PVC imports to Ukraine fell by 28% in January-August 2018

MOSCOW (MRC) - Imports of suspension polyvinyl chloride (SPVC) into Ukraine decreased by 32% in the first eight months of this year, compared to the same period in 2017 and reached about 49,100 tonnes. The main reason is the resumption of own production, according to MRC DataScope.

Last month's SPVC imports to the Ukrainian market grew to 5,400 tonnes from 4,900 tonnes in July, with K70 PVC accounting for the main increase. In general, the total volume of imports of the SPVC amounted to 49,100 tonnes in January-August of this year against 72,400 tonnes a year earlier, the dependence on imports in all directions decreased, most of the demand for PVC was covered by Karpatneftekhim, which resumed production last July after a long shutdown.

Structure of PVC imports into Ukraine over the reported period was as follows.

Last month's imports of US SPVC grew to 2,700 tonnes from 2,500 tonnes in July. Thus, imports of US resin totalled 31,300 tonnes in the first eight months of 2018, compared to 32,900 tonnes a year earlier. February-March accounted for the peak of imports.

August imports of European PVC into Ukraine were 2,700 tonnes, from 2,400 tonnes a month earlier. Total imports of European PVC into Ukraine were about 16,500 tonnes in the first eight months of the year, compared with 25,600 tonnes year on year.


MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Engineering thermoplastics supplier Polyplastics Co., Ltd. has announced the merger with its affiliate Topas Advanced Polymers, Inc. (TAP), as per GV.

The merger will add Topas cyclic olefin copolymer (COC) resins to Polyplastics USA’s existing portfolio of POM (acetal), polybutylene terephthalate (PBT), and polyphenylene sulfide (PPS) engineering polymers. The combined business will be headquartered at Polyplastics USA’s existing offices in Farmington Hills, MI, USA.

The merger will have no effect on TAP’s European arm, TAP GmbH, which will continue to manufacture COC in Oberhausen, Germany, and handle sales for Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA).

As MRC wrote before, in early September 2016, Polyplastics Co., Ltd. reached agreement with Teijin Limited for a move, under which WinTech Polymer Ltd., a producer of thermoplastic polyester resin, acquired all WinTech Polymer shares then owned by Teijin, effective September 30. Pursuant to this stock acquisition, WinTech Polymer became a wholly owned subsidiary of Polyplastics, while carrying on all of its existing business operations in their current status.

The Polyplastics Group, as a top supplier of engineering plastics whose Fuji Plant in Japan; Dafa Plant in Kaohsiung, Taiwan; and Nantong Plant in mainlandChina have a combined yearly compound production capacity of 150,000 tons, will continue to make every effort to provide customers with a stable supply of products in the aim of further increasing customer satisfaction.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- The next Fakuma show for the plastics processing industry is just around the corner, and materials supplier ELIX Polymers will present its innovations, as per the company's press release.

"These innovations are the result of our strong emphasis on product differentiation and some significant investments in R&D that make us stand out from suppliers of commodity ABS products," says Antonio Prunera, Head of Quality and Business Development.

Products to be featured at Fakuma 2018 include:

- plating grades for high-visibility automotive parts and for the sanitary industry;
- high-heat ABS for demanding automotive applications;
- specialty grades for consumer goods that benefit from such features as chemical resistance, laser-markability and very high flow;
- special ABS grades optimized for 3D printing using FFF/FDM technologies.

Making their debut at the show will be CC (Chemical Compliance) grades for applications where specifiers are increasingly concerned about the regulatory aspects of materials from which products are made. These include as toys, cosmetic containers, and products that come into contact with food. Reinforced standards applied during production of CC grades will enable ELIX to offer additional guarantees on regulatory compliance during the lifetime of finished products. The CC line comes with a package of extended services that will help OEMs carry out their product verification and stewardship processes.

ELIX Polymers is a specialist in the production of ABS (acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene) and SAN (styrene-acrylonitrile), and high-performance compounds blends based on these polymers, as well as polymer modifiers. It has major customers all around the world.

As MRC reported before, in June 2018, ELIX Polymers announced a new investment amounting to 4 million euros, whose objective is to optimize its ABS powder production facilities.

Located in a major chemical park in Tarragona, Spain, ELIX Polymers operates one of the largest ABS production sites in Europe. The operation starts in 1975, when the Tarragona ABS and SAN production plant was inaugurated. Its operations include five ABS compounding lines producing over 40 specialty grades, with more than 300 colour options. The company is also becoming more global in its operations: in late 2016, it took an important step in improving its services to North American customers when it opened a central warehouse for the region in New Jersey and reinforced the team at its main office in Florida. In China meanwhile, distribution partner Yixin Resources Co., which also provides technical and logistic services for customers, is helping ELIX Polymers gain new business with major local and international companies.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Lubrizol has announced the selection of Apta, Vinmar Group, as new distributor for its TPU portfolio throughout Brazil, as per GV.

Apta has warehouses and office facilities strategically located in Sao Leopoldo-RS, Joinville-SC and Sao Paulo-SP. The agreement, which took effect on 17 April 2018, includes the Estane, Isoplast, Pearlbond, Pearlstick, Pearlcoat, Pearlthane, and Carbo-Rite product lines.

As MRC informed earlier, in February 2018, Lubrizol launched two thermoplastic polyurethane resins for hot melt adhesives (HMAs). The products belong to the plasticiser-free Pearlbond 300 TPU series that stands out for its low activation temperatures and good bonding properties to various substrates.

The Lubrizol Corporation, a Berkshire Hathaway company, is an innovative specialty chemical company that apart from its production develops and supplies technologies to customers in the global transportation, industrial and consumer markets. Lubrizol is providing innovative solutions for its customers high-performance application needs and remains committed to ongoing investment in its CPVC capabilities that support future growth. With headquarters in Wickliffe, Ohio, Lubrizol owns and operates manufacturing facilities in 17 countries, as well as sales and technical offices around the world. Founded in 1928, Lubrizol has approximately 8,000 employees worldwide.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- SENER has signed a contract with the owner Rimorchiatori Riuniti Panfido & C.s.r.l for delivering the basic engineering and technical assistance in the construction of a liquefied natural gas (LNG) SBBT unit, which will operate in Italy and the Adriatic, said Hydrocarbonprocessing.

Panfido is one of the most important tug and barge owners in Europe, with 130 years of experience in marine services. This project is co-funded by the European Union through the Poseidon MED II program.

This new contract consolidates SENER’s role as a pioneer in the design of innovative LNG marine technology units. In this regard, the SBBT unit’s design is a combination of an LNG fueled tractor tug (powered unit) and an LNG bunkering non-propelled pontoon of 4,000 m3 (cargo unit).

The tug will be designed and constructed as a dual fuel driven, towing, escorting, rescue, supply and salvage tug, propelled by Voith and with 65 tons of bollard pull. For its part, the pontoon will have a storage capacity of 4,000 m3 of LNG and 1,000 m3 of marine diesel oil (MDO), and it will be used for bunkering service. Among other benefits, SENER’s innovative design focuses on wave signature and ballast water management.

SENER has announced this new contract in the framework of the 2018 edition of the Gastech exhibition and conference that takes place in Barcelona (Spain) from September 17 to 20. The company is showing at Gastech (in its booth n? G175) its floating solutions in LNG, where SENER is able to offer an integral project of the entire LNG value chain using its own technology and engineering.

With more than €2.5 billion in LNG contracts and references as EPC contractor such as Sagunto in Spain, Dunkirk in France, Zeebrugge in Belgium or Gate terminal in the Netherlands. SENER has become a leader in the LNG sector, applying technologies developed in-house.

Besides, SENER has developed a comprehensive project portfolio in marine and naval architecture since its foundation, in 1956, as a marine engineering company. On this regard, SENER has developed its own bunkering vessel with an innovative design using its own CAD/CAM/CAE shipbuilding software FORAN, which is one of the advanced solutions presented at Gastech.
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