BASF expands production capacity and color range for Paliocrom products

MOSCOW (MRC) -- BASF now offers Sparkling Red, opening new styling possibilities in the red color space
Ludwigshafen, Germany - March 26, 2015 - BASF will expand its capacity for the production of Paliocrom effect pigments by more than 20 percent by 2017 in Ludwigshafen, Germany, said the company on its site.

The investment will enable the company to accommodate for the growing demand of its aluminum-based effect pigments in the automotive coatings sector. With an investment of approximately EUR10 million, BASF aims to strengthen its position in this fast-growing market.

The expansion of the Paliocrom production is being made in view of the recent color trends and the projected rising demand. BASF expects the Paliocrom product group to grow significantly above the general pigment market for automotive coatings.

Paliocrom features gold, orange and new red pigments. BASF also launched Paliocrom Sparkling Red as an exclusive bluish red product in the market. Paliocrom's uniqueness comes from high chroma, metallic luster and hiding power and it is suitable for high-quality automotive finishes and industrial paints.

As MRC informed earlier, in September 2014, BASF announced the start-up of a new butadiene extraction plant at its Verbund site in Antwerp, Belgium. The plant has an annual production capacity of 155,000 metric tons.

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 over EUR74 billion in 2014 and over 113,000 employees as of the end of the year.
MRC

Williams appointed Sabic vice president Europe

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Chemical and polymer manufacturing firm Sabic has revealed that Mark Williams will replace Koos van Haasteren as vice president Europe, said the producer in its press release.

Williams, who is currently senior general manager manufacturing, will officially take up the role on 1 April. The 47-year-old has been with the company since September 1989, when he joined ICI Chemicals & Polymers in Teesside.

In 1999, the company was bought by Huntsman and subsequently acquired by Sabic in 2007.

Williams has held various management positions in Europe and the United States and during the last two years he has been responsible for Sabic’s petrochemical and polymers facilities across Europe.

As MRC informed earlier, Saudi Basic Industries Corp. (Sabic), reported a 29% drop in fourth-quarter profit as lower oil prices reduced returns from its own products. Net income dropped to 4.36 billion riyals (USD1.16 billion) from 6.16 billion riyals a year earlier, the Riyadh-based company said in a statement today. Sales slipped 10% to 43.4 billion riyals.

Saudi Basic Industries Corporation (Sabic) ranks among the worldпїЅs top petrochemical companies. The company is among the worldпїЅs market leaders in the production of polyethylene, polypropylene and other advanced thermoplastics, glycols, methanol and fertilizers.
MRC

SABIC presented a new LDPE grade for packaging industry

MOSCOW (MRC) -- SABIC has recently broadened its SABIC PCG portfolio for healthcare with the addition of a new LDPE grade to help the global IV packaging industry benefit from consistent and reliable supply, said the producer in its press release.

The new grade, SABIC LDPE PCG06 is typically for use in semi-rigid plastic bottles obtained from the Blown Fill Seal (BFS) process to package a variety of Large Volume Parenteral (LVP) solutions such as saline or dextrose. "SABIC is committed to enabling our existing and potential customers to address risks and to providing a much needed credible supply to the industry globally as demand grows, thus improving confidence in the supply chain" said Hery Randrianantoandro, Healthcare Segment Leader at SABIC in Europe.

The grade has been tested on a Rommelag Blown-Fill-Seal bottlepack type 321 machine in close collaboration with Kocher-Plastik Maschinenbau GmbH of Germany, it requires only minor adjustments during processing compared to the market benchmark. "Based on tests performed on our machine type 321, this new grade SABIC LDPE PCG06 can be processed on a bottlepack machine for bottles with our LDPE equipment" emphasized Martin Groh, Technical Manager at Kocher-Plastik.

This new grade will not only be helping improve confidence in the supply chain but also can offer potential improvements in barrier properties, such as permeability to oxygen and water vapor, and higher autoclaving sterilization temperature compared to the market benchmark, thanks to its optimized structural density. "Improving the preservation of the efficacy and integrity of the drug product during its expected shelf-life is a continuous challenge for our customers," said Marnik Vaes, Technical Marketing Healthcare at SABIC, "It is an area where we are stepping up effort and focus in order to support our customers further," he added.

SABIC LDPE PCG06 fully complies with the European and US Pharmacopoeia standard and will be available worldwide.

As MRC informed earlier, SABIC has announced its commitment to developing innovation in additive manufacturing at NPE2015. The world's first 3D printed car, developed with SABIC material technology, manufactured by Local Motors. Leveraging its global technology centers in the Americas, Europe, Asia and Saudi Arabia, SABIC is expanding its application development focus in additive manufacturing technology.

Saudi Basic Industries Corporation (Sabic) ranks among the worldпїЅs top petrochemical companies. The company is among the worldпїЅs market leaders in the production of polyethylene, polypropylene and other advanced thermoplastics, glycols, methanol and fertilizers.
MRC

BASF announces changes in its personnel

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Teressa Szelest, currently Senior Vice President, Global Business Unit Hygiene, Ludwigshafen, has been named President, Market & Business Development North America, effective May 1, 2015, reported the company on its site.

She will be located in Florham Park, New Jersey. Szelest succeeds Dr. Beate Ehle who will take a sabbatical until the end of 2015 at her own request.

As MRC wrote previously, in October 2014, the Board of Executive Directors of BASF, the world's petrochemical major, announced the personnel changes, as follows:

Gabriel Tanbourgi, President of the Care Chemicals division, will retire effective December 31, 2014. He will be succeeded by Hans-W. Reiners, who is currently President of the Performance Chemicals division, effective January 1, 2015.

Prof. Dr. Christian Fischer, President, Advanced Materials & Systems Research, will assume responsibility for the Performance Chemicals division effective January 1, 2015. Dr. Harald Lauke, President, Biological & Effect Systems Research, will succeed Fischer at the same time.

Dr. Peter Eckes, President, Plant Science, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, will assume responsibility for the new research division, Bioscience Research, Research Triangle Park, as of January 1, 2015.

Dr. Stefan Blank, Senior Vice President and Managing Director of BASF New Business, Ludwigshafen, will become President of the Intermediates division, Ludwigshafen, effective December 1, 2014. The current head of the division, Sanjeev Gandhi, has been appointed to the Board of Executive Directors of BASF SE. Dr. Guido Voit, Senior Vice President, Intermediates Asia Pacific, BASF East Asia RHQ Ltd., Hong Kong, will succeed Blank as head of BASF New Business at the same time.

Besides, effective September 1, 2014, Ralf A. Spettmann, previously Senior Vice President, Pigments & Resins Europe, Ludwigshafen, became President of the Construction Chemicals operating division headquartered in Ludwigshafen. Spettmann succeeds Dr. Tilman Krauch, who took up a new position at another company.

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 over EUR74 billion in 2014 and over 113,000 employees as of the end of the year.
MRC

Saudi Aramco secures USD10B loan to fund refining, petrochemical expansions

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Saudi Arabian Oil Co. has reached agreement with a group of global and regional banks to borrow USD10 billion and is set to wrap up the deal within days, according to two people with knowledge of the matter, as per Hydrocarbonprocessing.

The deal, one of the biggest in the Gulf region in recent years, is in the final documentation stage, the people said, asking not to be identified as the information is confidential. They declined to disclose the lenders.

The transaction will be split between a USD6 billion five-year tranche and a USD1 billion one-year tranche, priced at 12 basis points above Libor and 10 basis points above Libor respectively, the people said. A spokesman for Saudi Aramco declined to comment.

As MRC reported earlier, in May 2014, Saudi Aramco announced that its downstream investments would exceed USD100 billion over the next decade, as global demand for oil rises by a quarter in the next 25 years.

Besides, Saudi Aramco Products Trading Co., the fuel marketing unit of Saudi Arabia’s state oil producer, started selling products of an affiliated petrochemicals maker. Aramco Trading will sell products including polypropylene and polyethylene made by Rabigh Refining & Petrochemicals Co.

Saudi Aramco, officially the Saudi Arabian Oil Company, is a Saudi Arabian national oil and natural gas company based in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia. Saudi Aramco's value has been estimated at up to USD10 trillion in the Financial Times, making it the world's most valuable company. Saudi Aramco has both the largest proven crude oil reserves, at more than 260 billion barrels, and largest daily oil production.
MRC