PP production in Russia up by 2.2% in January-September 2018

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Russia's overall production of polypropylene (PP) fell in January-September 2018 by 2.2% year on year, totalling about 1.073 mln tonnes. At the same time, only three Russian producers from seven ones increased their PP output, according to MRC ScanPlast report.

September output of polypropylene by local producers decreased to 118,800 tonnes against 125,100 tonnes a month earlier, the most decrease accounted for Ufaorgsintez’s shutdown. Russia's overall PP production reached 1.073 mln tonnes in the first nine months of 2018, compared to 1.050,200 tonnes a year earlier. Only Neftekhimiya, Poliom and Ufaorgsintez managed to increase production figures.

The structure of PP production by plants looked the following way over the stated period.

Sibur Tobolsk kept capacity utilisation in September at the high level, total polypropylene production reached 45,600 tonnes, which virtually corresponded to the figure a month earlier. The Tobolsk plant's total PP production reached 365,200 tonnes in the first nine months of 2018, down by 2% year on year. The decline in production was a result of an early shutdown in prevention this year.

Poliom (Titan Group) last month produced about 18,000 tonnes of polypropylene, compared with 19,400 tonnes in August. Total PP production at the plant over the reported period was about 165,900 tonnes, up 3% year on year.

Nizhnekamskneftekhim produced 18,300 tonnes of propylene polymers in September versus 18,800 tonnes a month earlier. Total polymer output at Nizhnekamskneftekhim in January-September was practically at the level of last year - about 160,700 tonnes.

Tomskneftekhim produced about 11,900 tonnes of propylene polymers last month against 8,300 tonnes in August, the low indicator of in the last month of the summer was caused by the scheduled maintenance works. The Tomsk plant's PP output reached 103,700 tonnes in the first nine months of 2018, compared to 105,000 tonnes a year earlier.

Ufaorgsintez's PP output fell to 6,200 tonnes in September from 11,300 tonnes a month earlier, the producer shut down its production capacities for a month long turnaround on 20 September. Overall output of polymer at the Ufa plant rose to 94,700 tonnes in January-September 2018, compared to 91,900 tonnes a year earlier.

Neftekhimiya (Kapotnya) last month produced about 9,400 tonnes of PP, compared with 11,900 tonnes in August. The plant's overall PP output reached 99,100 tonnes over the stated period, up 30% year on year. A low indicator of the current year was a result of a long scheduled maintenance works in March-April.

Stavrolen (LUKOIL) produced 9,500 tonnes of propylene polymers in the country compared with 9,800 tonnes in August. Overall production of propylene polymers at the Budenovsk plant reached 83,600 tonnes in the first nine months of 2018, which practically corresponded to the figure a year earlier.


MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Merck recently celebrated the opening of its new packaging center at the science and technology company’s headquarters in Darmstadt, Germany, as per Businessfacilities.

"Darmstadt is our prime hub for the manufacturing of medicines and it plays a key role in our plans for future growth,” said Stefan Oschmann, Chairman of the Executive Board and CEO of Merck. “This latest investment in a new state-of-the-art packaging center reflects our commitment to our headquarters and is a compelling example of how we use the latest technological advances to always better serve our patients."

The new 161,458-square-foot facility will be dedicated to the packaging and shipping of Merck’s current portfolio of pharma medicines in more than 90 countries and help meet increasing patient needs for flagship medicines Glucophage®, Concor and Euthyrox in the areas of diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and thyroid disorders respectively. It will also provide capacity for potential future pharma products currently in clinical development such as evobrutinib in the area of neurology-immunology or tepotinib in the area of oncology.

With its eight fully automated packaging lines and robotized logistics, the new packaging center will have the capacity to process more than 210 million boxes of medicines every year. It is designed to incorporate a broad range of new technologies such as the tracking and tracing of medicines to prevent counterfeit, or smart packaging to ensure more flexibility to adapt the production of medicines to patient demand. The new packaging center is also designed to comply with the highest international standards in terms of quality, environment, health and safety.

The new pharma packaging center represents an investment of USD73 million over the 2015-2018 period and is part of a wider USD1 billion investment up to 2020 transforming the Darmstadt site into contemporary global headquarters.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Shanghai Golden Phillips Petrochemical Co has shut a high density polyethylene (HDPE) plant for a maintenance turnaround, as per Apic-online.

A Polymerupdate source in China informed that the company has halted operations at its plant over the weekend. The plant is likely to be brought on-stream in mid-November 2018.

Located in Shanghai, China, the HDPE plant has a production capacity of 135,000 mt/year.

As MRC reported earlier, the company shut down its HDPE plant in Shanghai from end-May to 13 June, 2017, owing to a lack of feedstock availability.

Besides, it was taken off-stream for a turnaround from 14 August to 12 September, 2018.

China Petrochemical Corporation (Sinopec Group) is a super-large petroleum and petrochemical enterprise group established in July 1998 on the basis of the former China Petrochemical Corporation. Sinopec Group's key business activities include the exploration and production of oil and natural gas, petrochemicals and other chemical products, oil refining.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Ferrero USA, the global confectionery company known for brands such as Ferrero Rocher, Nutella, Tic Tac and Kinder Joy, will invest USD9 million to expand its industrial facility in Franklin Township, NJ., as per Businessfacilities.

The expansion project will add nearly 100 local jobs and bring the facility to a total of 67,000 square feet of packaging and warehousing space.

"We are proud to do business in Franklin Township, and we’re thrilled to be expanding our existing operations here," said Paul Chibe, Ferrero North America president and CEO. “This renovation demonstrates the ongoing commitment Ferrero has to doing business in the state of New Jersey, and we’re confident this will continue to be a successful partnership for us all."

Since 2016, Ferrero has invested USD12 million into the Somerset County facility to ensure the successful launch of Kinder Joy, an egg-shaped package that holds a sweet treat on one side and a surprise toy on the other, which was previously available outside of North America. Since its U.S. debut in November 2017, Kinder Joy surpassed all Ferrero and industry targets for a new product, with more than 90 million eggs sold. The success of Kinder Joy in the U.S. led to this latest investment.

Last year, Ferrero USA employed up to 500 seasonal employees through local agencies. With the investments, the total number of employees is estimated to grow up to 600 seasonal employees. The location currently employs 35 salaried employees with an additional four salaried employees expected in 2019.

Founded as a family business in Alba, Italy in 1946, Ferrero is the third-largest confectionery company in the world, with distribution in over 170 countries, and a workforce of more than 30,000 people across 55 countries. Ferrero has committed to sourcing only 100% certified as sustainable cocoa by 2020.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Petrofac, the international oil and gas services provider, leading a consortium with Saipem S.p.A. (Saipem) and Samsung Engineering Co Ltd (Samsung), has received an award notification for Thai Oil Public Company Limited’s (Thai Oil) Clean Fuels Project on the East coast of Thailand, as per Hydrocarbonprocessing.

Samsung Engineering’s share for this project is around USD1.1 billion USD. The project objective is to produce higher quality transportation fuel, lower feedstock cost and also to expand the capacity of the largest refinery project in Sriracha, Thailand.

The project will increase daily crude throughput from 275,000 barrels to 400,000 barrels. Major new process units include Crude Distillation Unit (CDU), Vacuum Distillation Unit (VDU), Hydrocracker Unit (HCU) as well as a Residue Hydrocracker Unit (RHCU). Further, the scope of work includes improvements and expansion on the existing facility and provision of the utilities and supportive facilities to this project. The project is expected to be completed over a period of approximately four years.

With this order, Samsung Engineering has expanded its business relationship with Thai Oil and strengthened the base of the Thai market. Samsung Engineering has been actively engaging and providing their services to Thailand since entering the market in 1991. Thai Oil’s CFP will be the 24th project Samsung Engineering will deliver to Thailand.

Sung An Choi, President and CEO of Samsung Engineering said: "We are proud and honored to have received this contract and further are excited to provide clean fuel to Thai Oil. With our experience and successfully delivery of numerous projects to Thailand for more than 20 years, we are looking forward to provide a safe and proficient project with our partners for Thai Oil."

Sunder Kalyanam, Group Managing Director for Petrofac’s Engineering & Construction Growth business said: "We are delighted to have secured this contract and to be leading the consortium on the delivery of an important project that will enhance the country’s long-term energy stability and economic development, and boost its output of high-quality clean fuels. We look forward to the safe and efficient delivery of this project for Thai Oil."

As MRC informed earlier, in October 2018, McDermott International, Inc. was awarded a sizeable technology contract for Map Ta Phut Olefins Co., Ltd.'s (MOC) petrochemical plant in Rayong Province, Thailand. MOC is a joint venture company of SCG Chemicals Company Limited, which is a wholly owned subsidiary of SCG, and the Dow Chemical Company. McDermott will provide the basic engineering and license of Lummus' olefins technology and will design and supply the proprietary SRT III heater for the MOC Debottleneck Project, a parallel gas cracker added to increase plant capacity which will utilize Lummus' side cracker technology, including a low pressure chilling train and enhanced binary refrigeration.
MRC