European PVC increased in June for CIS markets

MOSCOW (MRC) - Negotiations on the prices of European polyvinyl chloride (PVC) for supplies to the markets of the CIS countries started this week. European producers have increased export prices, but not in proportion to the rise in the price of ethylene, according to the ICIS-MRC Price Report.

June contract price of ethylene was agreed up by EUR63/tonne than the level of May, which leads to an increase in the cost of PVC production by about EUR32/tonne. Nevertheless, despite this fact, European producers had to increase export prices for supplies to CIS markets, but less than the growth in production costs.

The demand for PVC from the main consumers began to increase gradually under the pressure of the seasonal factor. But at the same time, competition with producers from other regions was increasing.

Because of this it is not possible to completely pass all the increased costs for export prices. There were no restrictions on export shipments for most European producers.

Negotiations on the June supply of suspension polyvinyl chloride (SPVC) for CIS markets were in the range of EUR745-800/ tonne, FCA, whereas the month before deals were in the range EUR725-780/tonne FCA.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- The June contract price of ethylene was agreed in Europe up by EUR63/tonne from May. However, European producers raised their export prices of some polyethylene (PE) grades for June shipments to the CIS markets more significantly than the amount of the increase in monomer prices, according to ICIS-MRC Price report.

Negotiations over June PE shipments from Europe to the CIS countries began on Monday. But a major rise in ethylene prices in the region led to a proportional increase in export prices of only high density polyethylene (HDPE) for the CIS customers, whereas in the low density polyethylene (LDPE) segment, the two-fold price increase was lower than the amount of the increase in ethylene prices.

Negotiations over June HDPE shipments were held in the range of EUR1,080-1,153/tonne FCA, up by EUR63-80/tonne from May. Those producers, which plan shutdowns for maintenance in the nearest future, had restrictions on shipments.

Prices of black PE 100 also grew and were discussed in the range of EUR1,360-1,415/tonne FCA. Most producers still had major restrictions on exports, and not all companies could meet their needs in full.

Deals for June shipments of European LDPE were negotiated in the range of EUR1,080-1,150/tonne FCA, up by an average of EUR30/tonne from May.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- TSRC Corporation has announced its investment in the construction of a new SEBS line with 20,000 t/y capacity in Nantong, China, as per GV.

The line is expected to start operations during the course of 2019.

TSRC provides SEBS, SIS and SBS products for customers in plastic modification, compounding, adhesives, elastic film, and flexography applications.

The company said that it is committed to increasing its R+D investment by upgrading R+D facilities and capabilities to develop high value-added products, for example, medical applications and specialty films. The company provides new SEBS polymers that are said to feature very good miscibility with polyolefins and high transparency and softness for medical film applications.

As MRC informed before, by the second quarter of 2011, TSRC Corp. had paid USD168 million to acquire Dexco Polymers Operating Company LLC and Dexco Polymers LP. TSRC said then that the acquisition would help it to upgrade its technology, provide its customers a wider array of products, and diversify its customer base across Asia, Europe and the Americas.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Haldia Petrochemicals Ltd (HPL) is likely to resume production at its cracker and downstream plants following a maintenance turnaround, as per Apic-online.

A Polymerupdate source in India informed that the complex is expected to restart towards the end of this week. The complex was shut on May 10, 2018 for a period of about 20-25 days.

Located at Haldia in the eastern Indian state of west Bengal, the complex can produce 700,000 mt/year of ethylene and 350,000 mt/year of propylene and provides feedstock to a 330,000 mt/year high density PE plant, a 370,000 mt/year HDPE/linear low PE swing plant and a 350,000 mt/year polypropylene unit.

As MRC informed before, in October 2016, HPL reported a massive fire at the petrochemical complex located in the eastern Indian state of West Bengal.

Haldia Petrochemicals Ltd is a modern naphtha based petrochemical complex at Haldia, West Bengal, India. Haldia has played the role of a catalyst in emergence of more than 500 downstream processing industries in West Bengal with a capacity to process more than 3,50,000 TPA of polymers, among which are polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP).
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Sealed Air Corporation has entered into an agreement with Kuraray America, Inc. (Kuraray), a Japanese chemical company, to offer food packaging materials derived from its Plantic bio-based resins, as per Sealed Air' press release.

"We are expanding our portfolio of sustainable solutions with Plantic’s bio-based materials. This solution enables us to offer a renewable packaging option and continue helping the industry address food waste by extending the shelf-life and freshness of food," said Karl Deily, President of Sealed Air Food Care.

Through this new cooperation with Kuraray, Sealed Air will offer Plantic materials to package perishable foods such as poultry, beef and seafood in the U.S., Canada and Mexico. The materials provide a highly effective oxygen barrier that is also cost competitive with traditional rollstock barrier films.

"This investment not only accelerates Sealed Air’s commitment to renewability, recyclability and innovation, it is also an important pivot point for expanding the market leadership of the Cryovac and Bubble Wrap® brands," said Ted Doheny, Sealed Air President and Chief Executive Officer.

"This agreement with Sealed Air expands the options for sustainable bio-based barrier packaging that will benefit consumers, retailers and processors equally,” stated Robert Armstrong, General Manager of EVAL and Plantic, Kuraray America, Inc. “Plantic materials set a new standard for bio-based barrier packaging performance, provide unmatched sustainability metrics and can be recycled through traditional streams in some countries including Australia."

MRC