PVC imports to Ukraine fell by 19% in H1 2018

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Imports of suspension polyvinyl chloride (SPVC) into Ukraine decreased in the first six months of 2018 by 19% year on year, totalling 38,800 tonnes, according to MRC's DataScope report.

Last month's SPVC imports to the Ukrainian market dropped to 5,900 tonnes from 6,400 tonnes in May, with US resin accounting for the main decrease. Overall SPVC imports totalled 38,800 tonnes in January-June 2018, compared to 48,000 tonnes a year earlier, at the same time, shipments of resin from the USA increased significantly. Higher domestic production was the main reason for lower total imports.

The structure of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) imports into Ukraine by countries looked the following way over the stated period.


Last month's imports of US SPVC shrank to 3,500 tonnes from 4,000 tonnes in May. Thus, imports of US resin totalled 26,100 tonnes in the first six months of 2018, compared to 17,400 tonnes a year earlier. February-March accounted for the peak of imports.

June imports of European PVC into the Ukrainian market were 2,400 tonnes, which equalled the May figure. Overall imports of European PVC to Ukraine totalled 11,400 tonnes over the stated period, compared to 21,300 tonnes a year earlier.

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BASF to expand production capacity for Irganox 1010 globally

MOSCOW (MRC) -- BASF plans to increase the global production capacity for its antioxidant Irganox 1010 by 40% with production expansion projects at its sites in Jurong, Singapore, and Kaisten, Switzerland, as per the company's press release.

With production in Kaisten coming online in 2019 and in Singapore in early 2021, BASF aims to better serve the increasing demand from customers in Asia and Europe, Middle East and Africa from its regional supply points. In addition, BASF is investing in its McIntosh, Alabama facility in the US to improve asset reliability and further expand capacity to meet growing customer demand.

"By expanding our production capacities, we respond to the increase in demand. With the investment in Singapore, we underline our position as one of the leading suppliers of phenolic antioxidants," said Hermann Althoff, Senior Vice President, BASF Performance Chemicals Asia Pacific.

In Singapore, the company will double its capacity for Irganox 1010 by adding an additional production line that will be integrated into the existing production facilities.

"At the same time, we will add 30% to our existing capacity for Irganox" 1010 at our Kaisten plant in Switzerland by debottlenecking operations. This significant and timely expansion, planned for 2019, reinforces our commitment to accelerating business growth in the region," added Alberto Giovanzana, Vice President, Plastic Additives EMEA, BASF.

"Increasing our manufacturing capacity shows our commitment to plastic additives, which greatly benefits our global customer base,” said Deon Carter, Senior Vice President, BASF Performance Chemicals North America. “By investing in our McIntosh, Alabama site, we’ll further improve our supply reliability and expand our capacity of Irganox® 1010 and associated antioxidants to meet growing demand in the region."

Irganox 1010 is a sterically hindered phenolic primary antioxidant. It provides protection against thermo-oxidative degradation, mainly applied in polyolefins and also recommended for polyacetals, polyamides and polyurethanes, polyesters, PVC, ABS and elastomers such as butyl rubber and synthetic rubbers.

As MRC wrote before, 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, announced the company in November 2016.

BASF is a leading supplier, manufacturer and innovation partner of plastic additives. Its comprehensive and innovative product portfolio includes stabilizers which provide ease in processing, heat and light resistance to a variety of polymers and applications including molded articles, films, fibers, sheets and extruded profiles.

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. BASF generated sales of EUR64.5 billion in 2017.
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Exxon Baytown refinery hydrocracker remains shut after upset

MOSCOW (MRC) -- The hydrocracking unit at Exxon Mobil Corp’s 560,500 barrel per day (bpd) Baytown, Texas, refinery remains shut following a power interruption on Saturday, reported Reuters with reference to sources familiar with plant operations.

Exxon spokeswoman Sarah Nordin said the Baytown refinery was experiencing an operational issue resulting in safety flaring.

"We are working diligently to minimize the safety flaring. There is minimal impact to production,” Nordin said. “We expect to meet our contractual commitments."

The 25,000 bpd hydrocracker was shut after a brief power interruption at the refinery early on Saturday morning, according to a notice filed with the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.

As MRC informed earlier, in October 2017, ExxonMobil Chemical Company commenced production on the first of two new 650,000 tons-per-year high-performance polyethylene (PE) lines at its plastics plant in Mont Belvieu, Texas.

ExxonMobil is the largest non-government owned company in the energy industry and produces about 3% of the world's oil and about 2% of the world's energy.
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WorleyParsons awarded 3-year contract for continued EPC of Corunna cracker expansion project

MOSCOW (MRC) -- WorleyParsons has been awarded a new three-year contract by NOVA Chemicals for continued engineering on the Corunna Cracker Expansion Project (Phase 3) in Ontario Canada, as per Hydrocarbonprocessing.

This award follows WorleyParsons successful completion of services to Phase 2 of the Project. Under the new contract, WorleyParsons will provide engineering, procurement, construction management and project management services.

The services will be led and executed from WorleyParsons’ North American offices and other WorleyParsons’ offices.

"We are pleased to announce this award, which extends our services to the Project and continues our strong relationship with NOVA Chemicals", said Andrew Wood, Chief Executive Office of WorleyParsons.

As MRC informed before, in early June 2018, Bayport Polymers LLC (Bay-Pol), a joint venture of Total and Novealis Holdings LLC - a joint venture of Borealis AG and NOVA Chemicals Inc. - held the official groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of a new ethane cracker at the Total Port Arthur Refinery. The new USD1.7-billion ethane cracker is the first project under construction by the recently-formed Bay-Pol joint venture.
MRC

Lanxess to open new laboratory for polyurethane dispersions in Italy

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Specialty chemicals company Lanxess has announced plans to open a new applications development and technical services (AD&TS) laboratory for polyurethane dispersions (PUDs) in Latina, Italy, as per ProcessWorldwide.

As part of the existing Urethane Systems AD & TS center, the new lab will operate as a standalone facility dedicated to PUDs. It has been built with the scope of enhancing the company's Urethane Systems business partnership with clients and end users, via a technology focused interaction and high scientific focus. Start of operation will be in the 3rd quarter of 2018.

According to the company, the new laboratory will be capable of supporting market needs in a variety of coatings and adhesives applications in leather and textile finishing, plastic, glass and metal substrates coatings, as well as glass fiber sizing.

As MRC reported earlier, in December 2017, Lanxess announced the expansion of its Additives segment and plans to acquire the phosphorus chemicals business with a US production site from Belgian chemical group Solvay. Both companies signed an agreement to this effect.

Lanxess is a leading specialty chemicals company with about 19,200 employees in 25 countries. The company is currently represented at 74 production sites worldwide. The core business of Lanxess is the development, manufacturing and marketing of chemical intermediates, additives, specialty chemicals and plastics. Through Arlanxeo, the joint venture with Saudi Aramco, Lanxess is also a leading supplier of synthetic rubber.
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