Zhejiang Petrochemical to produce on-spec PP and PE this week

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Zhejiang Petrochemical Co Ltd (ZPC) expects its No. 1 polypropylene (PP) plant and linear low density polyetylene (LLDPE) plant to achieve on-spec cargoes within this week, reported CommoPlast with reference to market sources.

Based in Zhejiang, China, the petrochemical complex consists of 450,000 tosn/year of high density polyethylene (HDPE), 400,000 tons/year of LLDPE and two PP plants with combined production capacity of 900,000 tons/year.

As MRC wrote before, the company has successfully started up its HDPE plant since last week.

Besides, earlier, on 30 December 2019, Zhejiang Petrochemical Co Ltd started up its ethylene cracker. Based in Zhejiang, China, the cracker is able to produce 1.4 million tons/year of ethylene.

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

Unplanned outage reported at methanol plant of QAFAC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Qatar Fuel Additives Co (QAFAC), had undertaken an unplanned shutdown at its methanol plant owing to technical issues, reported Apic-online.

A Polymerupdate source in Qatar informed that, the company halted operations at the plant on January 4, 2020. Further details on duration of the shutdown could not be ascertained.

Located in Messaieed, Qatar, the natural gas-based methanol plant has a production capacity of 1.1 million mt/year.

As MRC wrote previously, in August 2019, Haldor Topsoe, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Engineering, and GTM ONE signed a licence agreement for the design, construction, and operation of a 3000 tpd methanol plant based on Topsoe’s SynCOR MethanolTM technology. The plant will be erected at the Khimprom site in Volgograd, Russia.
MRC

Nestle to invest USD2.1bn in virgin-to-recycled polymer packaging shift

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Nestle is to invest up to Swiss francs (Swfr) 2bn (USD2.1bn) to shift packaging production from virgin to recycled polymers over the next five years, the the producer.

The company is to source up to 2m tonnes of food-grade recycled plastics and has allocated Swfr1.5bn up to 2025 to pay a premium for those materials as part of a drive to create a viable market for those products. The company will seek operational efficiencies to keep the process revenue neutral.

Nestle will use Swfr250m of the funding to set up a venture capital fund to back start-ups developing new packaging materials, refill systems and recycling solutions. Nestle has committed to making 100% of its packaging recyclable or reusable by 2025.

"In addition to minimising plastics use and collecting waste, we want to close the loop and make more plastics infinitely recyclable," said Nestle CEO Mark Schneider.

The company did not disclose what proportions of different plastic grades it would be investing in sourcing.

Packaging innovation, including new materials, refill systems and recycling solutions, is another key challenge on the path towards a waste-free future. In addition to its significant inhouse research through the Nestle Institute of Packaging Sciences, the company will launch a CHF 250 million sustainable packaging venture fund to invest in start-up companies that focus on these areas.

These two initiatives come in addition to Nestle’s major ongoing efforts in research, sourcing and manufacturing to make its packaging recyclable or reusable and contribute to its goal to achieve zero net greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. As part of the company’s packaging commitment and to increase transparency, Nestle will continue to outline further initiatives and provide regular progress updates.

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

According to MRC's ScanPlast report, Russia's estimated PE consumption totalled 1,904,410 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

Firefighters tackle blaze at Ineos Grangemouth petrochemical plant

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Firefighters have been tackling a large blaze in the dock area of the Grangemouth petrochemical plant, reported BBC.

The emergency services were called to the plant shortly after 10:45.

Three appliances from Scottish Fire and Rescue are attending the incident in the grounds of the Ineos site.

Police Scotland said the fire had been isolated to the dock area and there were no reported injuries or risks to local residents.

As MRC informed earlier, in 2017, petrochemical giant Ineos unveiled plans to increase the ethylene capacity of its cracker facilities at Grangemouth in Scotland and Rafnes in Norway to over 1 million tonnes each. The company produced then nearly 4.5 million tonnes of ethylene and propylene annually across Europe, but remained the largest buyer of ethylene and propylene in the region.

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

According to MRC's ScanPlast report, Russia's estimated PE consumption totalled 1,904,410 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

Zhejiang Petrochemical starts up new HDPE plant in China

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Zhejiang Petrochemical Co Ltd (ZPC) has successfully started up its high density polyethylene (HDPE) plant since last week, reported CommoPlast with reference to market sources.

Based in Zhejiang, China, the petrochemical complex consists of 450,000 tosn/year of HDPE, 400,000 tons/year of linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE) and two polypropylene (PP) plants with combined production capacity of 900,000 tons/year.

As MRC informed before, on 30 December 2019, Zhejiang Petrochemical Co Ltd started up its ethylene cracker. Based in Zhejiang, China, the cracker is able to produce 1.4 million tons/year of ethylene.

According to MRC's ScanPlast report, November estimated HDPE consumption in Russia rose to 84,460 tonnes from 55,990 tonnes a month earlier. Russian producers raised their output after the shutdowns for maintenance in October, imports also increased. Russia's estimated HDPE consumption totalled 1,002,590 tonnes in January-November 2019, up by 3% year on year. HDPE imports grew by 42%, whereas production dropped by 9% due to a long period of maintenance works at three production capacities.
MRC