PC imports to Russia up almost by 2 times in Jan-Oct 2019

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Overall imports of PC granules to Russia (excluding shipments from Belarus) rose in the first ten months of 2019 almost by 2 times year on year to 16,200 tonnes, according to MRC's DataScope report.

Imports of material into the country were 8,900 tonnes in January-October 2018.

At the same time, imports of material, excluding Belarusian deliveries were 2,000 tonnes last month versus 1,500 tonnes in October 2018. Imports of material into the country reached 2,800 tonnes in September 2019. Extrusion grade PC accounted for 60% (9,700 tonnes) of the total shipments to the Russian Federation.
Covestro (with the share of 58%) and Sabic Innovative Plastics (31%) were the main import suppliers of PC granules. Both producers significantly increased their shipments in the first ten months of 2019. Thus, imports of Covestro's material grew more that two-fold: from 4,200 tonnes (47% of the total imports) in January-October 2018 to 9,400 tonnes (58% of the total imports). Sabic's shipments also rose significantly to 5,000 tonnes from 2,140 tonnes (excluding Belarusian imports) a year earlier.

MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Prices of Iranian polystyrene (PS) dropped for November shipments of material to Ukrainian buyers by an average of USD20/tonne, according to ICIS-MRC Price report.

At the same time, Iranian general purpose polystyrene (GPPS) of Tabriz was offered in the domestic market at the same price of UAH39,000-39,500/tonne CPT Kiev, including VAT.

Meanwhile, for December shipments, Iranian Tabriz's GPPS for injection moulding was offered at USD1,065-1,075/tonne last week, and its extrusion grade material - at USD1,095-1,105/tonne CIF Odessa, excluding VAT. Available quantities of high impact polystyrene (HIPS) might appear for Ukrainian buyers at the end of this month.

As reported earlier, Nizhnekamskneftekhim (NKNH, part of the TAIF group) significantly reduced its HIPS and GPPS shipments to the Ukrainian market in November. Thus, some market participants said the plant would not ship HIPS and GPPS to Ukrainian traders. Moreover, a major increase in available quantities for Ukrainian buyers are not expected in December either.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- SABIC, a global leader in the chemical industry, has announced the launch of its polycarbonate (PC) based on certified renewable feedstock - a first in the industry, providing SABIC and its direct and ultimate customers with a solution that has the potential to reduce both CO2 emissions and the use of fossil feedstock during production, as per the company's press release.

"SABIC’s market-leading move into the arena of polycarbonate based on certified renewable feedstock - part of our TRUCIRCLE initiative of circular solutions, is linked to the commitments of our customers, who increasingly require sustainable solutions in response to both consumer and regulatory demands", said Abdulrahman Al-Fageeh, Executive Vice President Petrochemicals, SABIC. "This major milestone in SABIC’s strategic sustainability pathway now extends our offering beyond polyolefins, where we already have our existing certified circular and certified renewable portfolios", he added.

SABIC’s PC cradle-to-gate LCA study reveals potentially significant reductions in carbon footprint (up to 50%) and fossil depletion impacts (up to 35%) for the production of polycarbonate resin based on the incorporation of renewable feedstock, in comparison to fossil-based polycarbonate production.

Polycarbonate - more specifically LEXAN resin - forms part of SABIC’s extensive engineering thermoplastics (ETP) portfolio. Customers can use the polycarbonate resins that are based on certified, renewable feedstock on their existing equipment, under identical process conditions. Thus potentially contributing to a reduction of the carbon footprint of their products.

"At SABIC we have engaged our value chain and unique position in Europe to produce polycarbonate using second generation renewable feedstocks that are not in competition with the food chain, to make a resin with equal performance to that produced from fossil naphtha," said Lennard Markestein, Director ETP BU Petrochemicals, SABIC.

SABIC worked closely with The International Sustainability and Carbon Certification (ISCC) to provide proof of the incorporation of renewable feedstock in our PC production and the resulting sustainability claims, verified by independent third party auditors. In addition, CEPSA - the Spanish multinational oil and gas company - is a strategic value chain partner in this project, supporting SABIC through the production of renewable intermediates.

SABIC’s polycarbonate based on ISCC PLUS certified feedstock will be produced initially at our manufacturing facilities in Bergen op Zoom, The Netherlands, with global availability in the future. The certified PC resin may be used for applications in all market segments, such as Automotive, Consumer, Electronics and Electrical, Building & Construction and Healthcare, currently served by our existing PC portfolio.

As MRC reported earlier, in early October 2019, Saudi Basic Industries Corp (SABIC), one of the world’s largest petrochemical producers, announced that it had successfully merged two of its wholly owned affiliates, Saudi Petrochemical Company (Sadaf) and Arabian Petrochemical Company (Petrokemya). "The merger was driven by SABIC’s strategy to increase efficiency and competitiveness of its operations.

According to ICIS-MRC Price report, Russia's estimated PC consumption rose in in the first three quarters of 2019 by 11% year on year to 61,000 tonnes (54,800 tonnes a year earlier). Consumption in the injection moulding sector grew in the first nine months of 2019 by 10% year on year to 7,900 tonnes from 7,200 tonnes a year earlier.

Saudi Basic Industries Corporation (Sabic) ranks among the world's top petrochemical companies. The company is among the worldпїЅs market leaders in the production of polyethylene, polypropylene and other advanced thermoplastics, glycols, methanol and fertilizers.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Trinseo SA has decided against the divestment of its polycarbonate (PC) resin operations in Stade, Germany, reported PlasticsNewsEurope with reference to the company CEO and president Frank Bozich.

The Bervyn, Pennsylvania-based supplier of plastics, synthetic rubber and latex binders disclosed in May that it was evaluating "strategic alternatives" for the PC business in northern Germany, which is Trinseo’s only polycarbonate manufacturing facility globally.

"Our primary goal of this evaluation was to ensure that we have a reliable and cost-effective supply of high-quality polycarbonate for our higher margin compounding businesses, which consumes approximately 40% of our polycarbonate production," explained Bozich during an earnings call 4 Nov.

After exploring "numerous options", the company concluded that the best option was to remain in operation at the site, which would offer "significant structural and raw material cost savings."

The savings, according to Bozich, will be a significant contributor to the USD20-30m savings that the company identified in a recent restructuring measure.

The move will also better support Trinseo’s growing sales to the higher margin medical and consumer electronics applications.

The Stade plant, in operation since 1990, includes a polymer production unit and a compounding facility, manufacturing approximately 120 polycarbonate products for various applications, according to the Trinseo website.

The plant, according to Trinseo has roughly 3% of total global capacity, and has to compete with increasing supply from China at a time of low demand.

As MRC informed before, Trinseo and its affiliate companies in Europe last announced a price increase for all polycarbonate (PC) grades in September 2019. Thus, effective September 3, 2019, or as existing contract terms allow, the contract and spot prices for the products listed below increased as follows:

- CALIBRE PC resins - by EUR100 per metric ton.

According to ICIS-MRC Price report, Russia's estimated PC consumption rose in in the first three quarters of 2019 by 11% year on year to 61,000 tonnes (54,800 tonnes a year earlier). Consumption in the injection moulding sector grew in the first nine months of 2019 by 10% year on year to 7,900 tonnes from 7,200 tonnes a year earlier.

Trinseo is a global materials company and manufacturer of plastics, latex and rubber. Trinseo's technology is used by customers in industries such as home appliances, automotive, building & construction, carpet, consumer electronics, consumer goods, electrical & lighting, medical, packaging, paper & paperboard, rubber goods and tires. Formerly known as Styron, Trinseo completed its renaming process in 1Q 2015. Trinseo had approximately USD4.6 billion in net sales in 2018, with 16 manufacturing sites around the world, and approximately 2,500 employees.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Exxon Mobil Corp’s Baytown, Texas, chemical plant returned to normal operations on Tuesday after a malfunction in the polypropylene (PP) production area, reported Reuters with reference to sources familiar with plant operations.

Exxon spokeswoman Sarah Nordin declined to discuss the status of individual units at the Baytown complex, but said the company continues to meet its contractual commitments.

Exxon’s adjoining 560,500-barrel-per-day (bpd) Baytown refinery was unaffected by a transformer malfunction in the chemical plant, the sources said.

As MRC wrote previously, on 24 September 2019, ExxonMobil Corp shut its 369,024 barrel-per-day (bpd) crude oil refinery in Beaumont, Texas, because of flooding from Tropical Storm Imelda. Exxon earlier that day shut the Beaumont chemical plant, which adjoins the refinery. The company operates a cracker with a capacity of 830,000 mt of ethylene and 195,000 mt of proplyelen per year, low density polyethylene (LDPE) plant with a capacity of 236,000 mt per year and linear low density polyethylene plant with a capacity of 727,000 tonnes per year.

We also remind that in September 2019, ExxonMobil announced plans to spend GBP140 million over the next two years in an additional investment program at its Fife ethylene plant (UK), which has a capacity of more than 800,000 t/y.

Ethylene and propylene are feedstocks for producing polyethylene (PE) and 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