DSM Engineerging Plastics to increase prices for Akulon and Novamid PA6 and PA66

(DSM) -- DSM Engineerging Plastics Europe has announced it will increase prices for its Akulon and Novamid PA6 and PA66 portfolios, due to unprecedented and continued escalations in key raw materials costs (such as benzene, caprolactam, glass fiber, flame retardants and others).

DSM remains committed to the continued implementation of cost-saving initiatives, however, escalating costs necessitate this additional increase to sustain DSM Engineering Plastics' position as an innovative and reliable supplier.

Increases in the range of 200 Eur/tonne have already been implemented with many customers throughout January and will be implemented further as contracts allow.

MRC

(Plastemart) -- Mexican industrial conglomerate ALFA, S.A.B. de C.V. has completed purchase of 3 South Carolina petrochemical plants from Eastman Chemical Company for about US$600 mln. One of the plants produces PTA and the other two produce PET with an annual capacity of 1.27 mln tons. As per the agreement, ALFA's DAK Americas, LLC unit also gets the intellectual property of Eastman's integrated polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and purified terephthalic acid (PTA) business, as well as access to the existing customer base.

MRC

(Plastemart) -- Uzbekistan is to invest US$1.2 bln on upgrade of a polyethylene gas-chemical complex at state owned plant in Mubarek to 400,000 tons. The project, to be financed jointly with Singapore's Indorama group, will have US$150 mln from national gas company Uzbekneftegaz and US$600 mln from Indorama, while The Uzbekistan Fund for Reconstruction and Development will contribute US$450 mln.

Upgrade of the plant built in 1971 is expected to be completed by 2015. This project constitutes part of the Uzbek government's economic plan to stimulate investment in the country.

MRC

(prw) -- Cereplast is continuing its push into the European market thanks to a new distribution deal with ColorTec to sell bioplastics in southern Italy and Slovenia. US-based Cereplast says Italian manufacturers, in particular, are looking towards bioplastics after the country's government announced a ban on PE bags earlier this year.

Under the terms of the agreement, Cereplast will supply ColorTec with its Compostable 3000 film for shopping and rubbish bags.

Last month, Cereplast targeted growing bioplastic demand in Europe by opening a new headquarters in Bonen, Germany.

The company also plans to open a manufacturing plant in Europe in 2012 with double the capacity of the US factory.

MRC

(prw) -- With a 25% sales increase in 2010 and a double-digit sales growth forecast for 2011, Rhodia Engineering Plastics is on track to boost its compounding capacity in China. The company expects to complete a 40% expansion at its Shanghai facility by July.

The expansion is needed in order to follow the growth of the market, said Frank Laganier, engineering plastics Asia Pacific director. The recent acquisition in India will add some capacity, but it will soon be absorbed in the regional market, he said. Rhodia had also announced a 10% expansion in South Korea in May.

The Shanghai plant, which opened in 2006, was designed for twice its current capacity, the company said. After the current expansion, one more capacity increase is planned for 2013, to ultimately reach the designed capacity.

Rhodia said it will be adding jobs at the Shanghai site to operate the new line as well as to manage logistics for the extra production.

MRC