Canadian vehicle sales fall for third consecutive month: Scotiabank

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Vehicle sales in Canada fell by 0.8 per cent year-over-year (y/y) in May for a third consecutive y/y decline, a new report from Scotiabank said, as per Canplastics.

But the bank estimates that purchases rose to an annualized 2.05 million units last month, after edging below the two-million mark in April.

"For the third month in a row, the Detroit Three automakers drove the headline sales figures into negative territory with volumes falling by 4.5 per cent y/y compared to ongoing strength for the remaining automakers,” Scotiabank said in its latest Auto News Flash. “Behind this decline is the continuing industry-wide weakness in car sales, which fell by 9.4% y/y. On the other hand, truck sales increased by 4% y/y strengthening from a 2.2% y/y gain the previous month."

In the U.S., meanwhile, new vehicle sales ticked up by 0.7% y/y in May to an annualized 16.8 million units, outperforming an expected year-on-year decline. "But May’s figures mark only the second time since September 2017 that sales fall under 17 million units," Scotiabank said.

Results in the U.S. were mixed across companies, Scotiabank said. "In contrast to Canada, two of the Big Three automakers posted double-digit annual increases which were offset by lower volumes at a couple of major foreign firms," it said.

Purchases of SUVs, crossovers, and pickups continue to move higher in the U.S., posting an 8.3% y/y increase to an annualized pace of 11.6 million units sold, the ninth consecutive month in excess of 11 million. “In contrast, car sales declined by 13 per cent y/y," Scotiabank said. “The transition towards larger vehicles is set to continue, though rising gasoline prices may slow the pace of the change."
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MOSCOW (MRC) -- Lanxess’s Urethane Systems business unit will make an investment on prepolymer production that is expected to be in the single-digit million euros, but the exact figure has not been disclosed, as per Chemicals-technology.

The new facility is expected to become operational in the first half of next year. Once the new facility becomes operational, the existing prepolymer production facility at the Rio Claro site will be terminated, and Lanxess will manage its entire polyurethane business for South America from Porto Feliz.

Urethane Systems business unit head Dr Markus Eckert said: "South America is an important cornerstone of our global network and we are committed to the Brazilian and South American markets. "Our investment will enable us to sustainably offer local customer-specific technical service, excellent product quality, and fast and reliable product supply."

"Our new investment will enable us to sustainably offer local customer-specific technical service, excellent product quality, and fast and reliable product supply."

Lanxess Urethane Systems business unit is a systems provider to the global polyurethane (PU) market and has its expertise in cast elastomers, coatings, adhesives and sealants.

Its portfolio includes conventional and low free isocyanate prepolymers, and special aqueous polyurethane dispersions (PUDs).

Additionally, Lanxess Urethane Systems business unit offers catalysts and curing agents for cast elastomers, as well as technologies for coatings, adhesives and sealants.

The business unit also focuses on solvent-free, monomer-free, and easy-to-use blocked systems.

Lanxess Urethane Systems has production facilities and application development centres in Brazil, India, China, Australia, Italy, the UK, and US.
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MOSCOW (MRC) -- With access to plastic recycling programs nearing 100% in Canada, the nation’s recycling rate for plastic packaging increased by almost 1% in 2016 compared to 2015, a new study shows, as per Canplastics.

Conducted by the Canadian Plastics Industry Association (CPIA), the new report – called Post-Consumer Plastics Recycling in Canada – found that the increase in 2016 of 0.9% was the result of more plastic packaging collected, specifically PET bottles (№1), PE clear film and PE agricultural film.

In total, at least 325 million kilograms of post-consumer (including commercial) plastic packaging were collected in Canada for recycling, the study found.

The 2016 Post Consumer Plastics Recycling in Canada study was conducted for CPIA by More Recycling, and drew on results derived from two voluntary surveys that were sent out to more than 1000 companies that handle recycled plastics in North America. These companies comprise reclaimers, exporters, brokers, and other handlers of used plastics.

This new information comes following a CPIA report completed earlier this year that the network of recycling programs across Canada for plastic packaging has almost fully matured. More Canadians can recycle a wider range of plastic bottles and non-bottle plastic packaging, according to CPIA’s 2017 Canadian Residential Plastics Packaging: Recycling Program Access Report.

The access report confirmed that nearly every Canadian household continues to be able to recycle PET and HDPE (№2) plastic beverage containers (98% to 100%) and that access to recycling for other PET and HDPE bottles, jugs, and jars remains consistent at 94% to 96%. But in addition, tracking shows that recycling recovery programs are expanding collection for polystyrene (PS). The number of Canadian households that now has access to recycling programs that accept PS rigid packaging such as clear clamshells has increased to 71%, up from 63% in 2014.
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MOSCOW (MRC) -- ORBIS Corp., a manufacturer of plastic recycling bins and organic barrels, is cutting a total of more than 70 jobs at two sites as the company reorganizes operations in a handful of locations, as per Canplastics.

ORBIS will move the dunnage manufacturing capabilities from its Perrysburg, Ohio, plant to other plants within its manufacturing fleet. This affects about 70 jobs in Perrysburg. The transition is anticipated to be completed on or around Nov. 15, 2018.

ORBIS said that it will maintain a presence in Perrysburg to operate a design and collaboration centre for customer interaction. “This space will be used for product design, customer support and program management,” the company said. “About 15 employees will remain in Perrysburg."

Also, ORBIS’ thin-gauge thermoforming facility in Dearborn, Mich., will be consolidated into other manufacturing facilities, affecting seven employees. The transition is anticipated to be completed on or around Dec. 15, 2018.

ORBIS currently operates a sales and design office in Madison Heights, Mich., to provide parts packaging design and support for automotive companies. ORBIS will combine this office with the newly acquired Auburn Hills, Mich. office and create a larger, collaborative space for sales and design associates to meet with customers, present concepts and finalize packaging designs. "Employees will transition to the new, combined location,” the company said. “Timing of this move has yet to be finalized."

Finally, ORBIS will utilize its newly acquired Piedmont, S.C. facility to house its southeast ORBIShield Innovation Center, currently located in Spartanburg, S.C. “This Innovation Center provides design, prototyping and packaging support services to southeast U.S. automotive companies,” ORBIS said. “Spartanburg employees will transition to the Piedmont location, and the timing has yet to be determined."

The reorganization comes during a busy time for ORBIS. Last month, the company acquired Hinkle Manufacturing of Perrysburg, Ohio; Hinkle serves the automotive market with highly engineered custom dunnage designed for part protection. And in April 2018, ORBIS purchased Piedmont, S.C.-based Response Packaging, a manufacturer and supplier of reusable custom dunnage and fabricated rack solutions.

ORBIS is headquartered in Oconomowoc, Wis. The company has an injection molding plant in Toronto.
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MOSCOW (MRC) -- Arkema confirms a detailed investment review, with its partner Novus International, Inc., to double production capacities at Arkema’s Beaumont Thiochemicals site in the United States, according to Hydrocarbonprocessing.

This project will support the strong global growth in the animal nutrition market and further strengthens Arkema’s world-leading position in high value-added sulfur derivatives.

Arkema is reviewing in detail, with its partner Novus, the doubling of production capacities at its Beaumont site in Texas to supply high value-added sulfur derivatives for the new methionine hydroxy analogue production unit announced by Novus at the end of 2017 at a site in Calhoun County, Texas.

This project would support the strong annual growth of the global demand for methionine, an essential amino acid for animal nutrition, which should reach 6% over the coming years.

Subject to a final decision on this investment, expected to be made at the end of 2018, the new units should come on stream by the summer of 2021.

Arkema thus confirms its technological leadership in thiochemical processes and its ambition to strengthen its world-leading position in sulfur derivatives.

This project is part of Arkema’s long-term ambition announced by the Group at its 2017 Capital Markets Day and would represent a milestone in the Group’s future growth.

As MRC reported before, in late January 2017, Arkema announced a project for the sale to INEOS of its 50% stake in Oxochimie. Arkema produced oxo alcohols on the Lavera site (France) in a 50/50 manufacturing joint venture with INEOS. These products were used in part for the production of the group’s acrylic esters in Europe.

We also remind that on 2 February 2015, Arkema finalized the acquisition of Bostik, the world's No. 3 in adhesives. With this acquisition, the group reached a new milestone in its development, and confirmed its ambition to become a world leader in specialty chemicals and advanced materials. Bostik's growth prospects and the complementarities identified between the two groups will sustain the success of this high value creating project.

Arkema is a leading European supplier of chlorochemicals and PVC. Kynar and Kynar Flex are registered trademarks of Arkema Inc.
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