Ecopet increased PET export by 21% last year

MOSCOW (MRC) - The Ecopet plant (Kaliningrad) has increased the volume of exports of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) compared to 2019 to 21%, despite the situation due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the slowdown in economic growth, Business Russia reported.

The plant produces 690 tonnes of PET per day, increasing productivity during a pandemic by 4.5%. The company's export destinations are spread all over the world and include the USA, Ukraine, Tajikistan, Serbia, Germany, Poland, Slovakia, Holland, Kenya, Cyprus and other countries.

Earlier it was reported that Ecopet has developed a new brand of polyethylene terephthalate (PET). Thus, Ecopet notes that it is developing promising directions and has released a new brand of polyethylene terephthalate - Ekopet 64 FG, which is suitable for the manufacture of BOPET films and can be used in the production of polyester fibers, from which, in turn, nonwoven materials for technical purposes are obtained.

According to the ICIS-MRC Price Report, tensions on the Russian PET market continue in early April. The deficit in the spot market for granules will remain in the current month. Producer Senezh reported no free material on the spot in April. Ecopet plant also noted the absence of spot volumes of granulate in the current month.

Ecopet JSC is the largest producer of polyethylene terephthalate in Russia and Eastern Europe. PET of the Ekopet trademark is intended for the production of food containers and packaging, various products for technical and household purposes. The construction of the enterprise began in 2007 with an initial design capacity for the production of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) equal to 220 thousand tons per year, and in February 2011 the plant was put into operation, the first batch of PET brand Ekopet was produced. In 2018, the plant reached its full production capacity, which now amounts to more than 660 tons of products per day or 240 thousand tons per year.
MRC

Ecopet lainched a new brand of polyethylene terephthalate

MOSCOW (MRC) - Ecopet plant (Kaliningrad) has developed a new brand of polyethylene terephthalate (PET), the company said.

Thus, Ecopet notes that it is developing promising directions and has released a new brand of polyethylene terephthalate - Ekopet 64 FG, which is suitable for the manufacture of BOPET films and can be used in the production of polyester fibers, from which, in turn, nonwoven materials for technical purposes are obtained.

Also, in June 2020, the company passed the product certification procedure at the Russian Export Center and received the Made in Russia label. This increases the recognition of domestic products in foreign markets, and also confirms their quality, safety and environmental friendliness.

According to the ICIS-MRC Price Report, tensions on the Russian PET market continue in early April. The deficit in the spot market for granules will remain in the current month. Producer Senezh reported no free material on the spot in April. Ecopet plant also noted the absence of spot volumes of granulate in the current month.

Ecopet JSC is the largest producer of polyethylene terephthalate in Russia and Eastern Europe. PET of the Ekopet trademark is intended for the production of food containers and packaging, various products for technical and household purposes. The construction of the enterprise began in 2007 with an initial design capacity for the production of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) equal to 220 thousand tons per year, and in February 2011 the plant was put into operation, the first batch of PET brand Ekopet was produced. In 2018, the plant reached its full production capacity, which now amounts to more than 660 tons of products per day or 240 thousand tons per year.
MRC

DSM to invest to launch of US technology firm

MOSCOW (MRC) -- DSM is investing USD100 mln to back the launch of Hologram Sciences (Chicago, Illinois), a consumer-facing health technology company, said the company.

Royal DSM, a global science-based company in nutrition, health and sustainable living, announced the launch of Hologram Sciences, a consumer-facing company that will create brands targeting various health conditions. By combining health diagnostics, digital coaching and personalized nutrition, Hologram Sciences brands will provide consumers with more holistic solutions to manage their health. The mission-driven company combines top Silicon Valley talent, formerly of Uber, Fitbit and Facebook.

Hologram Sciences is backed with a USD100 million investment by Royal DSM, which has made personalized nutrition a key pillar in its nutrition strategy, allowing the company to combine a range of capabilities and resources to cover the entire personalized nutrition value chain all the way to the consumer. Hologram Sciences will provide state-of-the-art consumer-facing personalized nutrition solutions that have been clinically proven to address a variety of consumer health needs. As solutions are validated in-market, they will be available to DSM customers. Hologram will also work to incubate products with DSM customers and partners, based on the latest consumer insights and leveraging their agile approach.

As per MRC, DSM agreed another collaboration in 3D printing, coming after deal last week with US firm Nexa3D. The latest collaboration is with Nedcam, which originated as a spinoff from the Marine Research Institute Netherlands. Under that deal, Nedcam will offer “Fused Granulate Fabrication” (FGF) 3D printing, using DSM materials. The partners will also explore new applications in tooling, large-size and circular end-use parts.

As per MRC, Russia's output of chemical products rose in February 2021 by 5.3% year on year. Thus, production of basic chemicals increased year on year by 7.5% in the first two months of 2021. According to the Federal State Statistics Service of the Russian Federation, mineral fertilizers accounted for the greatest increase in the January-February output. Production of benzene dropped to 113,000 tonnes in February 2021, compared to 120,000 tonnes a month earlier. Overall output of this product reached 241,000 tonnes over the stated period, down by 7.5% year on year.
MRC

SABIC to establish its first chemical recycling project in Saudi Arabia

MOSCOW (MRC) -- SABIC, a global leader in the chemical industry, is looking at converting plastic waste into a form of oil as part of its circular economy push and also plans to establish its first chemical recycling project after signing an initial agreement with Saudi Investment Recycling Company (SIRC), a unit of the Public Investment Fund, reported ArabNews.

“This strategic collaboration will help us in our efforts to contribute to fulfilling the Kingdom’s waste management objectives aligned with Saudi Vision 2030,” said Yousef Al-Benyan, SABIC vice chairman and CEO.

“This also reinforces the Saudi G20 Presidency’s commitment to Circular Carbon Economy (CCE) ensuring a sustainable future focusing on environment, energy and climate,” he added.

Mixed plastic waste is aimed to be used by SIRC as feedstock to be converted into pyrolysis oil. The company will source, collect, sort and supply the feedstock for the chemical recycling facility from municipal solid waste.

Pyrolysis oil can be used for several purposes including producing heat, cooling and general electricity.

As MRC wrote previously, SABIC has also announced the launch of a new recycled material made from ocean bound plastic which has been recovered from ocean-feeding waterways and inland areas within a 50 kilometer radius of the ocean. The ocean bound material is mechanically recycled and converted into components for new consumer goods and electronics applications, such as TV remote controls and electronic razors. It has the potential to also be used in other industries in the future, such as automotive. Part of SABIC’S TRUCIRCLE portfolio and services, the new recycled material is a XENOY PC/PET compound comprising of a minimum 10% recycled ocean bound PET blended with polycarbonate (PC).

According to MRC' ScanPlast report, Russia's overall consumption of PC granules (excluding exports from Belarus) totalled 8,100 tonnes in January 2021, up by 20% year on year (6,800 tonnes a year earlier).

Saudi Basic Industries Corporation (Sabic) ranks among the world's top petrochemical companies. The company is among the world's market leaders in the production of polyethylene, polypropylene and other advanced thermoplastics, glycols, methanol and fertilizers.
MRC

Eni evaluating conversion of Livorno refinery into biorefinery

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Italian energy group Eni is evaluating conversion of its Livorno refinery in northwest Italy into a biorefinery, as part of the Italian company's wider strategy to make its activities more environmentally sustainable, reported S&P Global with reference to a company spokesperson's statement.

Eni has already converted two of its Italian refineries and is looking to almost double its biorefining capacity to around 2 million mt/year by 2024, and expand this to at least five times by 2050, as part of its pledge to achieve complete carbon neutrality by 2050.

As MRC informed earlier, in March 2020, Eni made no decision or announcement about a potential closure of the Milazzo refinery in Sicily.

We remind that Versalis, the petrochemical division of Italy's Eni SpA, shut is cracker in Priolo, Sicily, for repairs in the last days of December, 2019. The capacity of the cracking unit at this complex is 490,000 tonnes of ethylene and 130,000 tonnes of propylene per year. The maintenance works lasted until February 2020.

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

According to MRC's ScanPlast report, Russia's estimated PE consumption totalled 2,220,640 tonnes in 2020, up by 2% year on year. Only shipments of low density polyethylene (LDPE) and high density polyethylene (HDPE) increased. At the same time, polypropylene (PP) shipments to the Russian market reached 1 240,000 tonnes in 2020 (calculated using the formula: production, minus exports, plus imports, excluding producers' inventories as of 1 January, 2020). Supply of exclusively PP random copolymer increased.
MRC