Prices of Russian EPS rolled over for April

MOSCOW (MRC) -- SIBUR-Khimprom and Plastik (Uzlovaya) will ship the expandable polystyrene (EPS) in April at March prices, according to ICIS-MRC Price report.

Companies have rolled over contract prices. In addition, as reported earlier, SIBUR raised its April export EPS prices by USD120-130/tonne.

According to ICIS-MRC Price report, Plastik (Uzlovaya) increased its contract prices of acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS) by Rb3,000/tonne, including VAT, for shipments to the domestic market in April.

SIBUR-Khimprom specializes in the processing of liquid hydrocarbons and production of a variety of petrochemical products, including styrene and expandable polystyrene (EPS). SIBUR-Khimprom started production of EPS of Alphapor grade in 2010.

JSC "Plastik" (Uzlovaya, Tula region) is a manufacturer of ABS-plastics and suspension polystyrene. Among other products, the plant's technological complex includes styrene production with the capacity of 60,000 tonnes per year and EPS production with the capacity of 11,300 tonnes per year. The plant's ABS production is 23,000 tonnes per year.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- South Korean petrochemical company LG Chem is in plans to shut a polyethylene (PE) plant for maintenance turnaround, reported Apic-online.

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

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

As MRC wrote previously, LG Chem is in plans to shut a styrene monomer (SM) plant in South Korea for maintenance turnaround in April 2015. It is likely to remain off-stream for around one month. Located at Daesan in South Korea, the plant has a production capacity of 500,000 mt/year.

Besides, LG Chemical shut down its polypropylene (PP) plant for maintenance turnaround in late March 2015. It is expected to remain off-stream for around one month. Located at Daesan in South Korea, the plant has a production capacity of 600,000 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) -- Maire Tecnimont said circulated media reports that it has started talks with Iran’s National Petrochemical Co. (NPC) for a new petrochemical park in Asaluyeh, Iran, are incorrect, as per GV.

"Maire Tecnimont wishes to specify that no discussion is ongoing and therefore no agreement has been reached," the company said in an email. "Furthermore, no joint working group between Maire Tecnimont and NPC has been formed" to identify technical issues and new development opportunities in Iran’s petrochemical sector.

The company stressed that it "operates in full compliance with the international and European Union regimes concerning sanctions against Iran." New business activities would be developed with Iran only following a possible removal of the international sanctions.

As MRC informed previously, it has been more than 50 years that Iran started producing petrochemical products and Iran National Petrochemical Company (NPC) is celebrating its anniversary this year.

Iran, as one of the main energy hubs in the world, with huge oil and gas reserves, is one of the leading producers of petrochemical products in the world.

In 2006, the total consumption of different polymer products was 202 million metric tons and it is estimated this figure reach to 316 million metric ton by 2016. This means only countries with huge feeding materials can be successful on raising production level, and gladly Iran is among one of those countries.

Currently number of active Iranian Petrochemical complexes are 53, with total production capacity of 59 million metric ton, producing range of polymers, chemicals, aromatics & liquid gas, located mainly at Iranian south region, next to Persian Gulf, called Assaluyeh and Mahshahr Special Economic Zones.

At the moment, there are 67 developments projects in the country which are under construction, adding 61 million metric ton on total production and estimated to fully run till 2018.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Egyptian Ethylene and Derivatives Co.’s (Ethydco) production of ethylene, polyethylene (PE) and butadiene is being prioritized for local use and not export, according to Daily News Egypt, citing Egyptian Minister of Petroleum Sherif Ismail, of which reported GV.

Ethydco expects to start up a complex this year in Alexandria, Egypt, with the capacity to produce 460,000 t/y of ethylene, 400,000 t/y of polyethylene (PE) and 20,000 t/y of butadiene.

The USD 1.9-billion complex is "one of the most important" projects in the national plan for this promising industry, he explained. The ethylene and derivatives will help establish transformational industries and realize the highest revenues and added value for the Egyptian economy.

As MRC wrote before, Toyo Engineering has been jointly awarded with ENPPI, an engineering company under the Egyptian Ministry of Petroleum, a contract to build a 400,000 tpa polyethylene plant in Egypt. The new facility will be a part of Ethydco's petrochemical complex to be established in Alexandria, the Arab Republic of Egypt, and owned by ETHYDCO (The Egyptian Ethylene and Derivatives Company) under the investment law No. 8/1997 of Egypt. This will be the largest polyethylene plant in Egypt.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Asahi Kasei Chemical is likely to shut its styrene monomer (SM) plant for maintenance turnaround, as per Apic-online.

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

Located at Mizushima in Japan, the plant has a production capacity of 390,000 mt/year.

As MRC reported earlier, Idemitsu Kosan took off-stream its SM plant in Japan for maintenance in end-March 2015. It is likely to remain off-stream for around one month. Located in Chiba, Japan, the plant has a production capacity of 210,000 mt/year.

Besides, Denki Kagaku Kabushiki Kaisha (Denka) is in plans to shut its SM plant in Japan for maintenance turnaround, in Q1, 2016. The duration of the shutdown could not be ascertained. Located at Chiba in Japan, the plant has a production capacity of 270,000 mt/year.
MRC