Milacron appoints Michael Jones as new president of plastics processing unit

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Industrial technology supplier Milacron Holdings Corp. has promoted from within, naming Michael Jones as the new president of its plastics processing unit, formally named Advanced Plastics Processing Technologies (APPT), for the Americas and Europe, said Canplastocs.

Jones has held a number of senior leadership roles within Cincinnati, Ohio-based Milacron since joining the company in 2015.

In his new role, he will oversee the APPT refreshed machinery portfolio and will continue to expand Milacron’s plastics processing machinery lines, including the recently launched Cincinnati large tonnage product line and the new Q-Series injection molding line.

"I am honoured to be appointed to lead the APPT Americas and Europe businesses, and I look forward to continuing to build upon Milacron’s leadership position by offering the service, the technology and the machinery required by plastics processing customers," Jones said in a statement.

Prior to joining Milacron, Jones served in a number of senior leadership roles with GE Aviation and Hill-Rom. He began his career at PwC in the global tax consulting group. He is a graduate of the University of Kentucky with a B.S. in Accounting, and also an MBA from The Ohio State University.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Styrolution Canada, joined industry trade group Chemistry Industry Association of Canada (CIAC), said Chimiecanadienne.

Styrolution Canada’s Sarnia-Lambton, Ontario facility employs approximately 90 employees and supplies styrene to INEOS Styrolution downstream polystyrene operations as well as customers throughout North America.

In 2018, INEOS Styrolution announced a partnership with Canada-based companies ReVital Polymers and Pyrowave to use advanced technology to chemically recycle polystyrene packaging collected in consumer recycling systems.

"We are excited to join the CIAC," said Brian Lucas, Site Director at Styrolution Canada’s Sarnia-Lambton, Ontario facility. "Styrolution Canada is committed to continuous improvement to make our products and processes safer and more sustainable. We feel joining the similar-minded solution providers and world-class stewardship innovators that make up CIAC’s membership will be a great fit for us."

"CIAC is very pleased to welcome Styrolution Canada as a full member," said Bob Masterson, CIAC President and CEO. “We look forward to helping the company achieve its business objectives by developing a more competitive public policy environment for chemical producers in Canada.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Taita Chemical (part of USI Corporation) is in plans to shut an acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) unit for maintenance, as per Apic-online.

A Polymerupdate source in Taiwan informed that the company is likely to commence turnaround at the unit in mid-April, 2019. The plant is expected to remain under maintenance for around two weeks.

Located in Kaoshiung, Taiwan, the plant has a production capacity of 100,000 mt/year.

Usi Group Ltd was founded in 2001. The company's line of business includes the wholesale distribution of durable goods. The company produces various kinds of polymers, including polyethylene (PE), ethylene-vynil-acetate (EVA), ABS, etc.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- On the heels of several acquisitions, Montreal’s Intertape Polymer Group Inc. (IPG) delivered what it calls “solid results” in 2018, increasing its revenue by more than 17% to USD1,053 million compared to 2017, and by more than 21.2% to US$287.7 million in the fourth quarter of 2018 compared to Q4 2017, said Canplastics.

"We strengthened our product bundle with the addition of protective packaging solutions from the Polyair acquisition and expanded our geographic and competitive footprint with the acquisition of Maiweave,” IPG president and CEO Greg Yull said in a statement. "As we move into 2019, we are actively integrating these businesses, as well as delivering on the synergies from the prior acquisitions of Cantech and Airtrax. Our main priorities in 2019 are commissioning the two Indian facilities on time and on budget by mid-year, scaling production at those facilities and the second Midland production line, and driving cost and revenue synergies in Cantech, Polyair and Maiweave."

Yull also noted that IPG has invested more than US$160 million in a capital program in the past two years, including approximately US$63 million in three new greenfield facilities, including the second line at the Midland, North Carolina facility for water-activated tapes and in India at IPG’s carton sealing tapes and woven products facilities.

IPG acquired Polyair in July 2018 for US$146 million. The privately held company has dual headquarters in Toronto and Chicago, and supplies bubble cushioning, foam, mailers and air pillow systems, which IPG describes as being complementary to its business. In December 2018, IPG bought substantially all of the operating assets of Maiweave LLC for US$21 million; Maiweave is a private company based in Springfield, Ohio and an integrated U.S. manufacturer of engineered coated polyolefin fabrics that employs approximately 75 team-members at two manufacturing facilities.

Looking ahead, IPG has forecast its 2019 revenue to be between USD1,180 and USD1,220 million, barring unforeseen developments.

IPG, which has corporate headquarters in Montreal and Sarasota, Fla., develops, manufactures, and sells a variety of paper and film-based pressure-sensitive and water-activated tapes, polyethylene, and specialized polyolefin films, woven coated fabrics, and complementary packaging systems for industrial and retail use.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Korea Petrochemical Industry Co (KPIC) is in plans to take off-stream its steam cracker for maintenance turnaround, according to Apic-online.

A Polymerupdate source in South Korea informed that the company is likely to halt operations at the cracker in end-March, 2019. The cracker is slated to remain under maintenance for around one month.

Located at Onsan city in South Korea, the cracker has an ethylene production capacity of 800,000 mt/year and propylene capacity of 500,000 mt/year.

As MRC wrote before, in 2017, the company shut its sole steam cracker in Onsan for debottlenecking and a turnaround from mid-April to mid-June. Under KPIC's expansion program, the steam cracker's ethylene production capacity rose to 800,000 mt/year from 470,000 mt/year, and its propylene capacity - to 500,000 mt/year from 230,000 mt/year.
MRC