Specialty chemicals group Lanxess reopened its office in Tokyo

(Lanxess) -- Specialty chemicals group Lanxess reopened its office in Tokyo on Wednesday after just over two weeks. The approximately 60 Lanxess employees in the Japanese capital returned to their desks after an assessment of the current safety situation in Tokyo. The Group's management team in Japan is also working out of Tokyo again. These managers had temporarily performed their duties from the site of Lanxess subsidiary Rhein Chemie in Toyohashi.


Lanxess is a leading specialty chemicals company with sales of EUR 7.1 bln in 2010 and currently around 14.850 employees in 24 countries. The company is represented at 45 production sites worldwide. The core business of Lanxess is the development, manufacturing and marketing of plastics, rubber, intermediates and specialty chemicals.


MRC

Dow and Binhua sign memorandum of understanding for new JV in China

(Dow) -- The Dow Chemical Company and Befar Group Co., Ltd. announced a memorandum of understanding (MOU) for a new 50-50 joint venture to produce perchloroethylene (PCE), a key building block material for non-ozone depleting refrigerants used in industrial, automotive, consumer, commercial, building and construction, and other applications.


Under the MOU the two companies will explore development of a new, world-scale, PCE manufacturing facility in Binzhou, Shandong Province, China. The new facility would have an initial target capacity of 40 KTa, with the ability to double production to 80 KT soon thereafter. Assuming the terms and milestones of the MOU are met and subject to customary government approvals, Dow and Binhua estimate production would begin in 2014.


According to Dow President of Chemicals & Energy, Carol Williams, the proposed joint venture with Binhua is another critical milestone toward fulfillment of the Company's business strategy.


Global demand for PCE as a feedstock is increasing for non-ozone-depleting fluorocarbon refrigerants in industrial, automotive and home applications. In China, the market for PCE is growing rapidly, but to date, local supply has been limited. The proposed Dow-Binhua joint venture is designed to meet this significant market opportunity.


MRC

Owens Corning announced two new grades of short GF reinforcements for PP

(PRNewswire) -- Today at the annual JEC Composites Show, Owens Corning, a leading global producer of glass fiber reinforcements for composite systems, announced two new grades of short glass fiber (GF) reinforcements for polypropylene (PP) specifically engineered for automotive applications. They are available worldwide and provide alternatives to short GF reinforced polyamide (PA) and long glass fiber reinforced PP in automotive applications.


Owens Corning is a leading global producer of residential and commercial building materials, glass-fiber reinforcements and engineered materials for composite systems.


MRC

Al Waha successfully completed its performance test before commercial production on April 1

(Arabian Oil and Gas) -- Sahara Petrochemicals Company has said in a statement that its subsidiary Al Waha Petrochemicals Company, successfully completed its performance test on Wednesday March 23, paving the way for commercial production to begin next month.


⌠After the successful completion of the performance test of the PDH unit, which is regarded as the last unit to undergo this test, we expect the commercial operations of Al Waha Petrochemicals Company to start on April 1, 2011, the statement read.


Esam Himdy, Sahara's managing director, appreciated the teamwork spirit of all personnel who participated in the test programme. He also referred to the support received by Saudi Aramco, RCJU, Marafiq, SEC, HCIS, PIF and all participant banks.


The world-scale petrochemical complex in Jubail Industrial City in Saudi Arabia has a capacity of 467 KTa of propylene utilising Oleflex technology, which serves as a feedstock for the 450 KTa Polypropylene Unit. The plant is considered to be largest, producing high-quality polypropylene using LBI's technology, sphereizone.


Al Waha Petrochemicals Company is owned by Sahara Petrochemicals Company, which holds 75% of its share capital with LyondelBasell owning 25%.


MRC

BASF presents innovations at interpack 2011

(BASF) -- BASF is to present once again at the international packaging fair, Interpack, in Dusseldorf from May 12 to 18. The company's solutions are presented in five neatly divided themed areas: cost reduction, sustainability, differentiation at the point of sale, content protection and convenience. Among the following BASF highlights Hexamoll Dinch, an innovative plasticizer made specially for sensitive applications such as toys, medical devices and food-contact products. Hexamoll Dinch is ideally suited for products such as cling film and O-rings for screw closures.


Aurora special effect film opens up a variety of optical effects for product designers, packaging and label manufacturers. The film is high-luster with intriguing reflections and comes in a wide range of colors. Aurora can be used for a variety of applications and in combination with a range of matrix materials such as paper and carton.


As the leading supplier of additives and pigments to the plastics industry, BASF offers its packaging customers a wide variety of products and solutions that enhance the appeal and functionality of packaging. With its unique industry platform approach, its broad product portfolio, and its extensive technical know-how, BASF is able to generate synergies and deliver extra value.


BASF offers a broad portfolio of light stabilizers such as Chimassorb, Tinuvin and Uvinul designed to protect not only the plastic packaging itself from rapid aging but also its valuable contents from the harmful effects of ultra-violet radiation.


With its high elasticity and resilience coupled with very high transparency and luster, BASF Styroflex, SBC block copolymer from the styrene plastics family, is used for applications including stretch hoods and thin film.


MRC