DSM Engineering Plastics announced the commercialization of Akulon RC

(DSM) -- DSM Engineering Plastics has announced the commercialization of Akulon RC, a portfolio of Recycle Content grades of PA6 for use in Automotive under-the-bonnet applications. The new material will be available from the end of 2010 - with first commercial applications expected in early 2011.

The first Akulon RC grades under development are a 30% and a 35% glass filled grade with 50% recycle content. These grades deliver a 35% reduction in carbon footprint versus their counterparts made from 100% virgin material. The development of Akulon RC aligns with the automotive industry's drive for ecologically sound and sustainable solutions.

MRC

(Plastics News) -- Indian injection press maker L&T Plastics Machinery is investing 100 million rupees in its factory to double capacity, and is in talks with an unnamed Italian machinery maker about jointly making molding machines, the company's top executive said at a trade show in India.

The company, one of India's largest plastics equipment makers and a former joint venture partner with Sumitomo Demag Plastics Machinery, said its growth has been buoyed by surging demand in India, where it estimated the overall market for injection press machinery will grow 20 percent this year.

CEO P. Kailas disclosed in a January 23 interview at the Plastivision 2011 trade show in Mumbai that the company is talking with an Italian press maker about forming a partnership, possibly where L&T manufacturers some machines for the European firm.

L&T, based in Chennai, said its expansion will double capacity to about 1,500 machines a year. In its current fiscal year, which ends in March, the company expects to make about 800 machines, he said.

MRC

(ICIS) -- Asian petrochemical prices are expected to firm after the Lunar New Year holidays, underpinned by strong Chinese demand for polymers and styrene that will keep naphtha values buoyant, traders said on Friday. Trading usually slows down during the week-long Lunar New Year festivities in China, which fall on 2-8 February this year.

But in a sign of sustained downstream demand, prices for petrochemical feedstock naphtha soared to $865-868/tonne (┬631-547/tonne) CFR (cost and freight) Japan for the front-month contract, according to ICIS. Naphtha prices were up a quarter from a year ago.

China, the world's top energy guzzler, will continue to have a big appetite for petrochemicals, thanks to its galloping economy. Its GDP grew at a faster pace of 9.8% in the fourth quarter of 2010, while inflation slowed to 4.6% in December.

China's polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP) prices were expected to rise further post-holidays, on restocking activity. Meanwhile, tight supply of styrene would continue to boost monomer prices.

China's downstream styrenic plastics expansion at around 2m tonnes was five times larger than the expected 400,000 tonne/year increase in styrene monomer production this year.

MRC

(BASF) -- The Flip-Box Premium from the packaging manufacturer Overath, Germany receives the 2011 Gold Design Award of the Federal Republic of Germany. The foldable transport and insulation box is made from BASF's expanded polypropylene Neopolen P (EPP). The foam is noted primarily for its outstanding stability, low weight, great design versatility, and good insulation performance.

The award ceremony will take place on February 11, 2011 in Frankfurt am Main on the occasion of the Ambiente trade fair. The transport box has already received several design awards, including the German Packaging Award 2010 and the iF material award 2009.

The Flip-Box from Overath fills the gap between an insulation container and a plastic folding basket. The premium version of the box, which weighs a pound, can carry up to 25 kg of weight and has a capacity of 25 liters. It benefits from the great impact resistance of the BASF foam and its good cushioning performance - both properties which can be attributed to its outstanding ability to absorb energy even after several impacts. This considerably increases the service life of the Flip-Box compared with other transport containers.

MRC

(ICIS) -- Asia's spot benzene values jumped $30/tonne (┬22/tonne) on Thursday morning, hitting a fresh 28-month high, tracking the rally in European prices overnight, traders said.

Prices were hovering at $1,150-1,160/tonne FOB (free on board) Korea on Thursday morning, up $30/tonne from Wednesday's close and surpassing the $1,150/tonne FOB Korea level set on 1 September 2008, according to ICIS.

In early trade, bids for March loading were heard at $1,145-1,150/tonne FOB Korea, but sellers remained on the sidelines.

European benzene values for February climbed $38-115/tonne on Wednesday to $1,300-1,385/tonne CIF (cost, insurance and freight) ARA (Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Antwerp), precipitating the spikes in the US market, with the bullish sentiment spilling over to Asia.

US benzene values firmed by $0.04-0.12/gal to $4.30-4.40/gal or $1,285-1,315/tonne FOB Barges late on Wednesday.

Due to price gaps of $135-155/tonne between US and Asia benzene values, and of $150-225/tonne between Europe and Asian values, the window for arbitrage trades to the West was wide open, traders said.

MRC