Ineos to build styrene monomer plant on the US Gulf Coast

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Ineos Styrolution has announced that it will commission an engineering study to build a world-scale styrene monomer plant on the US Gulf Coast, as per GV.

According to the company, the plant will benefit from access to low cost feedstock and energy from shale gas as well as a good infrastructure. A specific location is yet to be defined, said Ineos.

Steve Harrington, President Global Styrene Monomer and Asia-Pacific, commented: "This new plant will complement our existing SM production facilities and provide a sustained competitive advantage to enable us to supply the global market."

“This plan supports our ‘Triple Shift’ growth strategy and maintains our leading position as a global styrenics supplier to our key customers and industries”, added Kevin McQuade, CEO at Ineos Styrolution.

As MRC informed before, in March 2016, Ineos Group Ltd. unveiled plans of expansion of its plants in USA to take advantage of low-cost natural-gas liquids as feedstock for ethylene production. The company is likely to add 250 mln-1 bln lbs of annual ethylene production at its Chocolate Bayou site south of Houston, Dennis Seith, chief executive officer of the company’s U.S. olefins and polymers unit, said then. Additional polypropylene and alpha-olefins capacity may be added at the site.
MRC

Frigel expands into India with new partnership

MOSCOW (MRC) -- In a move to increase its presence in India’s plastics processing market, process cooling technology provider Frigel has established a 50-50 joint venture with India-based auxiliary equipment supplier Matsui Technologies India Limited (MTIL), as per Canplastics.

The JV is named Frigel Intelligent Cooling Systems India Private Ltd., and calls for Frigel to manufacture its line of Ecodry 3DK line of fluid coolers and Microgel RCS water-cooled chillers/TCUs in India. Operations will take place at a facility in Noida, Uttar Pradesh, India.

Frigel India will also supply other Frigel advanced and eco-friendly technologies to the Indian marketplace, including Heavygel centralized high-capacity and high-efficiency water chillers units and the Syncronized cooling system for Beverage production.

MTIL is a manufacturer of auxiliary equipment such as dryers, dehumidifiers, blenders, granulators, and centralized conveying systems. It has served the India marketplace since 2006.

"This is an important step for Frigel’s global strategic growth as we look to meet the rapidly growing need among processors in India for more advanced technologies and techniques to process cooling. This, in turn, will allow them to improve their operations and better serve their customers,” Frigel CEO Duccio Dorin said in a statement. “At the same time, we’re excited to further our relationship with Matsui, given their strong presence in India and their reputation as a leader of auxiliary equipment that complements Frigel’s process-cooling technologies."
MRC

Mitsubishi Chemical Corp establishes management company for performance polymers in Singapore

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Mitsubishi Chemical Corp. (MCC) has set up a regional management company for its performance polymers business in Singapore to expand the scale of the business in the fast-growing ASEAN markets, according to GV.

MCC's consolidated subsidiary, Advanced Plastic Compounds Singapore, was renamed Mitsubishi Chemical Performance Polymers Asia Pacific (MCPP Asia Pacific), to take a strategic management role in the performance polymers business.

In addition to regional management, MCPP Asia Pacific produces and sells thermoplastic elastomers, polyvinyl chloride compounds and performance polyolefins.

As MRC wrote before, in December 2017, Ube Industries, JSR Corp. and MCC received European Commission (EC) approval for the planned integration of their acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) subsidiaries. The combination involves UMG ABS, a 50-50 joint venture of Ube and MCC, and Techno Polymer Co. (TPC), a JSR subsidiary. JSR and UMG ABS plan to acquire joint control over TPC, making TPC a joint venture of the two companies.

Mitsubishi Chemical with headquarters in Tokyo, Japan, is a diversified chemical company involved in petrochemicals, polymers, agrochemicals, speciality chemicals and pharmaceuticals. The company's main focus is on three business pillars: petrochemicals, performance and functional products, and health care.
MRC

AkzoNobel brings Awlgrip Yacht Coatings range to Brazilian customers

MOSCOW (MRC) -- AkzoNobel is launching its Awlgrip high performance yacht coatings brand in Brazil. Local production and distribution are due to start in July, as per Coatingsworld.

With 8,500 kilometers of navigable coastline and favorable conditions year-round, Brazil's yacht market is growing steadily. The introduction of Awlgrip will give customers easy access to the brand's respected portfolio of premium paints, primers and clearcoats.

"We're excited to bring yacht owners in Brazil a full range of quality products, design options, colors and effects," Segment Manager Hans Slegtenhorst said. "As a global leader in supplying protection and finishing for sports and leisure boats, we can offer a complete and unrivalled coatings system, from surface preparation to topcoat."

The launch of the Awlgrip brand in Brazil coincides perfectly with the Volvo Ocean Race stopover in Itajai, on the country's east coast. All seven boats in the competition – including the team AkzoNobel race yacht – are coated with the company's Awlgrip and International products.

"The Volvo Ocean Race is famous the world over and is the ultimate test of performance," Slegtenhorst said. "It's a very special moment for us to be able to launch Awlgrip in Brazil while the event is here."

Renowned for its durability and consistency, the brand's portfolio in Brazil will consist of the Awlgrip 545 epoxy primer, Awlcraft SE Basecoat and Awlcraft 2000 Clearcoat. The products, which require professional application, meet the most demanding environmental restrictions, without compromising on performance
MRC

Kazanorgsintez shut LDPE production

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Kazanorgsintez (part of TAIF Group), Russia's largest polyethylene (PE) producer, has shut down its low density polyethylene (LDPE) production for a scheduled turnaround, according to ICIS-MRC Price Report.

Kazanorgsintez began a gradual shutdown for a long maintenance at its third LDPE line at the end of last week. The complete shutdown took place on 20 April.

The plant's representatives said the outage would be quite long, the resumption of production is scheduled for the period after 10 May.

The current shutdown for maintenance at Kazanorgsintez is the first outage of Russian producers this year. The next shutdown is planned at Angarsk Polymers Plant in July.

PJSC "Kazanorgsintez" (part of TAIF Group) is one of Russia's largest plants. Kazanorgsintez produces over 38% of overall Russian PE and is the country's largest exporter. To date, the plant produces PE, polycarbonate (PC), PE pipes, phenol, acetone, bisphenol A. Kazanorgsintez is Russia's only PC producer. It manufactures a total of 170 items of products. Kazanorgsintez's annual output is 1.6 million tonnes. The plant is Russia's largest producer of high density polyethylene (HDPE). The plant's annual HDPE production capacity is 540,000 tonnes and its annual LDPE capacity is 225,000 tonnes.
MRC