PP imports to Ukraine rose by 4% in January-February 2019

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Overall polypropylene (PP) imports to the Ukrainian market totalled 19,600 tonnes in the first two months of 2019, up by 5% year on year. Demand for all grades of propylene polymers increased, with some propylene copolymers being the exception, as per MRC's DataScope report.

February PP imports into Ukraine rose to 11,400 tonnes from 8,100 tonnes a month earlier, with propylene homopolymer (homopolymer PP) accounting for the main increase. Overall imports of propylene polymers reached 19,600 tonnes in January-February 2019, compared to 18,700 tonnes a year earlier. Imports of homopolymer PP and propylene block copolymers (PP-block) increased, whereas shipments of other grades of propylene polymers decreased.

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

January imports of homopolymers of propylene to the Ukrainian market grew to 9,100 tonnes from 5,800 tonnes a month earlier, local companies increased purchasing of homopolymer PP raffia in the Middle East and Azerbaijan. Overall shipments of homopolymer PP reached 14,900 tonnes in the first two months of 2019 versus 14,000 tonnes a year earlier.

Last month's imports of PP block copolymers fell to 1,100 tonnes, which virtually corresponds to the figure of January. 2,200 tonnes of PP block copolymers were imported over the stated period, whereas this figure was 11,900 tonnes a year earlier.

February imports of statistical propylene copolymers (PP random copolymer) also remained at the level of January, totalling 1,100 tonnes. Overall imports of PP random copolymers exceeded 2,200 tonnes in January-February 2019, whereas this figure was 2,400 tonnes a year earlier.

Overall imports of other propylene copolymers were about 300 tonnes over the stated period.

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MOSCOW (MRC) -- New York State lawmakers have agreed to impose a statewide ban on most types of single-use plastic bags from retail sales, changing a way of life for millions of New Yorkers as legislators seek to curb an unsightly and omnipresent source of litter, as per The New York Times.

The plan, proposed a year ago by Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo, would be the second statewide ban, after California, which banned bags in 2016. Hawaii also effectively has a ban in place, since all the state’s counties bar such single-use bags.

New York’s ban, which would begin next March, would forbid stores to provide customers with single-use plastic bags, which are nonbiodegradable and have been blamed for everything from causing gruesome wildlife deaths to thwarting recycling efforts.

The ban, which is expected to be part of the state’s budget bills that are slated to be passed by Monday, would have a number of carveouts, including food takeout bags used by restaurants, bags used to wrap deli or meat counter products and bags for bulk items. Newspaper bags would also be exempted, as would garment bags and bags sold in bulk, such as trash or recycling bags.
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MOSCOW (MRC) -- Air Liquide inaugurates its Tokyo Innovation Campus in Yokosuka, Japan, said the company.

This newest Campus for Air Liquide illustrates the Group’s open innovation approach, with a focus on energy transition & environment, healthcare, and digital transformation. The facility house Air Liquide’s Research & Development teams as well as digital and process specialists in a state-of-the art new 8,000-square-meter site with 8 laboratories and 6 pilot platforms. The Tokyo Innovation Campus, which represents an investment of 50 million euros, will gather nearly 200 employees, including researchers, digital specialists, experts in customer applications, as well as teams dedicated to exploring new markets.

In particular, the new Campus will focus on developing advanced materials, especially for the manufacture of ‘next generation’ semiconductors, flexible displays, energy storage and distribution. It will also accelerate the development of solutions to improve energy efficiency, reduce carbon footprint, and develop new energies, such as hydrogen energy and biomethane. Special features of the Campus include laboratories and pilot platforms equipped to facilitate research and development undertaken in collaboration with customers as well as startups or academic partners. These facilities provide testing technologies to mimic customers’ production processes in order to better meet customers needs and to achieve faster time-to-market.

With this new facility, Air Liquide completes its renovation of a global network of five Innovation Campuses in Europe, the United States and Asia. At a global level, 4,000 employees work in entities dedicated to innovation for the development and the market launch of new offerings and technologies in close cooperation with partners. Francois Abrial, member of the Air Liquide Group’s Executive Committee supervising Asia Pacific, said: “The highly impressive new Tokyo Innovation Campus offers a clear illustration of Air Liquide’s focus on customer-centric innovation. This Innovation campus, which combines scientific expertise with the capacity to develop technologies and digital solutions, allows us to work efficiently with the full spectrum of Japan’s Innovative ecosystem.

It will support our growth by enhancing our capacity to better serve our customers and patients, and shows our continued commitment to investing in Japan, as the most innovative company in our industry for Asia and the world.” A world leader in gases, technologies and services for Industry and Health, Air Liquide is present in 80 countries with approximately 66,000 employees and serves more than 3.6 million customers and patients. Oxygen, nitrogen and hydrogen are essential small molecules for life, matter and energy. They embody Air Liquide’s scientific territory and have been at the core of the company’s activities since its creation in 1902. Air Liquide’s ambition is to be a leader in its industry, deliver long term performance and contribute to sustainability.

The company’s customer-centric transformation strategy aims at profitable growth over the long term. It relies on operational excellence, selective investments, open innovation and a network organization implemented by the Group worldwide. Through the commitment and inventiveness of its people, Air Liquide leverages energy and environment transition, changes in healthcare and digitization, and delivers greater value to all its stakeholders.
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MOSCOW (MRC) -- Wood has been awarded a new contract by Sinochem Quanzhou Petrochemical for its 1MTA ethylene and refinery expansion project being built in Quanzhou, in the Fujian province of southeast China, reported Hydrocarbonprocessing.

The contract grows Wood’s relationship with Sinochem following the successful completion of engineering consultancy services to the development in 2018.

The company will provide engineering, procurement and construction management (EPCM) services as part of the contract, secured by SZPE Amec Foster Wheeler (SAFW), Wood’s joint venture in China. The project will be delivered by Wood’s engineering and project management teams in Shanghai and on-site in Quanzhou, with support from its UK business.

In this new scope of services, Wood will deliver the EPCM and project management services to the offsite utilities portion of the project consisting of site wide pipe racks, power supply, road lighting, telecommunications, power distribution and monitoring cables.

Dave Stewart, CEO of Wood’s Asset Solutions business in Europe, Africa, Asia and Australia, comments: “This new contract demonstrates our strong relationship with Sinochem and their confidence in our extensive EPCM capability and experience of delivering site-wide utilities systems for large-scale integrated projects.

"We look forward to executing this important contract safely and sustainably and are proud to be part of this growing development which further exemplifies our leading position in China’s downstream sector."

Ryan Ren, SAFW president, adds: "We are delighted to continue our work supporting Sinochem on this multibillion-dollar expansion project which will play a significant role in the development of their downstream business and economic development of the Fujian Province, boosting the local supply chain."

As MRC wrote previously, in October 2017, Wood was awarded a new multi-million dollar contract by Total, supporting their Lindsey Oil Refinery located in North Killinghome, Lincolnshire, UK. The 5-yr contract is to provide onshore maintenance services and includes the option to be extended up to 2 yr.
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MOSCOW (MRC) -- The US Environmental Protection Agency is likely to release its decisions on applications for small refinery waivers from the US biofuel laws for 2018 in April, reported Reuters with reference to three sources familiar with the matter.

One of the sources said the 2018 waiver decisions could come in a couple of weeks. But refiners were expecting to find out about their petitions before the end of the month, which is the deadline for proving compliance under the US Renewable Fuel Standard for the 2018 calendar year.

The RFS requires refiners to blend certain volumes of biofuels like ethanol each year or purchase blending credits from those that do. But small facilities with a capacity of less than 75,000 barrels per day that can prove compliance would cause them significant financial strain can seek exemptions.

The EPA granted an additional 2017 small refinery waivers from the nation’s biofuel laws, bringing the tally to 35, the agency disclosed on Thursday.

The EPA vastly expanded the program under President Donald Trump, granting waivers to plants of oil majors, including Exxon Mobil Corp and Chevron Corp, drawing ire from the corn industry, a key Trump constituency. The number of small refinery exemptions granted grew from seven in 2015 to at least 35 in 2017, EPA data shows.

There is still one outstanding application for 2017, EPA data shows.

The RFS program has been an economic boom for corn farmers in the Midwest, but merchant refiners say it has added hundreds of millions of dollars in compliance costs.
For 2018, there are a total of 39 petitions pending, according to EPA’s website.

The EPA was not immediately available to comment.
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