COVID-19 - News digest as of 02.03.2022

1. Covestro Q4 net income declined

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Covestro's fourth-quarter net income fell by 3.2% but the full year 2021 income surged manifold over the previous year to EUR1.62bn on the back of strong global demand for its products, said the company. "The group benefited from strong global demand and buoyant earnings in the year as a whole. Core volumes sold increased by 10% year on year, mainly due to additional volumes from the Resins & Functional Materials (RFM) business acquired from DSM," it said in a statement.

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PT Chandra Asri Petrochemical Tbk (Chandra Asri), Indonesia's largest integrated petrochemical company, launched Asrene C6 Metallocene LLDPE to make films with higher tenacity and sealing strength such as multi-layer printed packaging and heavy-duty, said the company.

This packaging is usually used for applications such as cooking oil standing pouch, stretch film (plastic wrap), and rice bags. Using Metallocene in the production process resulting packaging product leak-proof, tear-resistant and shatterproof. This product has also obtained approval from the Food and Drug Supervisory Agency (BPOM) and Halal certificates from the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) and therefore it is safe and quality guaranteed.

Chandra Asri took the initiative to produce C6 Metallocene LLDPE resin in a response to high demand and the absence of domestic production. Previously, domestic demand for C6 Metallocene LLDPE was met only by imports. The current 50 kilo tons per year production capacity of Asrene C6 Metallocene is expected to help ease the import burden.

General Manager of Polymer Technical Service and Product Development, Chandra Asri, Supriyanto said, “With the presence of Asrene C6 Metallocene, we offer a solution to improve the strength of packaging material. This resin is also one of Chandra Asri's efforts in diversifying the LLDPE products in order to meet consumer needs."

Chandra Asri continues to contribute to the effort of the Government of Indonesia to meet domestic demand for petrochemical products as well as to reduce dependency on imports. One of the efforts made by Chandra Asri is to build a second world-scale petrochemical complex in Indonesia (CAP2 project). This second complex will be fully integrated with Chandra Asri's existing plant in Cilegon and will consist of Naptha Craker, Butadiene, High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE), Polypropylene (PP), Aromatic (Benzene, Toulene, and Mixed Xylenes), and Low-Density Polyethylene (LDPE) which will also be the first LDPE plant in Indonesia.

According to MRC's ScanPlast report, Russia's estimated PE consumption totalled 2,265,290 tonnes in the first eleven months of 2021, up by 14% year on year. Shipments of all grades of ethylene polymers increased. At the same time, PP shipments to the Russian market were 1,363,850 tonnes in January-November, 2021, up by 25% year on year. Supply of homopolymer PP and block-copolymers of propylene (PP block copolymers) increased, whereas supply of injection moulding PP random copolymers decreased significantly.

Chandra Asri Petrochemical is Indonesia’s largest integrated petrochemical company producing olefins and polyolefins. With a history of over 29 years and over 2000 dedicated staff, the company incorporates state-of-the-art technologies and supporting facilities located strategically in the country’s petrochemical hub, Cilegon and Serang. As a Growth Partner, Chandra Asri is committed on creating high-value jobs, expanding the domestic petrochemical value chain, and serving the needs of the vibrant and growing Indonesian market.
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The 31 Member Countries of the Governing Board of the International Energy Agency agreed to release 60 million barrels of oil from their emergency reserves to send a unified and strong message to global oil markets that there will be no shortfall in supplies as a result of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, said the organization.

Today’s Extraordinary Governing Board meeting, held at the Ministerial level, was chaired by US Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm in her capacity as Chair of this year’s IEA Ministerial Meeting.

Ministers expressed solidarity with the people of Ukraine and their democratically elected government in the face of Russia’s appalling and unprovoked violation of Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

The IEA Ministers noted with concern the energy security impacts of the egregious actions by Russia, and voiced support for sanctions imposed by the international community in response.

The Ministers noted that Russia’s invasion comes against a backdrop of already tight global oil markets, heightened price volatility, commercial inventories that are at their lowest level since 2014, and a limited ability of producers to provide additional supply in the short term.

IEA members hold emergency stockpiles of 1.5 billion barrels. The announcement of an initial release of 60 million barrels, or 4% of those stockpiles, is equivalent to 2 million barrels a day for 30 days. The coordinated drawdown is the fourth in the history of the IEA, which was created in 1974. Previous collective actions were taken in 2011, 2005 and 1991.

Russia plays an outsized role on global energy markets. It is the world’s third largest oil producer and the largest exporter. Its exports of about 5 million barrels a day of crude oil represent roughly 12% of global trade – and its approximately 2.85 million barrels a day of petroleum products represent around 15% of global refined product trade. Around 60% of Russia’s oil exports go to Europe and another 20% to China.

The Governing Board also encouraged each member country to do its utmost to support Ukraine in the supply of oil products, recommending that governments and consumers maintain and intensify conservation efforts.

Ministers also discussed Europe’s significant reliance on Russian natural gas and the need to reduce this by looking to other suppliers, including via LNG, and to continue to pursue a well-managed acceleration of clean energy transitions. On Thursday, the IEA Secretariat will release a 10-Point Plan for how European countries can reduce their reliance on Russian gas supplies by next winter.

According to MRC's ScanPlast report, Russia's estimated PE consumption totalled 2,265,290 tonnes in the first eleven months of 2021, up by 14% year on year. Shipments of all grades of ethylene polymers increased. At the same time, PP shipments to the Russian market were 1,363,850 tonnes in January-November, 2021, up by 25% year on year. Supply of homopolymer PP and block-copolymers of propylene (PP block copolymers) increased, whereas supply of injection moulding PP random copolymers decreased significantly.
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Shin-Etsu Chemical to make 80 billion yen in facility investments for its silicones business with the aim of further expanding and strengthening the business, according to SpecialChem.

Shin-Etsu Chemical increased its production capacity of silicone monomer, the intermediate material of silicones, at its two bases in Japan and Thailand by about 1.5 times. The company has implemented appropriate investments so far in this downstream area of our silicones business.

However, because there is strong demand from customers mainly for advanced functional products, the company is going to further increase its production capacity in this business field as a result of this new facility investment.

Shin-Etsu has already stated that it will strengthen the development of new silicone products and put the emphasis in specialty products. This new facility investment plan is aimed at strengthening this business strategy, and the investment amount is expected to exceed 80 billion yen. By these means, the company will meet the vigorously increasing demand for these products, and at the same time, we will be able to strengthen our stable supply system.

Shin-Etsu’s new facility investments will increase the production capacity of highly diversified types of silicone fluids, resins and rubber end products. In addition, the company will go forward with its endeavors toward contributing to the reduction of the environmental impact and to the development of advanced technologies such as by introducing equipment for molding silicone rubber that does not require post-cure and by introducing trial production equipment for Micro LED-related materials, which will improve productivity and save energy.

As MRC informed before, Shin-Etsu has declared force majeure (FM) on shipments of all polyvinyl chloride (PVC) grades from its plant in Pernis, the Netherlands. Thus, FM was declared on PVC supplies from this plant with the capacity of 450,000 mtyear on 6 May, 2021, following a critical and unforeseen leakage at the upstream vinyl chloride monomer (VCM) production plant in the Netherlands.

We remind that earlier, Shin Etsu declared force majeure on deliveries of all PVC grades from its plant in Pernis on October 13, 2020.
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France-based diversified chemical manufacturer Arkema has closed its previously announced acquisition of Ashland’s Performance Adhesives business for around USD1.65bn in an all-cash transaction.

The company signed an agreement to acquire Ashland’s business in August last year.

Ashland’s Performance Adhesives business supplies a wide range of adhesives for flexible packaging and pressure-sensitive adhesives for various markets, including decorative labels, protection and signage films for automotives and buildings.

The business operates a network of six production plants, most of which are located in North America, and has around 330 employees.

As MRC wrote before, in January 2022, Arkema announcedd that it will be increasing its fluoropolymer capacity at its site in Changshu, China by 50% instead of 35%. The decision to increase polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) capacity at the site is to cater to growing demand for lithium-ion batteries for semiconductors, water filtration and specialty coatings markets. This is not expected to change the expected start-up date, which is still scheduled for the end of 2022.

Arkema is one of the world's leading chemical manufacturers headquartered in Colombes (near Paris, France). Founded in 2004 as a result of the restructuring of the French oil company Total, Arkema, with a turnover of EUR6.5 billion, has operations in 40 countries, 10 research centers around the world, and 85 plants in Europe, North America and Asia.
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