Natural Farm collaborates with Braskem to package dog food in PE bioplastic

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Braskem, the largest polyolefins producer in the Americas and leading producer of biopolymers in the world, and Natural Farm, a leading provider of 100% natural pet food based in Atlanta, has recently announced the adoption of Braskem's I'm greenTM Polyethylene (PE) bioplastic for the consumer packaging of its Natural Farm'sTM line of high-quality pet food products, as per Plastemart.

Marcus Maximo, Founder and CEO of Natural Farm stated, "Natural Farm was founded on a passion for dogs and the love we share with our pets. Our mission is to provide the highest quality, all-natural chews for dogs of all shapes and sizes. We're delighted that as well as preparing the highest quality dog treats, we're equally focused on being responsible environmental stewards. We're excited to have found the perfect partner with Braskem and its I'm greenTM PE bioplastic, allowing Natural Farm so ensure we're being socially responsible with our packaging."

Natural Farm is one of the few companies in the pet retail space who own and operate their own facility and only source products from their own factory. This self-sufficiency gives Natural Farm unparalleled control and supervision at every stage of product manufacturing. The Natural Farm commitment stretches from its fields to its packaging, consistently supporting its people and the local communities where they live and operate. This spirit of "Care, Quality, and Transparency" extends to everything Natural Farm creates through its 360 Degree Plan towards sustainability. This includes integrating 51% bio-based, fossil fuel-free and fully recyclable, I'm green PE bioplastic into its packaging. Natural Farm also donates a portion of its proceeds to helping animals in local community shelters.

Joe Jankowski, commercial Manager for Braskem's Renewables team in North America, commented, "Natural Farm's dedication to providing high-quality pet food and their commitment to doing so in a responsible, eco-friendly manner makes Natural Farm a perfect match for Braskem's I'm greenTM PE bioplastic."

Cultivation of sugarcane used in the production of I'm greenTM Polyethylene captures carbon dioxide (CO2) and releases oxygen (O2), which means Braskem's bioplastic has a negative carbon footprint. From a cradle-to-gate life-cycle perspective, every 1kg of I'm greenTM PE used in the production process equates to 3.09 kg of CO2 captured from the atmosphere. I'm greenTM PE is part of Braskem's broader commitment to a more circular economy as well as more sustainable solutions for society as a whole.

As MRC informed earlier, in October 2019, Braskem, formally launched its new I'm green TM Recycled polypropylene (PP) in the United States. The roll-out of Braskem's new I'm green TM Recycled polypropylene represents one of the first new offerings under the expanded I'm green TM product portfolio.

We also remind that Braskem is no longer pursuing a petrochemical project, which would have included an ethane cracker, in West Virginia. And the company is seeking to sell the land that would have housed the cracker. The project, announced in 2013, had been on Braskem's back burner for several years.

According to MRC's ScanPlast report, Russia's estimated PE consumption totalled 1,589,580 tonnes in the first nine months of 2019, up by 7% year on year. Shipments of all PE grades increased. The estimated PP consumption in the Russian market was 976,790 tonnes in January-September 2019, up by 4% year on year. Shipments of PP block copolymer and homopolymer PP increased.

Braskem S.A. produces petrochemicals and generates electricity. The Company produces ethylene, propylene, benzene, toluene, xylenes, butadiene, butene, isoprene, dicyclopentediene, MTBE, caprolactam, ammonium sulfate, cyclohexene, polyethylene theraphtalat, polyethylene, and polyvinyl chloride (PVC).
MRC

EPS imports to Belarus up 4% in Jan-Sep 2019

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Imports of expandable polystyrene (EPS) into Belarus rose in the first three quarters of 2019 by 4% year on year, totalling 9,600 tonnes, according to MRC's DataScope report.


September EPS imports into the country grew by 2% from August to 1,210 tonnes from 1,190 tonnes. Imports of material to the Republic of Belarus were 1,130 tonnes in September 2018.

Russia is the main EPS importer to Belarus.

Imports of Russian material to the Belarusian market fell in the first nine months of 2019 by 15% year on year: from 7,200 tonnes in January-September 2018 to 6,100 tonnes. The share of EPS imports from Russia in the total shipments to the country also decreased in the first three quarters of 2019 to 63% from 72% a year earlier.

Shipments of Russian EPS to the region were 812 tonnes in September versus 834 tonnes in August, whereas imports of material were 788 tonnes in September 2018.

MRC

HIPS and GPPS imports to Belarus rise by 12% in Jan-Sep 2019

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Overall imports of general purpose polystyrene (GPPS) and high impact polystyrene (HIPS) to Belarus grew in the first three quarters of 2019 by 12% year on year to 28,800 tonnes, according to MRC's DataScope report.

This figure was at 25,800 tonnes in January-September 2018.


GPPS and HIPS imports from Russia into the country accounted for 81% of the total imports in the first nine months of 2019 or 23,500 tonnes, up by 2,700 tonnes year on year.

Imports of material to the Belarusian market did not change significantly in September, totalling 3,400 tonnes, as a year earlier. September GPPS and HIPS shipments into the country dropped by 4% from August 2019 (3,600 tonnes).

September 2019 imports of Russian material into Belarus decreased by 4% year on year to 2,900 tonnes from 3,000 tonnes a year earlier, August 2019 shipments were 2,900 tonnes.

MRC

HDPE production in Russia down by 8% in Jan-Oct 2019

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Russia's production of high density polyethylene (HDPE) totalled 729,500 tonnes in the first ten months of 2019, down by 8% year on year. Two producers out of three reduced their output, according to MRC's ScanPlast report.


October total HDPE production in Russia decreased to 34,300 tonnes, whereas this figure was 45,900 tonnes a month earlier. Low output in September-October was caused by shutdowns for maintenance at Stavrolen and Kazanorgsintez. Thus, overall HDPE production reached 729,500 tonnes in January-October 2019, compared to 795,900 tonnes a year earlier. A slight increase in Kazanorgsintez's production could not offset the decrease in the two other producers' output.

The structure of polyethylene (PE) production by plants looked the following way over the stated period.


Kazanorgsintez's total HDPE production fell to 16,700 tonnes in October from 32,300 tonnes a month earlier. The Kazan producer shut down its production for a turnaround from 26 September to 20 October. The Kazan plant's overall HDPE output reached 418,200 tonnes in January-October 2019, up by 1% year on year.

Stavrolen produced 7,100 tonnes last month, compared to 3,400 tonnes in September, the Budyonovsk producer shut its production capacities for maintenance from 6 September to 18 October. The plant's overall output reached 221,300 tonnes over the stated period, down by 8% year on year.

Gazprom neftekhim Salavat maintained high capacity utilisation in October, the plant's total production grew to 10,500 tonnes from 10,200 tonnes a month earlier. The Bashkir plant's overall HDPE production reached 87,500 tonnes in the first ten months of 2019, down by 13% year on year. Such a great reduction in HDPE production was caused by a long turnaround in July, whereas the Salavat producer did not shut its production capacities for maintenance last year.

Nizhnekamskneftekhim produced exclusively linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE) over the stated period.

MRC

Exxon aims to sell USD25 billion of assets to focus on mega-projects

MOSCOW (MRC) - Exxon Mobil plans to sell up to USD25 billion of oil and gas fields in Europe, Asia and Africa in its biggest asset sales for decades, seeking to free up cash to focus on a handful of mega-projects, according to three banking sources, said Reuters.

The sell-off would be a marked acceleration of the U.S. oil major’s previous divestment plans. It would represent an ambitious attempt by Chief Executive Darren Woods to catch up with competitors who carried out sweeping portfolio reviews and sold swathes of assets following the 2014 market crash.

Exxon’s shares have underperformed its major rivals’ in recent years. The disposals would help the company increase spending on new developments and appease investors unhappy with weak cash generation and oil output, which flatlined under Woods’ predecessor Rex Tillerson.

The sales would see Exxon effectively quit its upstream oil and gas business in Europe, according to the three banking sources with direct knowledge of the plans. They would free up cash to invest in new developments in Guyana, Mozambique, Papua New Guinea, Brazil and the United States.

In recent months, the Texas-based company has drawn up an extensive list of assets that it wants to divest, spanning at least 11 countries, the sources said.

The list, details of which have not been previously reported, would easily exceed its current divestment target which envisages it selling about USD15 billion of assets by 2021.

Exxon has struck a number of deals in recent months including a USD4.5 billion exit from Norway, and is also already offering assets in Australia, Nigeria, Malaysia.

The expanded plan will see Exxon also sell out of operations in the British North Sea, Germany and Romania, according to the sources. In Europe, that would leave it with production only in the Netherlands, where it holds a stake with Royal Dutch Shell in the giant Groningen gas field which the government plans to shut down in 2022.

The new plan would also see Exxon significantly pare back operations in Southeast Asia with the sale of its assets in Indonesia and Malaysia, the sources said. In Africa, Exxon wants to sell its operations in Chad, Equatorial Guinea as well as parts of its Nigerian assets.

While Exxon is set to ramp up its spending sharply in the coming years to develop new oil and gas projects, most of its peers have more cautious spending plans due to an uncertain outlook for oil prices and growing pressure from investors to diversify away from fossil fuels toward renewables.

As MRC informed before, ExxonMobil Corp’s Baytown, Texas, chemical plant returned to normal operations on 15 November after a malfunction in the polypropylene (PP) production area.

Ethylene and propylene are feedstocks for producing polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP).

According to MRC's ScanPlast report, Russia's estimated PE consumption totalled 1,589,580 tonnes in the first nine months of 2019, up by 7% year on year. Shipments of all PE grades increased. The estimated PP consumption in the Russian market was 976,790 tonnes in January-September 2019, up by 4% year on year. Shipments of PP block copolymer and homopolymer PP increased.

ExxonMobil is the largest non-government owned company in the energy industry and produces about 3% of the world's oil and about 2% of the world's energy.
MRC