Constantia Flexibles opens 100% sustainable flexible packaging plant in India

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Austria-based Constantia Flexibles, one of the world’s largest producers of flexible packaging, is opening what it calls the "world’s first plant designed to produce more sustainable and recyclable flexible packaging only", in India, as per Canplastics.

Production focus at the plant lies on the more environmentally-friendly packaging family EcoLam. The official opening will take place on November 20 in Ahmedabad.

After a construction time of more than two years, Constantia Ecoflex Ahmedabad started test runs in September 2019. The plant has an area of 24,500 square meters (263,716 square feet), and currently employs 50 workers – a number that’s expected to triple by the second quarter of 2020.

"The decision to open a plant in India was relatively straightforward,” Constantia Flexibles said in a statement. “Amongst others, the new ‘Plastic Waste Management Rules’ show, that Indian government can exert pressure on the recycling economy and that it supports initiatives and companies which advocate for less waste."

The solutions produced at the new plant all belong to the product family EcoLam, which is part of Constantia Flexibles’ Ecolutions product line. The company describes EcoLam as a lightweight mono-polyethylene laminate suitable for a wide variety of packaging applications. Due to its mono-material structure, it is fully recyclable and offers a carbon footprint that’s approximately 32 per cent lower than that of comparable products.

"The EcoLam family comes in different barrier grades (EcoLam, EcoLamPlus, EcoLamHighPlus) to deliver the barrier needs for a diverse range of products," the firm said.
MRC

DIC decides to return its 50% interest in Aekyung Chem JV to AK Holdings

MOSCOW (MRC) -- DIC Corp. has reached an agreement with AK Holdings to return its 50% stake in their synthetic resins production and sales joint venture, Aekyung Chemical, to AK and dissolve the joint venture agreement, reported Apic-online.

"As a result of repeated candid discussions between DIC and AK Holdings regarding their visions for Aekyung Chemical held to explore the company's future direction, it was concluded that the best option from the perspective of Aekyung Chemical's continued growth and evolution was for the company to continue operating with AK Holdings as its single principal shareholder," DIC explained.

All procedures related to the dissolution of the agreement are expected to be completed by the end of next month.

As MRC informed earlier, Aekyung Petrochemical shut its phthalic anhydride (PA) plant in South Korea on 4 November 2019, for a one-month turnaround. Located in Ulsan, South Korea, this plant's production capacity is 50,000 tonnes per year.

According to MRC's ScanPlast report, Russia's overall production of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) reached 809,000 tonnes in the first ten months of 2019, up by 3% year on year. At the same time, not all Russian producers raised their output,
MRC

Canadian plastic pipe maker Ipex completes acquisition of Silver-Line Plastics

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Canada-based thermoplastic piping systems manufacturer Ipex has completed its stock purchase of Silver-Line Plastics, said Canplastics.

Silver-Line Plastics is a U.S. manufacturer of plastic pipe products with production facilities in North Carolina, Oklahoma, and Florida.

The goal of the acquisition, which was first announced in August, is to allow Ipex to increase its market position in the U.S. with an expanded product portfolio serving a broader client base.

The financial terms of the deal have not been disclosed.

"Over the next few months, the Ipex team will be working closely with the Silver-Line organization to ensure we capture the many exciting opportunities we have identified between our two companies,” Ipex CEO Alex Mestres said in a statement. "We are quite thrilled as this transaction will solidify our continued growth in the U.S. and will deliver significant value to our customers."

Ipex is part of Aliaxis, a manufacturer and distributor of plastic piping systems headquartered in Belgium.

"We are very excited to officially welcome the Silver-Line employees to our family,” says Aliaxis CEO Laurent Lenoir. “Combining the forces of our North American IPEX team and Silver-Line will allow us to reinforce our value proposition."

As per ICIS-MRC Price Report, Russian converters were in no hurry to replenish their inventories of high density polyethylene (HDPE) last week, hoping for further price cuts. Sellers were forced to reduce prices, in order to boost their sales. Oversupply remained, with the natural pipe grade HDPE market accounting for the greatest surplus.
Offer prices for Uzbek HDPE to be shipped in the third decade of November reached Rb92,000/tonne CPT Moscow, including VAT.

Silver-Line Plastics Corporation manufactures and markets plastic pipe products. The Company offers PVC, polyethylene, conduit, geothermal, and plastic pipes and tubing. Silver-Line Plastics offers its products for irrigation, well casing, plumbing, electrical, utility, and gas distribution applications.
MRC

Synthos launches eco-friendly EPS insulation material on new Polish line

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Polish chemicals and plastics group Synthos has launched a new eco-friendly EPS grade for heat insulation panels which includes recycled polystyrene raw material, said the company.

Synthos, headquartered at Oswiecim in southern Poland, started extruding the product, ‘InVento Optima’ on a dedicated line installed at its base manufacturing site at the end of 2018.

Production of the material, which Synthos claims provides enhanced insulating efficiency, is taking place at a new state-of-the-art plant in Oswiecim. It significantly reduces heat loss in buildings, so cutting greenhouse gas emissions, the group said.

"InVento Optima' is made using an ecological geopolymer additive combining the features of a flame retardant substance and athermal properties. This allows the reduction or elimination of the traditional halogen flame retardant, according to Synthos.

Its new product will also shorten the processing time and assist in cutting the production cost of thermal insulation materials.

The new manufacturing process makes it possible to incorporate recyclate from processing PS secondary products as raw material. Its inclusion in the product mix can significantly reduce the role of the general purpose polystyrene (GPPS) polymer, depending on the quality of regranulate used.

Investment in research and development for the ‘InVento’ project dates back to 2009. The goal, led by a team led by Synthos’s PS plastics R&D manager Filip Kondratowicz, was to revolutionise expandable polystyrene manufacture with a modern, ecological and competitive process.

"InVento’ products were initially made available in Poland and selected markets and feedback from customers demonstrate the new material is “a great success”. “InVento is considered the best product among those available on the market for converters and EPS end users," declared group offshoot Synthos EPS earlier this year.

Synthos has also been investing heavily in expanding its manufacture of extruded polystyrene (XPS) insulation panels at its plant in Oswiecim. It recently installed a new Italian supplied production line there.

As per ICIS-MRC Price Report, Synthos SA, Poland's largest petrochemical producer, has reduced its November export prices of expandable polystyrene (EPS) for the Ukrainian market by an average of EUR50/tonne on the back of the on-going reduction of feedstock prices in Europe.

Synthos SA is one of the largest producers of petrochemical products in Poland and is the largest producer of emulsion rubbers in Europe. Besides, it is the third largest European EPS producer.
MRC

SIIG to halt operations at Saudi Chevron Phillips for maintenance

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Saudi Industrial Investment Group (SIIG) shut down its Saudi Chevron Phillips (SCP) project for 26-day scheduled maintenance, including catalyst replacement starting from Nov. 15, 2019, reported Agraam.

The relevant financial impact is expected to show in Q4 2019, SIIG said in a bourse filing.

As MRC informed before, in March 2018, Chevron Phillips Chemical Company LP successfully introduced feedstock and commenced operations of a new ethane cracker at its Cedar Bayou facility in Baytown, Texas. At peak production, the unit will produce 1.5 million metric tons/3.3 billion lbs. per year.

Besides, US-based Phillips 66 remains open to developing another ethane cracker for its Chevron Phillips Chemical (CP Chem) joint venture, the refiner's CEO said in March 2018.

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.

SCP is a 50:50 joint venture between SIIG and Chevron Phillips Chemical Company LLC.

Headquartered in San Ramon, California, Chevron Corporation is the the second-largest integrated energy company in the United States and among the largest corporations in the world. Chevron is involved in upstream activities including exploration and production, downstream activities including refining, marketing and transportation, and advanced energy technology. Chevron is also invested in power generation and gasification processes.

Phillips 66 is a diversified energy manufacturing and logistics company with a portfolio of integrated businesses: Midstream, Chemicals, Refining, and Marketing and Specialties. The company processes, transports, stores and markets fuels and products globally. Phillips 66 Partners, its master limited partnership, is an integral part of the portfolio.
MRC