Mixer Compounds and Teknor Apex become new members of EuMBC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Mixer Compounds and Teknor Apex have joined the European Masterbatchers and Compounders Association (EuMBC), which now counts 17 members, reported GV.

"EuMBC is delighted to welcome two new companies. It is great to see our membership growing constantly. Mixer Compounds and Teknor Apex give our association an even more important voice in Europe. We are looking forward to working together with the two new members on common goals," stated EuMBC president Marc Cornu, Ampacet.

As MRC wrote previously, in May 2018, Teknor Apex announced that it had developed a series of flexible PVC injection moulding compounds that have been used successfully in automotive window encapsulation.

Mixer SpA is an Italian compound producer, focusing on compounds for cable insulation, jacketing and bedding to improve the fire resistance of the final cable and using both rubber and thermoplastics compounds.

Teknor Apex is an European/American compounder with six divisions: Teknor Color, Vinyl, Thermoplastic Elastomer, Engineering Thermoplastics, Chemicals and Garden Hose.
MRC

Mexican new government may halt oil auctions indefinitely - document

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Mexico’s incoming government is considering indefinitely suspending auctions for oil and gas projects, and giving state-owned Pemex authority to pick its own joint-venture partners rather than holding competitive tenders, according to policy guidelines seen by Reuters.

The document, drafted by energy advisers to leftist President-elect Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, also recommends forging closer ties with leading oil producer cartel OPEC while withdrawing from the International Energy Agency (IEA), which represents the interest of oil-consuming countries.

It was not clear to what extent the guidelines would translate into formal policy after Lopez Obrador takes office in December. They would be a sharp break with outgoing President Enrique Pena Nieto’s 2013 constitutional overhaul, which opened up production and exploration to private oil companies.

Since ending Pemex’s decades-long monopoly, Pena Nieto’s government has forecast hundreds billions of dollars in investment from over 100 new contracts awarded to mostly foreign and private oil companies. The new guidelines would return greater responsibility for the sector to the government.

"The terms for formalizing partnerships or associations will be established by Pemex’s board of directors, according to the law," states the 33-page document. The guidelines call for "an indefinite suspension of international exploration and production auctions".

The document confirms the next government’s intention to review how contracts were awarded under Pena Nieto’s energy policy, especially reasons why signature bonuses were not required for some licenses awarded by oil regulator, the National Hydrocarbons Commision (CNH).

Lopez Obrador vigorously opposed the reform, but his broad coalition is divided over the issue. Business-friendly aides back greater private investment in the oil and gas sector while more nationalist allies oppose it. Rocio Nahle, Lopez Obrador’s designated energy minister, is a critic of the outgoing government’s policy, but incoming chief-of-staff Alfonso Romo supports the opening to the private sector.

While the outgoing administration has sought to grant private producers total control over how to market their oil, the new guidelines would give the government more say over oil trading, with the intention of "supporting domestic supply."

In June, production from projects won at auction by private and foreign oil companies plus Pemex’s Ogarrio and Cardenas-Mora joint ventures, was about 54,000 bpd of crude, according to CNH data.

These volumes are small compared with Pemex’s July crude output of 1.84 million bpd, but the state-run company has been unable to reverse a decline in output since 2005.

Lopez Obrador aims to boost Mexico’s oil production by a third to 2.5 million barrels per day (bpd), as well as increase very low refinery processing rates and build at least one new refinery.

But his advisors have not been clear when explaining what will happen with Pemex joint ventures, one of the few strategies the firm has successfully implemented to attract investment.

An early sign of Lopez Obrador’s rejection of current energy policy was his call during the campaign to suspend two auctions scheduled for the autumn, including tenders to pick new equity partners for Pemex.

The auctions have been pushed back to February and it was not clear if Lopez Obrador will allow them to proceed.

The guidelines say Pemex’s exploration and production tie-ups would be postponed “until the scheme is modified and (partnerships) are registered in a long-term strategic plan."

Pemex has so far secured partnerships for the USD11-billion deepwater Trion project as well as in the onshore fields Ogarrio and Cardenas-Mora in the southern Gulf coast state of Tabasco.

The document states the incoming government is also considering leaving the IEA and would explore "the possibility of a closer approach and better coordination" with the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC).

As MRC wrote earlier, in June 2018, Petroleos Mexicanos disclosed the results of the bidding process for the rehabilitation and commissioning works to be carried out on the H-Oil Plant located in the Miguel Hidalgo refinery in Tula, in the state of Hidalgo. This project will increase the production of ultra-low sulphur gasoline, in compliance with environmental regulations in effect, and the handling of crude oil for production of other fuels, such as diesel and jet fuel.

Pemex, Mexican Petroleum, is a Mexican state-owned petroleum company. Pemex has a total asset worth of USD415.75 billion, and is the world's second largest non-publicly listed company by total market value, and Latin America's second largest enterprise by annual revenue as of 2009. Company produces such polymers, as polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), polystyrene (PS).
MRC

BASF launches E-TPU production facility in Taiwan

MOSCOW (MRC) -- BASF, inventor of the world's first Expanded Thermoplastic Polyurethane (E-TPU) Infinergy, has launched a new Infinergy production facility at its Changhua manufacturing site in Taiwan. The expanded capacity will meet growing demand for the revolutionary material solution across a variety of applications and industries, reported PublicNow.

'The Changhua production site will play a key role in helping us to meet the rising demand for E-TPU,' said Jens Dierssen, Head of Global Business Management Infinergy, BASF. 'With the new production facility, we are expanding our global footprint to better serve customers within the Asia Pacific region.'

'This investment reflects our commitment to the market, providing efficient production, timely qualification process to meet the growing market demands and customer needs. We are now even closer to the market and our customers, ' added Kin Wah Chay, Managing Director of BASF Taiwan.

The closed-cell, elastic particle foam has a unique blend of properties, such as high rebound, low density, durability over a wide temperature range, chemical resistance and low weight. This innovation is widely used in the transportation, furniture, construction and sports equipment, such as a bicycle saddle created by Ergon, a cycling innovation company based in Koblenz, Germany.

Ergon's bicycle saddles are comprised of two shells functioning in isolation from each other in a sandwich construction, held in a floating arrangement by the high-performance elastomer damper made of Infinergy.

In a three-wheeled concept vehicle, 05GEN from Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd., BASF's Infinergy was used in the tires to enhance the overall riding experience, and its characteristic cellular structure contributed to its striking design.

The material has also been adopted in construction, providing a safer and improved sporting experience on running track and playing fields, owing to the outstanding cushioning effect of the E-TPU particles.

As MRC reported before, in December 2017, BASF’s Coatings division inaugurated a new automotive coatings plant at its Bangpoo manufacturing site, Samutprakarn province, Thailand. The new plant is the first BASF automotive coatings manufacturing facility in ASEAN, and will produce solventborne and waterborne automotive coatings to meet growing market demand in the region.

BASF is the leading chemical company. It 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 about EUR58 billion in 2016.
MRC

Velocys and PQ partner for catalyst manufacturing

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Velocys plc, the renewable fuels company, has announced that it has partnered with PQ Corporation (PQ) for the supply of commercial quantities of Velocys’ proprietary catalyst to be used in multiple biorefineries incorporating its technology, according to Hydrocarbonprocessing.

PQ is a leading global provider of specialty catalysts, services, materials and chemicals for the refinery, emissions control and petrochemical industries.

Catalyst produced by PQ has already been used to successfully produce renewable transportation fuel and other products at ENVIA, the world’s first commercial smaller scale gas-to-liquids plant, which incorporates Velocys technology. In addition, PQ will manufacture the catalyst to be used by Velocys’ licensees as well as by the biorefinery projects that the company is developing with its industry partners, including its US biorefinery that will convert waste woody biomass into 20 million gallons per year of low-carbon transportation fuels and its plant in the UK that will convert waste into sustainable jet fuel.

"PQ has the proven capability to produce Velocys’ catalyst following our rigorous commercial production methodology. Our relationship with PQ gives us a great combination of a trusted and high-quality manufacturer who can deliver for us all over the world. After their successful production and deployment of our catalyst at the ENVIA biorefinery, we’re now ready to move to the next phase of catalyst manufacturing, with greater commercial quantities produced for future projects," Paul Schubert, COO of Velocys, said.

"Our highest priority is to safely manufacture, market and distribute products in a responsible manner that protects the environment. We do this, in part, by collaborating with our customers to create new products and technologies that further our mission. Our partnership with Velocys is a perfect example of this," David J. Taylor, PQ’s Executive Vice President and President – Environmental Catalysts and Services, said.
MRC

PP imports to Belarus rose by 7.5% in Jan-Jul 2018

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Overall imports of polypropylene (PP) into Belarus grew in the first seven months of 2018 by 7.5% year on year, totalling slightly over 58,300 tonnes. Demand increased for all grades of propylene polymers, according to MRC's DataScope report.

July PP imports into Belarus were 8,800 tonnes, compared to 8,400 tonnes a month earlier, local companies raised their purchasing of injection moulding propylene copolymers in Russia. Overall imports of propylene polymers reached 58,300 tonnes in January-July 2018, compared to 54,200 tonnes a year earlier, with propylene copolymers accounting for the greatest increase in demand.

The supply structure by PP grades looked the following way over the stated period.


July imports of homopolymers of propylene (homopolymer PP) to the Belarusian market dropped to 5,700 tonnes from 6,000 tonnes a month earlier, local companies reduced their purchases of homopolymer PP raffia in Russia. Overall imports of homopolymer PP reached 39,300 tonnes in the first seven months of 2018, up by 5.6% year on year. Russian producers with the share of about 89% of the total shipments were the key suppliers.

July imports of propylene copolymers to Belarus were 3,100 tonnes versus 2,300 tonnes a month earlier, local companies increased their procurement of injection moulding statistical copolymers (PP random copolymers) in Russia. Thus, overall imports of propylene copolymers reached 19,000 tonnes in January-July 2018, whereas this figure was 17,000 tonnes a year earlier.

MRC