonnes. For the first time in its history, Russia became a net exporter of polystyrene (PS), according to MRC ScanPlast.

Net PS exports totalled 26,200 tonnes over the first ten months of 2014. HIPS grades accounted for 16,100 tonnes of the total exports, whereas GPPS grades were 10,100 tonnes. Such results were achieved simultaneously because of the increased production and expansion into foreign markets, as well as the overall fall of imports. The rouble devaluation will give further advantage to Russian PS before imported material.

Yet we can not speak about the full imports substitution. Critical imports remained in the market, it will be difficult for Russian producers to remove it from the market. Korean HIPS of LG Chem retains its strong position in the market. Imports of these HIPS grade were 4,000 tonnes over the first ten months of 2014, which is equals the figures of the same period a year earlier.

Relatively strong demand remained for Styrolution's HIPS grades. Imports totalled 5,000 tonnes over the first ten months of the year versus 5,400 tonnes from January to October 2013. Polimeri Europa's GPPS also retained its share in the market, its imports totalled 1,750 tonnes versus 1,880 tonnes a year earlier.

At the same time, there was a significant fall in shipments of Styrolution's GPPS grades. The importer's imports slumped by 34% over the said period. It is worth noting weaker demand in purchasing Polimeri Europa's HIPS, the producer's imports fell by 32% over the stated period.

MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- BIAXPLEN, part of SIBUR, a leading Russian petrochemical company, has launched a new type of biaxially oriented metallised heat sealable film, said the producer in its press release.

The technology used in the production of the new film (HMIL.M grade) allows consumers to apply printing within 30 to 45 days after the manufacturing date, while the previous technology limited the guaranteed printing period to 15 days.

A new polymer not only extends the guaranteed printing period and enhances adhesion when laminated, but also substantially improves barrier properties of the film. The film preserves aromatic and flavour properties of the packed product better.

"If a consumer failed to use the film within 15 days previously, the surface activation capacity would drop significantly requiring additional technical treatment for the film to be used. The treatment, however, would not always succeed in restoring the original capacity. Launch of a film with extended activation period gives our consumers an opportunity to mitigate risks related to potential changes in the product's technical specifications. It makes larger film batches possible streamlining logistics costs. Purchase of the new BOPP film does not mean extra costs as the price remained the same," said Ilya Papusha, BIAXPLEN Sales and Marketing Director, commenting on the advantages of the new film.

Currently, the new film is being produced at BIAXPLEN facilities in Kursk and Novokuybyshevsk. The extended film activation period makes it possible to arrange shipments from the above facilities to non-CIS markets.

As MRC wrote before, BIAXPLEN in May 2014 launched a new biaxially-oriented polypropylene (BOPP) film production line in Novokuybyshevsk. Following the launch of the new 30.5 ktpa production line manufactured by Bruckner Maschinenbau, a German company, BOPP-film annual nameplate production capacity of Biaxplen's Novokuybyshevsk branch increased to 55.5 kt. Investment in the project exceeded RR 1.9 billion.

BIAXPLEN a subsidiary company of SIBUR Holding is a leading biaxially-oriented polypropylene (BOPP) film producer in Russia. BIAXPLEN's facilities consist of five production sites located in Novokuybyshevsk, Kursk, Balakhna (Nizhegorodsky region), Zheleznodorozhniy (Moscow region) and in Tomsk.

MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Tasma, an 80-year-old Russian producer of technical industrial films which supported the USSR war effort during World War II, has assumed a new role as an extruder of barrier food packaging film, as per Plasticsnews.

Following doubts over the financial future of the business, the firm, which previously specialized in making X-ray, defense and aerospace films, invested 6.3 million euros (USD7.9 million) in its latest project to launch new shrinkable multilayer ‘Mealguard’ packaging films at a plant in Kazan, Tatarstan.

The new plant is located in the Khimgrad Technology Park for SME businesses at the heart of the Tatarstan petrochemicals cluster. Partially funded by Russia’s Sberbank banking group, the unit features an Italian supplied GAP 48 linear meters per year triple bubble film extrusion line. Tasma has production space to accommodate up to four similar lines.

Production of the multilayer film for packaging fresh and processed foods, for storage up to 60 days and in some cases, for cook-in pouch application, represents new technology for Russia. During its first year of operation, the Tasma plant will import raw materials from Germany, Italy and Israel. But in the future, the firm expects to receive its polymers directly from the Russian producers Kazanorgsintez and Nisknekamskneftekhim.

Tasma aims to capture a Russian market share of 8% to 1% with its new products worth around 6.8 million euros (USD8.5 million), substituting European and other foreign imports. Replacing packaging imports is significant for Russia today in the face of international trade sanctions over Ukraine.

Today, the market for shrinkable multilayer barrier packaging in Russia is reported to be worth around 76.5 million euros (USD95.9 million) and is expected to rise to almost 102 million euros (USD127.9 million) by 2020.

Tasma employees have been retrained and now represent a proportion of the 35-strong high technology workforce at the new facility, which was officially opened by Rustam Minnikhanov, president of the Tatarstan semi-autonomous republic.

Following the inauguration, Tasma signed a deal to supply its new packaging to the poultry farming business of the Russian bank and holding group AK Bars.
MRC