Linde starts up its fifth liquid hydrogen plant in the USA

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Linde has started up its fifth liquid hydrogen plant in the US, reinforcing the company's robust supply network of plants in California, Alabama, Indiana and New York, according to Hydrocarbonprocessing.

The new plant in La Porte, Texas, will supply over 30 tons per day of high-purity liquid hydrogen to meet growing demand from Linde's customers. The liquefier takes hydrogen from Linde's approximately 600-kilometer US Gulf Coast pipeline, which has over 15 independent hydrogen production sources, giving it the most reliable feed supply of any hydrogen liquefier in the US today. Linde will purify and liquefy the hydrogen before supplying it to end markets including material handling, mobility, aerospace, manufacturing, metals, energy and electronics.

Linde is a global leader in the production, processing, storage and distribution of hydrogen. It has the largest liquid hydrogen capacity and distribution system in the world. The company also operates the world's first high-purity hydrogen storage cavern, coupled with an unrivaled pipeline network of approximately 1,000 kilometers globally to reliably supply its customers. Linde is at the forefront in the transition to clean hydrogen and has installed close to 200 hydrogen fueling stations and 80 hydrogen electrolysis plants worldwide.

As MRC reported previously, in May 2021, Saudi chemical manufacturing company SABIC signed a joint agreement with BASF and Linde to develop and demonstrate solutions for electrically heated steam cracker furnaces. The partners had already jointly worked on concepts to use renewable electricity instead of the fossil fuel gas typically used for the heating process. With this innovative approach focusing on one of the petrochemical industries’ core processes, the parties strive to offer a promising solution to significantly contribute to the reduction of CO2 emissions within the chemical industry.

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 953,400 tonnes in the first five months of 2021, which virtually corresponded to the same figure a year earlier. High denisty polyethylene (HDPE) shipments decreased. At the same time, PP shipments to the Russian market were 607,8900 tonnes in January-May 2021, up by 33% year on year. Shipments of homopolymer PP and PP block copolymers increased, whereas deliveries of PP random copolymers decreased.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- In a deal involving two California-based firms, Specialized Packaging Group (SPG), a vertically-integrated provider of protective packaging products, has acquired Specialized Packaging Solutions (SPS) for an undisclosed amount, said Canplastics.

In a news release, SPG officials said the deal expands its reach while adding approximately 100 employees to its 1,100-person workforce. SPG is said to be one of the largest independent protective packaging manufacturers in North America.

SPS and its full workforce will continue to operate in Newark, Calif., while founder and CEO Terry Besso will be retiring. “The addition of SPS to our engineered packaging division means we will be adding world-class capabilities to an operation that is already an industry leader,” said SPG CEO Bob Lally.

"After building SPS from the ground up, it was important to know that the company would be in good hands after I step away,” said SPS founder and CEO Terry Besso. “SPG will continue our legacy of building strong, one-on-one relationships with customers and providing high-quality service and products. I’m grateful for a smooth and successful transaction that led to the best possible result for SPS and our employees."

SPG operates under two divisions, IVEX and Engineered Packaging. IVEX manufactures a range of packaging materials at six facilities across the U.S., Canada, and Mexico; and Engineered Packaging, which is comprised of Induspac and Estapack, designs and manufactures customized packaging solutions at eight facilities in the U.S. and Mexico.

SPS began as a family-owned packaging business and now manufactures custom packaging products at a 150,000 square-foot warehouse in Newark.

As per MRC, Elliott Group announced plans to close its Packaging Solutions operations in Belle Vernon, Pennsylvania by the end of 2020, and to consolidate design engineering and manufacturing operations for unit packaging and auxiliary systems with its primary Engineered Products business in Jeannette.

According to MRC's ScanPlast report, Russia's estimated PE consumption totalled 953,400 tonnes in the first five months of 2021, which virtually corresponded to the same figure a year earlier. High denisty polyethylene (HDPE) shipments decreased. At the same time, PP shipments to the Russian market were 607,8900 tonnes in January-May 2021, up by 33% year on year. Shipments of homopolymer PP and PP block copolymers increased, whereas deliveries of PP random copolymers decreased.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- US caustic soda exports in the first four months of 2021 declined nearly 2.4% compared with January-April 2020, reflecting continued fallout from production shutdowns forced by a deep freeze that hit the US Gulf Coast and much of the US in mid-February, reported S&P Global with reference to the latest US International Trade Commission (ITC) data.

The US shipped out 1.878 million mt of caustic soda in the January-April period, down from 1.92 million mt in the year-ago span, the data showed.

US chlor-alkali rates plunged to 59% in February, from 83% in January, when sustained subfreezing temperatures forced widespread petrochemical plant shutdowns, according to industry statistics. Caustic soda supply had been seen long before the freeze, but sudden shutdowns tightened supply.

After the freeze, caustic soda demand that had been sluggish since mid-2019 began rebounding as buyers sought to boost low inventories and growth in US COVID-19 vaccination rates spurred more economic activity.

Demand for printing paper, napkins, pint-sized milk cartons and other products made with caustic soda plunged in April 2020 when schools and offices closed, sending workers and students to work and learn from home.

US chlor-alkali rates fell to 68% in April 2020 from 90% in March that year, and remained in the low to mid 70% range from May through October. Rates surpassed 80% in November 2020 and stayed in the low 80% range until the freeze hit.

March chlor-alkali rates rose to 71% from February's 59%, and again to 80% in April, industry statistics show.

While US caustic soda exports fell slightly year on year, imports rose 8.2% to 331,297 mt from 306,027 mt in January-April 2020, the ITC data showed.

As MRC wrote before, in May 2021, American Westlake Chemical said it will soon sell "green" caustic soda, which emits 30% less carbon dioxide during its production. Westlake President and Chief Executive Officer Albert Chao said the company wants to obtain an environmental compliance certificate for the production of caustic soda using this technology in Europe. Green caustic soda has the same properties as regular sodium hydroxide. The difference lies in the use of renewable energy sources in the production process.

We remind that Russia's March production of sodium hydroxide (caustic soda) was 118,000 tonnes (100% of the main substance) versus 98,400 tonnes a month earlier. In the first quarter of 2021, overall output of caustic soda in Russia totalled 329,400 tonnes, down by 0.7% year on year.

The main caustic soda producers in the United States are Olin, Occidental Chemical, Westlake Chemical, Shintech, and Formosa Plastics.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Tatneft and the Hungarian MOL Group have launched a project to build a plant for the production of rubber modified bitumen (RMB) at the TANECO complex, said the company.

The ceremony of starting the construction of a plant for the production of rubber-modified bitumen (RMB) with a capacity of 25,000 tonnes per season was held on June 6 in Nizhnekamsk.

The construction of the section is carried out using the technology of the Hungarian MOL Group at the Taneco oil complex and it is expected that it will also provide recycling of up to 500 thousand tires per year. The launch of the enterprise is scheduled for mid-2023. The total investment will amount to Rb1.2 bn.

The rubber-modified bitumen produced by the technology of the Hungarian company MOL is a product of innovative technology and combines the advantages of existing methods for the production of rubber bitumen. The project belongs to "green technologies" and reduces the negative impact on the environment.

It is assumed that the joint investment project of JSC TANECO and MOL Group will be a good contribution to the expansion of Russian-Hungarian cooperation at the regional level.

As it was said earlier, Tatneft will step up production in Kaliningrad. The company confirmed plans for the development of the Kaliningrad Ekopet plant. The acquisition of Ekopet will enable Tatneft to implement the plans for the development of the petrochemical business, taking into account the Company's goals of reducing greenhouse gas emissions along the entire value chain.

As per MRC ScanPlast, total estimated PET consumption increased by 15% in May compared to the same indicator a year earlier and amounted to 85,850 tonnes. Total estimated consumption amounted to 349,940 tonnes of PET in January-May 2021 in Russia, up 22% year on year.

Tatneft is one of the largest Russian oil companies today and is an internationally recognized vertically integrated holding. The industrial complex of the Company includes steadily developing enterprises of crude oil and gas production, petroleum refining, petrochemicals production, the tire-manufacturing complex, network of filling stations and services.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Azelis, an innovation service provider in the specialty chemicals and food ingredients distribution industry, has made two acquisitions this month to date, both in South Korea, according to CHEManager.

The most recent agreement, announced on Jul. 14, is the proposed takeover of Seoul-headquartered Coseal, which specializes in the distribution, repackaging and blending of agricultural/horticultural surfactants.

This transaction is expected to close in the third quarter of 2021, when all of Coseal’s 45 employees, along with its owner and CEO Sang Jin Kang, will transfer to the Belgium-based distributor.

Nearly two weeks earlier, on Jul. 1, Azelis revealed it had purchased MH, a local distributor in the food ingredients market, providing the multinational specialty chemicals distribution group with a foothold in the food and health segment. Also headquartered in Seoul, MH is a family-owned business, supplying products such as gluten, starches, sweeteners and functional food ingredients.

Separately, Azelis completed the purchase of Vigon International on Jun. 2. Vigon is a leading US specialty distributor and manufacturer of ingredients for the flavors and fragrances market segments. The acquisition was first announced on May 5.

As MRC reported earlier, in June 2021, Azelis announced the extension of its distribution scope with CP Kelco in India, Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand. CP Kelco’s product range is a significant addition to Azelis’ portfolio and the new agreement marks an important milestone in the strong and continuously developing collaboration between both companies globally.

We remind that Russia's output of chemical products rose in March 2021 by 5.4% year on year. Thus, production of basic chemicals increased year on year by 6.7% in the first three months of 2021. Production of polymers in primary form was 958,000 tonnes versus 861,000 tonnes in March. Overall output of polymers in primary form totalled 2,740,000 tonnes in the first quarter of 2021, up by 8.5% year on year.

Azelis is a leading distributor of speciality chemicals and food ingredients present in over 50 countries across the globe with around 2,200 employees. Our knowledgeable teams of industry, market and technical experts are each dedicated to a specific market within Life Sciences and Industrial Chemicals.