DSM and APK cooperate on recycling multilayer food packaging films

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Royal DSM, a global science-based company active in health, nutrition and sustainable living, together with APK, are leading the way in taking the next step to increase the sustainable benefits of multilayer food packaging films, as per the company's press release.

Beyond the primary function of reducing food waste, the products are now also recyclable via APK’s new recycling route.

Many multilayer barrier films for food packaging consist of a combination of PE and PA6, where PE acts as a barrier for moisture and PA6 as a barrier for oxygen thus significantly extending the shelf life of the packaged food. Such packaging cannot be produced with a mono-material PE film, since the layer thicknesses to achieve sufficient barrier properties would become too high. The addition of PA6 in the multi-material solution reduces the total layer thickness significantly and improves the mechanical integrity of the film resulting in less rupture of the films during transportation and logistics. This leads to a lower food waste percentage and thus to a significantly better carbon footprint in a Life Cycle Analysis.

Today APK and DSM are also able to address the "End-of-Life" stage of the Life Cycle of a multilayer PE/PA6 packaging film using APK’s Newcycling process, a technique that makes it possible to recover high-quality re-granulates with properties close to virgin plastics, from complex mixtures and multi-layer composites (so-called multilayer barrier packaging). With conventional recycling systems that is not possible. "Moreover the Newcycling process works highly cost-efficient and offers a competitive, sustainable material source. The re-granulates, generated from multilayer PE/PA6 packaging waste, can be used again in demanding flexible packaging which contributes to the target of a circular economy," explained Florian Riedl, Head of Business Development at APK AG.

APK is building a plant for recycling multilayer PE/PA6 packaging, using Newcycling process, which will start up in Q4 of this year.

As MRC wrote before, in May 2018, Royal DSM announced that it had entered a preferred partnership with Chromatic 3D Materials to introduce thermoset materials for 3D-printing of finished manufactured goods. With the collaboration, DSM further expands its portfolio, now offering the broadest selection of 3D printing materials for the broadest range of printing technologies.

Royal DSM is a global science-based company active in health, nutrition and materials. DSM delivers innovative solutions that nourish, protect and improve performance in global markets such as food and dietary supplements, personal care, feed, pharmaceuticals, medical devices, automotive, paints, electrical and electronics, life protection, alternative energy and bio-based materials.
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Hromatka to distribute Radici polymers in Eastern Europe

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Italian speciality polymer company Radici Group Performance Plastics has selected Swiss distributor Hromatka Group as the new distributor for its engineering plastics in Eastern Europe, the companies announced 20 July, as per Plasticsnewseurope.

As part of the agreement, Hromatka and its subsidiaries, including Aectra Plastics and Plastoplan Polska, will distribute Radici’s portfolio of polyamide and polybutyleneterephtalate (PBT) materials, which are marketed under the trade names of Radilon, Heramid, Radiflam, Radistrong and Raditer.

The Italian polymer group said the move was part of a strategy to strengthen its position in the East European market and increase its market share and products accessibility in the region, particularly in Poland, Romania and Bulgaria.

Based in Aesch, Switzerland, the Hromatka Group is a leading plastics compounding and distribution group with operations in 10 European countries.

The company also has two manufacturing plants and produces its own compounds under the brand name SAX Polymers.

Hromatka acquired Bucharest, Romania-based Aectra Plastics SRL in 2016 to extend its corporate footprint, particularly in the Bulgarian and Romanian markets.
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LyondellBasell announces board leadership succession

MOSCOW (MRC) -- LyondellBasell, one of the largest plastics, chemicals and refining companies in the world, has announced that Robert G. Gwin, chairman of its board of directors, will resign from the board on November 30, 2018, as per the company's press release.

Jacques Aigrain, currently vice chairman, will succeed Gwin as chairman, effective September 24, 2018.

Aigrain, a director since 2011, is a senior advisor at Warburg Pincus and a director of the London Stock Exchange and WPP plc. He has extensive executive and board experience, including as chief executive officer of Swiss Re Ltd, and holds a Ph.D. in economics from the University of Paris. During his tenure as a LyondellBasell director, Aigrain served on multiple committees and is the current chairman of the compensation committee.

"It has been a privilege to lead the LyondellBasell board and, after five years as chairman, I believe it's the right time to transition to new leadership," Gwin said. "I'm very pleased with the company's direction and outlook, and I look forward to working with Jacques over the next few months to ensure a smooth and successful transition."

Gwin has served on LyondellBasell's board of directors since 2011 and has been chairman since August 2013.

"Since joining the board in 2011, Bob has served as a leader, partner and ambassador for LyondellBasell. We have greatly benefited from his leadership, as well as his industry and financial insight," said LyondellBasell chief executive officer Bob Patel. "I have worked closely with Jacques for several years, and I look forward to partnering with him to build upon the growth and success we have made during Bob's tenure as chair."

As MRC informed before, in September 2017, LyondellBasell announced the successful startup of a new 20 ktpy polypropylene (PP) compounding plant in Dalian, China. This was the company's third facility in China, strategically located to serve the region's growing automotive market.

LyondellBasell is one of the world's largest plastics, chemical and refining companies. The company manufactures products at 57 sites in 18 countries. LyondellBasell products and technologies are used to make items that improve the quality of life for people around the world including packaging, electronics, automotive parts, home furnishings, construction materials and biofuels.
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Praxair starts up new air separation plants in southern China petrochemical park

MOSCOW (MRC) – Praxair, Inc. announced it has started up two new air separation plants to supply China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC), a Fortune Global 100 company and one of the largest in China, as per Hydrocarbonprocessing.

The two plants, each with 2,400-tons-per-day of oxygen capacity, are supplying on-site oxygen and nitrogen to CNOOC to support the company’s refinery expansion and related downstream chemical production.

With the start-up of the two new plants, Praxair is now operating a 5,600-ton-per-day production complex, made up of four air separation units. These units are serving a total of nine customers in the Huizhou Daya Bay Chemical Industrial Park, located in Huizhou, Guangdong, China, including the CNOOC and Shell petrochemical complex.

"This project not only expands our relationship with CNOOC, but also enables us to build density and increase supply reliability to all of our valued customers in the park and throughout southern China,” said Will Li, president of Praxair China. “Praxair is driving further profitable growth through disciplined investment in select projects such as this one, and we look forward to building on our momentum in the region."
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Petron to use UOP technologies to expand refinery

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Honeywell has announced that Petron Corporation will expand and upgrade its Limay, Bataan refinery in the Philippines with technologies from Honeywell UOP, as per Hydrocarbonprocessing.

When the project is completed, the refinery will produce 75,000 barrels per day of refined fuels and 1 million tons per annum of aromatics, increasing its capacity by 55 percent, "Petron Corp. will expand and modernize its refinery in Limay, the Philippines to produce 75,000 bpd of refined fuels and 1 million tpa of aromatics."

"Petron Corp. will expand and modernize its refinery in Limay, the Philippines to produce 75,000 bpd of refined fuels and 1 million tpa of aromatics."

Honeywell UOP will provide the basic engineering design, licensing and services for a condensate fractionation unit, naphtha hydrotreater, and UOP CCR Platforming, Sulfolane, LPG and kerosene Merox and distillate Unionfining units. These technologies will enable Petron to meet growing domestic demand for motor fuels by upgrading 100,000 barrels per day of condensates and light crude oils to aromatics and automotive fuels.

"This is a major expansion of refining capacity in the Philippines, and it will help the country satisfy its growing demand for cleaner-burning gasoline and diesel with domestic production," said John Gugel, president of Honeywell UOP. "The expansion also adds a second aromatics train for Petron so it can better meet the growing demand for those products in the region."

With a population of 104 million people, the Philippines imported 46 percent of its gasoline, 59 percent of its diesel and 69 percent of its liquefied petroleum gas in 2017.

Honeywell UOP’s CCR Platforming process produces reformate for high-octane, low-sulfur gasoline and aromatics, and is a reliable, continuous source of high-purity hydrogen for the production of other fuel products. Its Sulfolane process recovers high purity benzene and toluene from reformate.

The Merox process treats the naphtha feedstock to meet product specifications, while distillate Unionfining is a hydrotreating process that removes contaminants from feed streams.

As MRC informed previously, in April 2012, Petron Corp. announced that its oil and gas affiliate completed the acquisition of the downstream oil unit of ExxonMobil in Malaysia.

Petron Corporation is the largest oil refining and marketing company in the Philippines, supplying nearly 40 percent of the country’s oil requirements. Petron operates an integrated crude oil refinery and petrochemicals complex with a rated capacity of 180,000 barrels per day in Limay, Bataan. Its refinery processes crude oil into a full range of petroleum products including gasoline, diesel, liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), jet fuel, kerosene, industrial fuel oil, and petrochemical feedstock benzene, toluene, mixed xylene, and propylene.
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