MOSCOW (MRC) -- Rohm (Darmstadt, Germany) says it will shut down its hydroxyester plant in Worms, Germany, from 11-20 December for planned maintenance, reported Chemweek.
The company produces hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) and hydroxypropyl methacrylate (HPMA) monomer at the facility. Hydroxyesters are used mainly in coatings and reactive resins applications.
Rohm also says it is preparing “for a strong start of the methacrylates business in 2021,” and will use its integrated production and supply chain network to ensure high levels of service and reliability for its customers.
The methyl methacrylate (MMA) market has seen a shift in global dynamics since the summer, with prices firming and the market tightening in all major regions, it says. End-user demand for applications such as coatings and polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) for plastic sheeting has continued to perform “stronger than anticipated for this time of the year,” it adds. The supply side, meanwhile, has been characterized by maintenance shutdowns and several supply issues in Asia and the US, it notes.
Disruptions in the global phenol-acetone chain have also continued to plague overall acetone availability, leading to price surges and a rise in raw material costs, according to Rohm. Physical product availability could remain an ongoing challenge “as the supply chain is stretched to its limits,” it says. The pandemic continues to pose a big challenge on shipping and logistics, while uncertainties remain regarding the impact of a hard Brexit, it adds.
Rohm lifted sales control mid-October in Europe for MMA after imposing it mid-September. The decision to lift sales control was lifted by the resumption of production in its plant in Worms following an annual maintenance turnaround. The facility at Worms has a production capacity of 225,000 metric tons/year of MMA.
As MRC wrote previously, the company raised its price for MMA in Europe on 16 November by EUR50 (USD59) per metric ton, following a previous rise in Europe on 1 November for MMA and other methacrylate monomer products.
The main application, consuming approximately 75% MMA, is in the production of polymethyl methacrylate acrylic plastics (PMMA). Methyl methacrylate is also used to produce methyl methacrylate-butadiene-styrene copolymer (MBS), used as a modifier for polyvinyl chloride (PVC).
According to MRC's ScanPlast report, October total production of unmixed PVC grew to 86,600 tonnes from 86,000 tonnes a month earlier, SayanskKhimPlast and Bashkir Soda Company increased their capacity utilisation. Overall output of polymer was 805,100 tonnes in the first ten months of 2020, which virtually corresponds to the last year"s figure. Two producers increased their production, whereas two other manufacturers reduced their output.
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