BASF сompletes вivestiture of its Ultrafiltration Membrane Business to DuPont

MOSCOW (MRC) -- BASF has recently closed the previously announced transaction to divest its ultrafiltration membrane business to DuPont Safety & Construction (DuPont), according to Kemicalinfo.

The divestiture includes the shares of inge GmbH, the business’ headquarters and production site in Greifenberg, Germany, including all employees, its international sales force, and certain intellectual property previously owned by BASF SE.

Financial details of the transaction are not being disclosed.

The ultrafiltration membrane business had been part of BASF’s Performance Chemicals division. The division’s portfolio includes plastic additives, fuel and lubricant solutions, oilfield chemicals and mining solutions as well as kaolin minerals.

As MRC wrote earlier, BASF, the world's petrochemical major, has restarted its No. 1 steam cracker following a maintenance turnaorund. Thus, the company resumed operations at the plant on September 30, 2019. The plant was shut for maintenance in mid-August, 2019. Located at Ludwigshafen in Germany, the No. 1 cracker has an ethylene production capacity of 235,000 mt/year and a propylene production capacity of 125,000 mt/year.

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

According to MRC's ScanPlast report, Russia's estimated PE consumption totalled 1,904,410 tonnes in the first eleven months of 2019, up by 6% year on year. Shipments of all PE grades increased. PE shipments increased from both domestic producers and foreign suppliers. The PP consumption in the Russian market was 1,161,830 tonnes in January-November 2019, up by 7% year on year. Deliveries of all grades of propylene polymers increased, with the homopolymer PP segment accounting for the largest increase.

BASF is the leading chemical company. It produces a wide range of chemicals, for example solvents, amines, resins, glues, electronic-grade chemicals, industrial gases, basic petrochemicals and inorganic chemicals. The most important customers for this segment are the pharmaceutical, construction, textile and automotive industries. BASF generated sales of around EUR63 billion in 2018.
MRC

Hebei Haiwei shut its PDH plant in northern China

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Hebei Haiwei idled its 500,000 mt/year propane dehydrogenation (PDH) plant in northern China for maintenance starting from December 31, 2019, reported S&P Global with reference to a market source.

"It's unknown when Hebei Haiwei will resume operation," a market source said, adding that the plant has difficulty in purchasing propane feedstock now due to high price.

Hebei Haiwei was said to have no term contract with overseas suppliers, and mainly sources spot cargoes from its neighboring rivals Tianjin Bohai and Yantai Wanhua.

"Tianjin Bohai has cut its propane imports these two months due to high prices, which is believed to have resulted in limited propane supply to the local market," the source added.

As MRC wrote previously, Tianjin Bohai Chemical in northern China plans to extend maintenance period at its PDH plant by 10 days due to poor processing margin. Located in Tianjin, China, the PDH plant has a propylene capacity of 600,000 mt/year.

Propylene is the main feedstock for the production of polypropylene (PP).

According to MRC's ScanPlast report, Russia's estimated PE consumption totalled 1,904,410 tonnes in the first eleven months of 2019, up by 6% year on year. Shipments of all PE grades increased. PE shipments increased from both domestic producers and foreign suppliers. The PP consumption in the Russian market was 1,161,830 tonnes in January-November 2019, up by 7% year on year. Deliveries of all grades of propylene polymers increased, with the homopolymer PP segment accounting for the largest increase.
MRC

Tianjin Bohai prolongs maintenance at PDH plant by 10 days

MOSCOW (MRC) -- China's Tianjin Bohai Chemical in northern China plans to extend maintenance period at its propane dehydrogenation (PDH) plant by 10 days due to poor processing margin, reported S&P Global with reference to a company source.

"We have decided to shut down the PDH plant for 40 days now due to high propane feedstock price," the company source said.

The company originally planned to shut its 600,000 mt/year PDH plant for 30 days maintenance starting from December 28, 2019.

Located in Tianjin, China, the PDH plant has a propylene capacity of 600,000 mt/year.

As MRC informed earlier, the company last shut this plant for an unscheduled turnaround from 1 to 11 November, 2019.

Propylene is the main feedstock for the production of polypropylene (PP).

According to MRC's ScanPlast report, Russia's estimated PE consumption totalled 1,904,410 tonnes in the first eleven months of 2019, up by 6% year on year. Shipments of all PE grades increased. PE shipments increased from both domestic producers and foreign suppliers. The PP consumption in the Russian market was 1,161,830 tonnes in January-November 2019, up by 7% year on year. Deliveries of all grades of propylene polymers increased, with the homopolymer PP segment accounting for the largest increase.

Tianjin Bohai is a state owned enterprise, with over 100 subsidiaries and 35,000 employees. It has joint venture relationships with a number of foreign partners, including: LG Chem, Solvay, Akzo Nobel, Clariant, Veolia, Air Liquide and Vopak.

Fujian Meide Petrochemical postpones start-up of its new PDH unit in Fujian to H2 February

MOSCOW (MRC) -- China's Fujian Meide Petrochemical, a wholly owned subsidiary of China Flexible Packing Group, plans to delay the startup of its newly built PDH plant in Jiangyin, southeastern Fujian province, to the second half of February, reported S&P Global.

The new PDH with the capacity of 660,000 mt/year was originally scheduled to start up in the first half of February, 2020.

High cost of feedstock propane was the cause of the delay.

Propylene is the main feedstock for the production of polypropylene (PP).

According to MRC's ScanPlast report, the PP consumption in the Russian market was 1,161,830 tonnes in January-November 2019, up by 7% year on year. Deliveries of all grades of propylene polymers increased, with the homopolymer PP segment accounting for the largest increase.
MRC

Ukrainian PC imports up in 2019 by 9%

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Imports of polycarbonate (PC) granules into Ukraine grew in twelve months of 2019 by 9% year on year, totalling 3,900 tonnes, according to MRC's DataScope report.

This figure was 3,600 tonnes in 2018.

Last month's imports of material to the Ukrainian market rose by 25% to 319 tonnes from 255 tonnes in November.

In terms of technology, the share of injection moulding PC grades decreased to 55% (2,100 tonnes) in 2019 from 65% (2,300 tonnes) a year earlier. The share of extrusion grade PC increased significantly: from 14% (500 tonnes) of the total imports to 27% (1,100 tonnes), with the share of blow moulding grades decreasing by 3% to 18%, totalling 682 tonnes.

Covestro and Sabic with the share of about 84% of the total imports were the key suppliers of resin to the Ukrainian market in 2019.


Thus, imports of Covestro's PC to the Ukrainian market grew last year by 39% year on year: from 2,000 tonnes in January-December 2018 to 2,800 tonnes. Covestro's material accounted for 71% of the total PC imports to the country in 2019 versus 56% in 2018. The company's shipments of material to Ukraine were 291 tonnes last month, compared to 160 tonnes in December 2018.

At the same time, Sabic's deliveries of material fell in January-December 2019 by 37% year on year: from 794 tonnes to 501 tonnes. Sabic's PC granules accounted for 13% of the total imports to the country last year versus 22% in 2018.

MRC