Evonik offers environmentally friendly alternative for microplastics (PE beads) in exfoliants

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Evonik Industries, Essen, is launching two new products to replace microplastics in peeling products: the specialty silica SIPERNAT 2200 PC and SIPERNAT 22 PC, as per the company's press release.

SIPERNAT 2200 PC and SIPERNAT 22 PC are listed as nature-identical by the International Natural and Organic Cosmetics Association (NATRUE), a globally active association for the promotion of natural skin care. This means the substance (in this case, silica or SiO2) is already found naturally, but is not usually available in the required purity. Cosmetic products have very high purity standards. Although synthetic amorphous silica is identical to naturally occurring silica (such as sand) in chemical terms, its purity is significantly higher than natural silica due to the technical production process at Evonik.

In the past, cosmetic peeling products frequently contained microscopically small particles of polyethylene and polypropylene. "All leading manufacturers of cosmetics and body care products are currently working to replace abrasive microplastics particles," explains Andreas Fischer, the head of the Silica Business Line of the Evonik Resource Efficiency Segment. The background of this trend is the public debate about oceanic pollution caused by microplastics. In addition to plastic waste as the main cause, the discussion has also brought up synthetic particles in cosmetics. "The specialty silica SIPERNAT with its high purity level is an ideal solution because it fully meets the requirements for abrasive particles," notes Fischer.

Compared to other replacement substances for polyethylene, the specialty silica SIPERNAT also represents a viable economic alternative. The production at the industrial scale ensures economic, worldwide availability. At the same time, customers benefit from Evonik's decades of production and process experience as well as from the specific properties of SIPERNAT, which can be quickly and easily integrated into the corresponding applications.

The specialty chemicals company produces SIPERNAT PC grades in Europe; an expansion of the production to Asia and North America is in the planning stage. Uniform specifications and strict microbiological controls ensure that every customer is supplied reliably with consistently high quality.

As MRC wrote before, Evonik Industries is paving the way for a new technology whose applications include automotive finishes that are more scratch-resistant than ever before. The specialty chemicals company has developed an industrial-scale method for producing silane-modified binders for automotive finishes. The advantage of these silane-modified binders: silane groups increase crosslinking density, making it possible to create automotive finishes that are flexible yet harder, leading to improved scratch resistance.

Evonik, the creative industrial group from Germany, is one of the world leaders in specialty chemicals. Its activities focus on the key megatrends health, nutrition, resource efficiency and globalization. Evonik benefits specifically from its innovative prowess and integrated technology platforms. Evonik is active in over 100 countries around the world. In fiscal 2013 more than 33,500 employees generated sales of around EUR12.9 billion and an operating profit (adjusted EBITDA) of about EUR2.0 billion.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Bayer MaterialScience launched production of temperature-resistant, high-performance plastic in eastern Germany, as per the producer's press-release.

An additional chemical plant for the production of a key component for the material Apec was brought on stream in eastern Germany. The operator is the German-Japanese joint venture, Hi-Bis, in which Bayer MaterialScience holds an interest. Hi-Bis doubled the production capacity in the chemical industry center of Bitterfeld to 10,000 metric tons per year with the roughly 50 million euro plant.

Hi-Bis produces a precursor for Apec known as special bisphenols. The company brought an initial facility for these materials on stream in 2004. It was also the first Japanese investment at all in the German state of Saxony-Anhalt.

Speaking on behalf of Bayer MaterialScience, Dr. Rainer Rettig, Head of Sales for Europe and other regions, said that Apec sales continue to grow unabated well above the rate for the entire plastics market, which is roughly five percent per year. Apec is particularly well suited for articles with demanding requirements that must withstand high temperatures. Examples include the lenses of automotive headlights, housings for luminaires or hot air nozzles in hair dryers.

Bayer MaterialScience produces Apec at its site in Antwerp, Belgium. The company holds a ten percent interest in Hi-Bis. The remaining shares are held by the Japanese conglomerate Mitsui & Co (35%) and its Honshu Chemical Industry subsidiary (55%). The Bayer Group maintains an important production site in Bitterfeld, which is also home to other companies from the chemical and pharmaceutical industries.

As MRC wrote before, Bayer MaterialScience (BMS) plans to invest EUR 15 million in the construction of a production line at its Dormagen site, which will use CO2 to produce a precursor for premium polyurethane foam. The line will have an annual production capacity of 5,000 metric tons.

With 2013 sales of EUR 11.2 billion, Bayer MaterialScience is among the world’s largest polymer companies. Business activities are focused on the manufacture of high-tech polymer materials and the development of innovative solutions for products used in many areas of daily life. The main segments served are the automotive, electrical and electronics, construction and the sports and leisure industries. Bayer MaterialScience is a Bayer Group company.

MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) - The weakening of the rouble against the dollar, which strengthened in early November, has led to a serious increase in prices of linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE) in the Russian market, despite lower prices in foreign markets, according to ICIS-MRC Price Report.

The Russian market of linear polyethylene is completely dependent on imports and any fluctuations in the dollar exchange rate proportionally affects the domestic prices. Main suppliers in the foreign markets announced a decrease in November export prices, but this factor was offset by the devaluation of the rouble against the major world currencies.

Some Middle Eastern suppliers of LLDPE C4 (butene) announced their price offers in dollar terms in late October. In early November, under the pressure of the rapid growth of the dollar, almost all suppliers had to fix prices in dollars and euro.

This week price offers for Middle Eastern LLDPE C4 with melt flow index (MFI) 3 started from EUR1,550/tonne FCA, including VAT. Most producers in foreign markets under the pressure oil price drop announced decline in November LLDPE prices.

November price offers for Middle Eastern LLDPE C4 were heard in the range of USD1,500-1,540/tonne CFR St Petersburg. Some Middle Eastern producers agreed deliveries from the warehouses in Europe in the range of EUR1,150-1,180/tonne FCA.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) - Imports of suspension polyvinyl chloride (SPVC) in Russia decreased by 17% in the first ten months of this year, compared with the same time a year earlier. SPVC imports fell from all regions, except for Chinese producers, who managed to increase their deliveries in Russia, according to MRC DataScope.

October imports of SPVC in Russia seasonally decreased to 33,400 tonnes, compared with 39,900 tonnes in September. Total SPVC imports in Russia shrank to 270,000 tonnes in January - October of this year, compared with 325,600 tonnes year on year. Only Chinese producers because of the low export prices managed to increase their sales of resin in Russia by 38% this year, while imports from other countries fell.

Structure of Russia's SPVC imports in the first ten months of 2014 was as follows.
Imports of Chinese SPVC in October fell to 24,700 tonnes, from 27,400 tonnes in September. Such a high level of supply partly resulted from the postponement of Chinese SPVC shipments from August and September to October. Total imports of Chinese acetylene resin into the Russian market increased to 169,700 tonnes in January - October 2014, from 123,100 tonnes year on year. Steady prices for Chinese SPVC over the several months was the main reason for such high sales in Russia.

Imports of US SPVC seasonally decreased to 5,500 tonnes in October, from 9,000 tonnes in September. Total imports of US SPVC in the first ten months of the year fell to 56,000 tonnes, down 64% year on year.

After the launch of RusVinyl Russian companies do not need buy US resin any more, besides ongoing rouble devaluation increased this trend.
SPVC imports from Europe because of high prices have been quite weak since the beginning of the year. October imports of European SPVC remained at the level of September at 2,300 tonnes. Total imports of European SPVC in Russia increased slightly to 34,500 in the first ten months of the current year, from 33,200 tonnes year on year.

Russia's SPVC imports will continue to decrease until the end of the year. Imports of SPVC in Russia will be under the pressure of the following factors: seasonal decline in demand, increasing production at Rusvinil and rouble devaluation (imported material is on average by Rb9,000-10,000/tonne more expensive than Russian resin).

MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- October imports of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) to the Russian market almost halved compared to September and totalled 5,900 tonnes, which is the minimum level in 2014, according to MRC ScanPlast.

The overall PET imports to Russia rose over the first ten months of 2014 by 17% year on year. In general, 172,000 tonnes of PET arrived in Russia from January to October 2014.
PET imports have been falling for the fourth consecutive month. A traditional decrease in demand in the PET market, which is registered in autumn, intensified this year because of large stocks. Back in August and September, converters reduced their purchasing in foreign markets, which resulted in lower shipments in October. Companies were slow to buy material in a falling market. PET prices went down in Asia on the back of lower paraxylene prices. The overall trends in the oil market allowed buyers to predict a further drop in prices of material and to await a more favorable time to start procurement.

In addition, the rouble devaluation has been putting pressure on importers. As reported earlier, in October, Asian material entered the Russian PET market in October, which was bought at USD1,350-1,410/tonne CIF Novorossiysk, excluding VAT. Subject to customs clearance (given the rouble exchange rate from Rb41 to Rb42.5 per USD1) and the payment of VAT, the cost of procurement of such chips could have been Rb68,000-73,500/tonne CPT, including VAT, .

The market situation did not change much in November, the fall in import prices in dollars was offset by the rouble devaluation, according to ICIS-MRC Price report.

MRC