PP imports to Belarus decreased by 2% in January-June 2015

MOSCOW (MRC) - Imports of polypropylene (PP) into Belarus slightly exceeded 38,800 tonne in first six months of this year, down 2% year on year, compared to the same period of 2014. Demand for propylene copolymers decreased significantly, as per MRC analysts.

According to the National Statistics Committee of Belarus, June PP imports in Belarus practically remained at the level of May and reached about 6,600 tonnes. June structure of PP deliveries also remained unchanged. Total PP imports into the country exceeded 38,800 tonnes in January - June 2015, compared with 39,600 tonnes in the same time a year earlier. Demand for propylene copolymers significantly reduced; the volume of purchases of homopolymer PP grew by only 1.9%.

Structure of PP delivery over the reported period looked as follows. June imports of homopolymer PP slightly exceeded 4,400 tonnes, compared with 4,500 tonnes a month earlier, local companies have kept homopolymer PP purchases at the May level in all directions. Imports of homopolymer PP in Belarus increased to 27,100 tonnes in January-June 2015, compared with 26,600 in the same time in 2014. The key suppliers of homopolymer PP were Russian producers, with their share in the total supply around 92%.

June imports of propylene copolymers were about 2,200 tonnes, a small increase in deliveries occurred for the Russian material. Imports of propylene copolymers in Belarus decreased to 11,700 tonnes in the first six months of the year, down 10.1% year on year. The main suppliers of propylene copolymers to the local market over the reported period were Russian producers, with 8,200 tonnes shipped over the reported period. The second largest supplier into the country was Germany, with a volume of slightly more than 1,200 tonnes shipped over the reported period.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- PTT Global Chemical (PTTGC) is in plans to shut a low density polyethylene (LDPE) plant for maintenance turnaround, according to Apic-online.

A Polymerupdate source in Thailand informed that the plant is likely to be shut in September 2015. It is expected to remain off-stream for around 2 weeks.

Located at Map Ta Phut in Thailand, the LDPE plant has a production capacity of 300,000 mt/year.

We remind that, as MRC informed before, in 2013, Indonesian state-owned energy company Pertamina signed an agreement to purchase petrochemical products from PTT Global Chemical. The agreement serves as a pre-marketing strategy for Pertamina and PTT’s joint Indonesian petrochemical business. Under the agreement, PTT will deliver at least 5,000 tonnes of polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP) products each month to Pertamina for sale in Indonesia.

Besides, Pertamina and PTTGC were to start joint shipments of PE to the Indonesian market from 1 July 2014, but they were posponed till September 2014.

PTT Global Chemical is a leading player in the petrochemical industry and owns several petrochemical facilities with a combined capacity of 8.45 million tonnes a year.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Solvay Specialty Polymers, a leading global supplier of high-performance thermoplastics, announced a new licensing agreement that enables RTP Company, a global compounder of custom engineered thermoplastics, to produce and sell Solvay’s Radel R-7000 series of polyphenylsulfone (PPSU) resins to the global commercial aircraft industry, said the producer in its press release.

The agreement will greatly expand global supply channels for this industry-recognized family of high-performance polymers, helping to shorten lead times and broaden options for ordering Radel® R-7000 PPSU resins in custom colors in small- to large-volumes.

Resins in the Radel R-7000 PPSU product family are specially formulated for use in aircraft cabin interior applications, such as seating, passenger service units, stow bins and air grilles. In addition to delivering excellent aesthetics, superior impact strength and chemical resistance, they also comply with stringent U.S. Federal Aviation Administration regulations that govern flammability, heat release, smoke generation and toxic gas emissions.

Solvay will continue to manufacture, sell and distribute its Radel R-7000 PPSU series polymers. Its new licensing agreement grants RTP Company access to Solvay’s Radel R-7000 PPSU polymer formulations and production technology and it allows RTP Company to manufacture and sell them under Solvay’s established Radel brand and grade designations. In addition, the agreement will provide greater flexibility for customers who wish to order smaller lot sizes of custom colors that match the color palettes of aircraft OEMs or individual airlines.

As MRC informed earlier, Solvay completed the acquisition of the Ryton PPS (polyphenylene sulphide) business from US-based Chevron Phillips Chemical Company for USD220 million, enlarging its high-performance polymers offering and entering a solid growth market.

Solvay S.A. is a Belgian chemical company founded in 1863, with its head office in Neder-Over-Heembeek, Brussels, Belgium. The company has diversified into two major sectors of activity: chemicals and plastics. Solvay supplies over 1500 products across 35 brands of high-performance polymers - fluoropolymers, fluoroelastomers, fluorinated fluids, semi-aromatic polyamides, sulfone polymers, aromatic ultra polymers, high-barrier polymers and cross-linked high-performance compounds.

mrcplsat.com

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Bakhtar Petrochemical Company is in plans to start a new high density polyethylene/linear low density polyethylene (HDPE/LLDPE) swing plant, as per Apic-online.

A Polymerupdate source in Iran informed that the company is in plans to begin operations at the new swing plant towards the end of current year.

Located at Mahabad city of Iran, the HDPE/LLDPE swing plant has a production capacity of 300,000 mt/year.

We remind that, as MRC reported earlier, 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) -- Shenyang Chemical has taken off-stream a linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE) plant for a maintenance turnaround, as per Apic-online.

A Polymerupdate source in China informed that the plant was shut early last week. It is likely to remain off-stream till end August 2015.

Located in Liaoning province, China, the LLDPE plant has a production capacity of 100,000 mt/year.

As MRC informed previously, in late July 2015, Sinopec Yangzi Petrochemical shut its LLDPE plant for maintenance. It is likely to remain off-stream for around one month. Located at Nanjing in China, the plant has a production capacity of 200,000 mt/year.

Besides, PetroChina, China's largest oil and gas producer, restarted a high density polyethylene/linear low density polyethylene (HDPE/LLDPE) plant following maintenance turnaround in early June 2015. It was shut on April 10, 2015. Located in Dushanzi, China, the plant has a production capacity of 660,000 mt/year.
MRC