BASF developed first monomeric HALS product with food contact approval

(Food Production Daily) -- BASF said it has developed the first monomeric HALS (hindered amine light stabilizer) for food contact applications in plastics. The Germany-based company announced its Uvinul 4050 FF protects polymers from degradation thanks to its combination of HALS and UV absorbers.

⌠The product enables more effective stabilization of polypropylene (PP) applications with food contact, BASF spokesman Tobias Wolfing told FoodProductionDaily.com. ⌠To protect polymers from degradation, a combination of HALS and UV absorbers is required.

He added that while the main area of application was for consumer goods, it was also designed for food packaging across a raft of sectors - such as vegetable and fruit crates as well as bulk bags made of PP tapes for flour and cereals.

MRC

Gain in PS and styrene plastics imports was fixed by all grades. Supplies of EPS expectedly grew by twice compared to January and made 4.4 KT, at that Asian EPS dominated in supplies.

Also imports of GPPS almost doubled up to 3.2 KT. Serious gain in supplies fell at PS produced by BASF. Supplies of HIPS from external suppliers grew by 50% and made 2.1 KT.

In whole, in comparison to last February import supplies of PS and styrene plastics to the Russian market grew by 11%.

MRC

(ICIS) -- Toluene di-isocyanate (TDI) prices in China are expected to rise further in April on supply concerns and speculative trading in the wake of the 11 March earthquake in Japan, industry sources said on Thursday.

Spot TDI prices were assessed USD150/t higher on 23 March at USD 2.650-2.750/t CFR China Main Port (CMP)/Hong Kong, from the previous week, ICIS data showed.

Many players in China said they were worried about TDI supply because major supplier Mitsui Chemical has shuttered its TDI unit in Kashima, Japan, following the earthquake. Mitsui Chemical has kept its 120 KTa Kashima-based TDI plant shut since a 9.0-magnitude earthquake hit northeast Japan on 11 March and has not set a restart date yet.

In the meantime, the producer would use its 120 KTa Ohmuta-based TDI unit, which was unaffected by the earthquake, to cover both its domestic and export needs, the source said.

Chinese producers withdrew their spot offers after the earthquake hit Japan, while traders based in mainland China and Hong Kong took positions to stock up on cargoes as they expected TDI prices to rise in the wake of the natural disaster, local players said.

MRC

(SIBUR) -- The petrochemical holding company SIBUR and the Lukoil Oil Company have signed a long-term agreement for the supply of associated petroleum gas (APG). According to the terms of the agreement, Lukoil will supply APG from the fields of Lukoil-Western Siberia to Nyagangazpererabotka. In the period from 2011 to 2015 the total volume of APG supplied will be over 2.5 billion cubic meters.

Currently, the capacity of Nyagangazpererabotka is designed to accept up to 2.14 billion cubic meters of associated gas per year. The volume of APG processed in the company in 2010 amounted to 1.3 billion cubic meters.

MRC

(Wacker) -- At the 10. International Fair of Machines, Raw Materials and Accessories for the Furniture Industry (FIMMA Brasil), Wacker will showcase innovative polymer dispersions for high performing wood adhesives: Vinnapas EP 1400 is a vinyl acetate/ethylene-based (VAE) copolymer dispersion ideal for formulating cost-competitive adhesives, for instance for polyvinyl chloride (PVC) lamination, veneering and membrane pressing. Further emphasis will be on Vinnapas DPX 271, a low formaldehyde, non discolouring PVAc (polyvinyl acetate) homopolymer binder for wood and furniture adhesives suppressing the need of external crosslinkers. These products further advance Wacker's leading position in the field of dispersions for adhesives.

MRC