Update on cellroom conversion project at Stenungsund Site (Sweden)

MOSCOW (MRC) -- INOVYN confirms that, in accordance with the deadline agreed with the Swedish Chemicals Agency, it has ceased operation of its mercury chlorine cellroom at Stenungsund Site (Sweden) on 13 May 2018, delivering its commitment to phase out mercury based production in line with European regulations, as per the company's press release.

This paves the way for INOVYN’s new membrane chlorine cellroom at Stenungsund Site, which is gearing up for operation during Summer 2018.

Comments Filipe Constant, Business Director INOVYN: “Later this summer we will open our new membrane chlorine cellroom at Stenungsund. This investment by INOVYN will deliver long term, competitive and sustainable supplies of chlorine and caustic soda to key industry sectors across Sweden and the wider Northern European markets, as well as underpinning our PVC business in the region.

"As we complete these final steps in our transition from mercury to membrane production our customers can be assured there will be no interruption to supplies."
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MOSCOW (MRC) -- BASF has opened a new lab and technical development center for its dispersions and resins business in Australia and New Zealand at Monash University in Melbourne, Australia, as per GV.

The new state-of-the-art lab, located at the university's Clayton campus. will have access to the university's extensive facilities and expertise in green chemistry and engineering.

The facilities comprise two labs, office and storage facilities and will be supported by three permanent chemist positions at the site.

As MRC reported earlier, in December 2017, BASF’s Coatings division inaugurated a new automotive coatings plant at its Bangpoo manufacturing site, Samutprakarn province, Thailand. The new plant is the first BASF automotive coatings manufacturing facility in ASEAN, and will produce solventborne and waterborne automotive coatings to meet growing market demand in the region.
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MOSCOW (MRC) -- Stepan Company reported that, through a subsidiary in Mexico, it has closed on the previously announced agreement with BASF Mexicana, S.A. DE C.V. to acquire the surfactant production facility in Ecatepec, Mexico, and a portion of the associated surfactants business, as per GV.

The facility has over 50,000 t/y of capacity, 124,000 square feet (11,520 m2) of warehouse space, a large laboratory and office space.

"We welcome the Ecatepec employees that have transferred as part of the transaction to the Stepan team," said F. Quinn Stepan Jr., Chairman, President and CEO of Stepan Company. “This acquisition supports the company's growth strategy in Latin America. We believe this acquisition significantly enhances Stepan's market position and supply capabilities for surfactants in Mexico and positions us to grow in both the Consumer and Functional markets for surfactants. The acquisition is expected to be slightly accretive to earnings during the remainder of 2018.

As MRC wrote previously, within the next five years, BASF SE (Ludwigshafen, Germany) plans to invest globally more than EUR200 million in its plastic additives business, approximately half of which in Asia, focusing on capacity expansions and operational excellence.

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.

Stepan with headquarters in Northfield, IL, USA, is a manufacturer of speciality and intermediate chemicals used in a broad range of industries. The company is also a producer of surfactants, which are key ingredients in consumer and industrial cleaning compounds. Furthermore, the company is a supplier of polyurethane polyols used in the expanding thermal insulation market and CASE (coatings, adhesives, sealants, and elastomers) industries.
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MOSCOW (MRC) -- Sinopec Shanghai Petrochemical has restarted its No. 2 low density polyethylene (LDPE) unit in Shanghai, as per Apic-online.

A Polymerupdate source in China informed that the company has resumed opertions at the unit on May 14, 2018 following a turnaround. The unit was under maintenance around one week.

Located at Shanghai in China, the No.2 LDPE unit has a production capacity of 45,000 mt/year.

As MRC reported earlier, on 26 March, 2018, Sinopec Shanghai Petrochemical restarted its No.3 LDPE unit in Shanghai following a turnaround. The unit was shut for maintenance on 26 February, 2018. Located at Shanghai in China, the LDPE unit has a production capacity of 100,000 mt/year.

China Petroleum & Chemical Corporation, or Sinopec Limited is a Chinese oil and gas company based in Beijing, China. It is listed in Hong Kong and also trades in Shanghai and New York . Sinopec is the worlds fifth biggest company by revenue.
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MOSCOW (MRC) -- South Korea's finance ministry said it has decided to levy anti-dumping duties on polyethylene terephthalate (PET) film imported from Taiwan, Thailand and the United Arab Emirates for the next three years, reported GV.

In January, the country's trade commission recommended the government levy stiff duties on the product, citing substantial damage to the local industry.

Starting 30 April 2018, duties ranging from 3.67 % to 60.95 % were slapped on synthetic resin imported from the three countries for the next three years. Since November last year, the finance ministry has been imposing duties of 3.92 % to 51.86 % on the imported PET film.

The foreign manufacturers have argued that Korean PET film has lost price competitiveness and the high tariff on foreign goods will only burden domestic consumers. The local market for the chemical compound was estimated at KRW 1 trillion (USD 927 million) last year, with products imported from the countries accounting for 10%, according to Seoul's trade ministry.
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