PVC imports to Belarus up by 9.3% in H1 2020

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Overall imports of unmixed polyvinyl chloride (PVC) into Belarus totalled 21,300 tonnes in the first six months of 2020, up by 9.3% year on year, according to MRC's DataScope report.

According to the Statistical Committee of the Republic of Belarus, local converters significantly increased their purchasing of PVC in June 2020 under the pressure of seasonal demand for finished products, overall imports totalled 5,600 tonnes versus 2,800 tonnes a month earlier. Russian resin accounted for the main increase in purchasing.

Thus, imports of unmixed PVC reached 21,300 tonnes in January-June 2020, compared to 19,400 tonnes a year earlier.

Russian producers with the share of about 84% of the Belarusian market were the key suppliers of resin to Belarus over the stated period. Producers from Germany and Ukraine with the share of about 7% and 6%, respectively, were the second and third largest suppliers.

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1. China slows crude oil storage flows slightly in July

MOSCOW (MRC) -- China’s massive build-up of crude oil inventories this year slowed somewhat in July, but remained elevated by historical standards as imports stayed near record levels, said Hydrocarbonprocessing. One of the few bullish spots in the global oil market this year has been China’s ravenous appetite for crude, with imports for May, June and July being the highest three months on record. And, after a blip caused by lockdowns in the first quarter to combat the spread of the novel coronavirus, refinery processing has also been ramped up to record levels.




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MOSCOW (MRC) -- A downed power line ignited a fire on exposed plastic film at a Dallas-area storage facility that is expected to burn through at least Aug. 20, reported S&P Global with reference to authorities' statement.

"This is going to be burning late into tomorrow," Bill Murray, Grand Prairie assistant fire chief, said at an Aug. 19 news conference.

The fire ignited at about midnight on Aug. 19 when a power line fell on plastic film in a storage area at at Poly-America’s Grand Prairie plastic processing plant near Dallas, Texas, Murray said. The company manufactures trash bags, plastic drop cloths, plastic sheeting, agricultural films used to wrap hay, barrier films and shrink film made from polyethylene (ЗУ), according to its website.

The fire spread throughout the storage area, he said. Firefighters were not able to secure enough foam to extinguish the blaze, but it was contained and is expected to burn itself out.

Murray said that once the fire burns down to "where it's manageable," crews can use front-loaders to break up the debris that is burning.

"We're going to have to clean out the entire section and wet it down with foam," he said. "We're talking maybe 300 yards worth. It's going to be at least a two-day operation out here before it's completely extinguished."

No injuries or damage to buildings were reported.

As MRC informed earlier, Chevron Corp on Tuesday reported a fire at its 112,229-barrel-per-day (bpd) Pasadena, Texas facility. "At this time, flames, smoke may be noticeable to the community. We are coordinating with local officials, and working to resolve the issue as soon as possible," the company reported.

Poly-America is a large plastic processor that produces several products from polyethylene (PE).

PE is the most widely used plastic in the world, primarily found in packaging including plastic bags, plastic films and geomembranes.

According to MRC's DataScope report, PE imports to Russia dropped in January-June 2020 by 7% year on year to 328,000 tonnes. High density polyethylene (HDPE) accounted for the main decrease in imports.
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MOSCOW (MRC) -- Cornelius Group (Bishops Stortford, UK), a manufacturer and distributor of specialty chemicals to the life sciences and performance chemicals markets, has appointed Phillip Gibbons, the company’s current finance director, as CEO. Gibbons will take responsibility on 1 October, 2020, replacing Darren Spiby, who is retiring after 17 years tenure at the company, it says, said Chemweek.

Spiby will stay with the company until the end of the current financial year “to ensure a comprehensive transition is completed and will then join our board of directors as a non-executive director,” says Neville Prior, Chairman at Cornelius Group.

As MRC informed earlier, Russia's output of chemical products rose by 4.4% year on year in May 2020 . Thus, production of basic chemicals increased year on year by 5.4% in the first five months of 2020. According to the Federal State Statistics Service of the Russian Federation, polymers in primary form accounted for the greatest increase in the output in January-May. Production of benzene was 110,000 tonnes in May 2020, which equalled the figure a month earlier. Overall output of this product reached 615,000 tonnes over the stated period, up by 1.7% year on year.

Cornelius Group PLC distributes specialty chemicals. The Company distributes to markets such as health, personal care, food, and cosmetics as well as industrial markets such as surface coating, plastics, rubber, and composites. Cornelius distributes these products to consumer and industrial markets throughout the United Kingdom and Ireland.
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