Wacker builds new liquid resins unit at site near Dresden

MOSCOW (MRC) -- German chemical producer Wacker has begun building a new EUR30m liquid resins facility at its Nunchritz site near Dresden, Saxony, said the company.

This unit will supply key upstream products for formulating silicone-based building-protection agents and binders for exterior paints and industrial coatings. At the moment, only Wacker Burghausen site produces these substances. Scheduled to go on stream at the end of 2022, the new unit will close important material loops and so further increase the cost-effectiveness of Wacker integrated production system. Capital spending amounts to some EUR30 million.

WACKER uses silanes and liquid resins to formulate several specialty silicone grades: building-protection agents and concrete-protection creams contain these kinds of hydrophobic and hence water-repellent active ingredients, as do binders for exterior paints, corrosion-resistant protective coatings and heat-resistant powder paints. The company currently produces these additives at its liquid resins plant in Burghausen, where side-stream products resulting from the manufacture of silicones react with alcohol to become silanes and liquid resins. Our Burghausen and Nunchritz sites process these substances into silicone products for construction and coating applications.

WACKER now plans to manufacture these formulation ingredients in Nunchritz too. The foundations for a new liquid resins unit are now being laid in the northern part of the site. This unit will be able to process products obtained from the synthesis of methylchlorosilanes. “The decision to extend the production of silanes and liquid resins to Nunchritz enables us to respond with even greater flexibility to customer needs”, says WACKER’s Executive Board member Auguste Willems.

The investment benefits both the Nunchritz site and the integrated production system in Burghausen. Due to high demand for building-protection agents and coatings the liquid resins plant in Burghausen has been running at full capacity. "The new unit in Nunchritz closes material loops and increases the availability of key intermediates. This enhances our supply security throughout our integrated production system,” explains Willems. “The new setup offers us far more opportunities for supporting current market developments and for establishing production lines for new products if justified by demand."

In recent years, a healthy construction sector and demand for high-quality industrial coatings have meant that more and more silicone-based construction materials and binders need to be supplied. “Our specialties business is highly profitable,” says Dr. Robert Gnann, head of WACKER’s silicones division. “It is still too early to talk about capacity expansions exceeding this measure. But one thing is certain: the investment is an important basis for future growth. The expansion shows that we are determined to strengthen and further expand our market position in the building-protection and coating sectors."

The liquid resins plant is located on the site of a former tank farm not far from where a hybrid polymer facility is under construction. As already announced, this facility will produce silane-terminated hybrid polymer binders for high-performance adhesives starting late next year.

Details about capacities in terms of tonnes or pounds per year were not disclosed.

As per MRC, Wacker Chemie AG is moving forward with “Shape the Future,” its efficiency program initiated last November. The Munich-based chemical company has recenly announced that company management and employee representatives have agreed on a framework for the planned job cutbacks.

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

According to MRC's ScanPlast report, Russia's estimated PE consumption totalled 241,030 tonnes in January 2021 versus 217,890 tonnes a year earlier. Only shipments of low density polyethylene (LDPE) and high density polyethylene (HDPE) increased. At the same time, PP shipments to the Russian market reached 141,870 tonnes in January 2021 versus 123,520 tonnes a year earlier. Supply of homopolymer PP and PP block copolymers increased.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Air Liquide has signed a new long-term contract with Russian steel producer Severstal to supply oxygen to its CherMK site in Cherepovets, Russia, said the company.

PJSC Severstal and Air Liquide signed a new long-term contract for the supply of oxygen, nitrogen and argon to Cherepovets. Air Liquide is investing about 50 million euros in the construction of a modern air separation unit (ASU), which will increase energy efficiency and reduce the complex impact of Severstal's production processes on the environment.

Air Liquide will design, build and maintain a new ASP with a capacity of 2,000 tons of oxygen per day at the site of the Severstal Cherepovets Metallurgical Plant. The ASU will increase the total production capacity of Air Liquide in Cherepovets to 7,000 tons of oxygen per day, which will make this site one of the world's largest facilities producing industrial gases for the needs of the metallurgical industry. The project will be implemented by Air Liquide Severstal, a joint venture between Air Liquide and Severstal in 2005.

The Air Liquide Engineering and Construction team uses the latest technology to build this large-scale ASP. It is planned that the unit will be commissioned by the end of 2020. It will significantly improve energy efficiency and reduce CO2 emissions by 20,000 tons annually, which is comparable to the annual emissions of 7,500 vehicles. This will contribute to the Air Liquide Group's goal of reducing the carbon intensity of its business by 30% between 2015 and 2025.

This signing, involving the construction of the third ASU since 2007, installed and operated by Air Liquide in Cherepovets, along with the recent renewal of our original contract, reflects the long-term partnership and mutual trust that exists between Air Liquide and Severstal.

Alexander Shevelev, CEO of Severstal, said: “The signing of this agreement proves Severstal's commitment to sustainable development: we continue to reduce air emissions and improve energy efficiency in production. We are pleased that our colleagues from Air Liquide also share our commitment to environmental protection and demonstrate a responsible attitude towards the environment. Over the years of our cooperation, Air Liquide has demonstrated its ability to deliver high quality products and innovative services, and I hope that we will continue to work together to address environmental issues along with the development of production and beyond. "

Guy Salzgeber, Vice President of Air Liquide and Member of the Group's Executive Committee for Industry Europe, commented: “We are delighted to strengthen our long-term partnership with Severstal. The signing of this major contract and the renewal of the previous one demonstrate confidence in our ability to create value for our customers and maintain long-term performance, which is a key factor in driving profitable growth. We are also ready to accompany our customers in the energy transformation process by offering low carbon solutions to support the sustainable development of the industry. "

Severstal has been actively working to reduce greenhouse gas emissions for several years. The enterprises have implemented measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through the introduction of more efficient technologies, including improving the technologies for the production of iron and steel (reducing the consumption of limestone and dolomite), reducing the use of natural gas (using coke oven and blast furnace gases) and transferring a number of power boilers from solid to gaseous fuels (use of coke oven and blast furnace gases). The total volume of direct greenhouse gas emissions at Severstal in 2018 amounted to 22.1 million tons, which is 4.7% less than in 2016.

As per MRC, Air Liquide, one of the world's leading industrial gas companies, has three long-term gas supply contracts with BASF in Antwerp, Belgium. The company has signed a new 15-year agreement to resume air gas supplies to existing plants operated by BASF in the area, as well as to a new ethylene oxide plant being built by BASF.

Ethylene and propylene are the main feedstocks for the production of polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP), respectively.

According to MRC's ScanPlast report, Russia's estimated PE consumption totalled 576,270 tonnes in the first three month of 2021, up by 4% year on year. Low density polyethylene (LDPE) and high density polyethylene (HDPE) shipments increased. At the same time, PP shipments to the Russian market totalled 410,890 tonnes in January-March 2021, up by 56% year on year. Supply of homopolymer PP and PP block copolymers increased.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Shell has picked Australian energy services firm Worley to support the development of a new 200MW electrolysis-based hydrogen plant in the Netherlands, as per Worley's press release.

The new plant in Rotterdam will be powered by renewable energy from an offshore windfarm that is currently in development.

Once complete, the green hydrogen plant will be one of the largest commercial green hydrogen production facilities in the world. Operations are scheduled to start by 2023 and are estimated to produce 50,000-60,000 kilograms of green hydrogen per day.

The green hydrogen produced will initially be used to decarbonise Shell’s nearby refinery in Pernis and support the industrial use of hydrogen in the heavy transportation industry.

Worley will provide early engineering services for the green hydrogen plant including integration with other assets such as offshore wind, pipelines, electrical grids and Shell’s Pernis refinery.

As MRC reported earlier, last week, a court in the Netherlands ordered Shell to cut its emissions by 45% by 2030, putting pressure on the company to move faster than it had otherwise planned.

Ethylene and propylene are the main feedstocks for the production of polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP), respectively.

According to MRC's ScanPlast report, Russia's estimated PE consumption totalled 576,270 tonnes in the first three month of 2021, up by 4% year on year. Low density polyethylene (LDPE) and high density polyethylene (HDPE) shipments increased. At the same time, PP shipments to the Russian market totalled 410,890 tonnes in January-March 2021, up by 56% year on year. Supply of homopolymer PP and PP block copolymers increased.

Royal Dutch Shell plc is an Anglo-Dutch multinational oil and gas company headquartered in The Hague, Netherlands and with its registered office in London, United Kingdom. It is the biggest company in the world in terms of revenue and one of the six oil and gas "supermajors". Shell is vertically integrated and is active in every area of the oil and gas industry, including exploration and production, refining, distribution and marketing, petrochemicals, power generation and trading.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- The PolyStyreneLoop recycling plant in Terneuzen, Netherlands, is scheduled to open on the 16th of June. The plant was built to prove the technical and economic feasibility of a large-scale, closed-loop solution for the recycling of EPS waste, said the company.

A new plant built to prove the technical and economic feasibility of a large-scale, closed-loop solution for recycling expanded polystyrene (EPS) foam demolition waste from building and construction insulation will open in Terneuzen, the Netherlands on 16 June, it has been announced.

The PolyStyreneLoop facility will recycle EPS insulation using a physical recycling process based on the CreaSolv® Technology. This technology will turn EPS foam demolition waste from building and construction insulation (B&C) from the Netherlands, Germany and other countries into new high quality raw material. All kinds of impurities, such as cement or other construction residues, as well as the legacy additive HBCD, will be safely removed and valuable bromine recovered.

“This plant showcases how the EPS industry is always looking for ways to boost its recycling capabilities,” said Lein Tange, Co-Director of PolyStyreneLoop. “The purpose of this plant is to pave the way for the construction of similar EPS recycling plants in the rest of Europe.”

The legal structure of the plant, which benefited from a European Union LIFE programme grant, was also unique. It has been built by the PolyStyreneLoop Cooperative, a Dutch non-profit organisation whose members comprise more than 70 industry representatives from the whole polystyrene foam value chain.

The Terneuzen plant will have the capacity to recycle 3,300 metric tonnes of polystyrene foam demolition waste coming from B&C per year, validating the technical, economic, and environmental viability of a new recycling process in which polystyrene foams containing HBCD can be fully integrated in the circular economy rather than being lost from circularity.

“It’s a real plus that the plant can not only take care of current recycling waste but also legacy recycling waste,” said Jan Noordegraaf, co-director of the plant. “Moreover, we can do this with about the same energy input as mechanical recycling and the energy we use comes solely from windmills.”

The PSLoop plant will demonstrate the possibility of infinite recycling of EPS B&C waste. Later, it will also recycle extruded polystyrene, or XPS, also known as StyrofoamTM.

EPS is a lightweight foam composed of 98% air and 2% technology with outstanding protective and thermal insulation properties. In addition to building and road construction uses, it is widely used in packaging to protect everything from heavy white goods to sensitive electronics, fresh fruit and vegetables, vaccines and even bees.

As per MRC, Epsilyte (Woodlands, Texas), a leading producer of expandable polystyrene (PSV-S) in North America, raised prices in May for all PSV-S grades in North America. Thus, the increase amounted to 8 cents per pound or USD176 per tonne and came into effect on May 1 of this year.

As per ICIS-MRC Price Report, prices of SIBUR-Khimprom's material were in the range of Rb157,000-165,000/tonne CPT Moscow, including VAT. Plastik, Uzlovaya's EPS was offered at Rb158,000-160,000/tonne CPT Moscow, including VAT. Prices of Russian material will increase significantly in June.

PolyStyreneLoop is a cooperative representing more than 70 companies from the polystyrene foam value chain. Its members include includes polystyrene raw material producers, foam manufacturers, additives suppliers, foam converters and recyclers as well as EUMEPS, the association and voice of European Manufacturers of Expanded Polystyrene.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Maire Tecnimont S.p.A. announces that its subsidiary NextChem has been awarded a contract by TotalEnergies to carry out a Front-End Engineering Design and supply its technological know-how to implement a Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) plant in Grandpuits, France, capable of processing 400,000 tpy, according to Hydrocarbonprocessing.

The project is part of the plan to convert the Grandpuits Refinery into a zero-crude platform that will include a Bio Refinery, where NextChem is already engineering Europe’s first plant to produce compostable and biodegradable plastics, with a capacity of 100,000 tpy.

The BioJet plant, due to be operational in 2024, will strengthen NextChem’s role in TotalEnergies’s net-zero strategy as a major part of the Grandpuits Refinery “zero-crude” platform development, known as “Projet Galaxie”.

The “Projet Galaxie” will produce BioJet fuels by treating primarily animal fats from Europe and used cooking oil. This new unit will be aligned with France’s roadmap for the deployment of sustainable aviation biofuels, which includes a target of 2% by 2025 and 5% by 2030.

SAF (or BioJet) technological know-how is one of NextChem’s key component of its green-tech portfolio that makes Maire Tecnimont Group a key enabler of the Energy Transition. Contributing to a sustainable mobility through a wide range of solutions for the production of green, low carbon and biofuels is one of Maire Tecnimont Group’s priority goals towards 2025, within its sustainability strategy.

TotalEnergies is investing in low-carbon activities with strong growth, like bioplastics and renewable fuels production, with the ambition of getting to net zero in Europe by 2050.

Virginie Merini, Senior Vice President Renewable Fuels at TotalEnergies: “We are very pleased to launch this next stage, alongside with our partner NextChem. Signing this contract is an important milestone as it reinforces our commitment to speed up our growth on the renewable fuels market with the ambition to produce close to 5 million tons of renewable fuels a year by 2030.”

We remind that as MRC wrote before, in November 2019, Total disclosed that itis evaluating construction of a new gas cracker at its Deasan, South Korea, joint venture (JV) with Hanwha Chemical.

Ethylene and propylene are the main feedstocks for the production of polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP), respectively.

According to MRC's ScanPlast report, Russia's estimated PE consumption totalled 576,270 tonnes in the first three month of 2021, up by 4% year on year. Low density polyethylene (LDPE) and high density polyethylene (HDPE) shipments increased. At the same time, PP shipments to the Russian market totalled 410,890 tonnes in January-March 2021, up by 56% year on year. Supply of homopolymer PP and PP block copolymers increased.

TotalEnergies. is a French multinational oil and gas company and one of the six "Supermajor" oil companies in the world with business in Europe, the United States, the Middle East and Asia. The company's petrochemical products cover two main groups: base chemicals and the consumer polymers (polyethylene, polypropylene and polystyrene) that are derived from them.
MRC