Japan's Maruzen to restart naphtha cracker in June

(Reuters) - Japan's Maruzen Petrochemical Co Ltd said on Tuesday it plans to restart its sole naphtha cracker in Chiba, east of Tokyo, on June 21 following scheduled maintenance.

Maruzen Petrochemical, which is 40 percent owned by Cosmo Oil Co group, shut the cracker with the capacity to produce 525,000 tonnes per year of ethylene on May 9, a company spokesman said.

Maruzen Petrochemical Co. develops, produces, imports, and exports petrochemical products. It offers basic petrochemicals and ethylene derivatives, including ethylene, propylene, benzene, toluene, xylene, ethylene oxide and glycol, and high-density polyethylene, which serve as raw materials in plastics, synthetic fiber, synthetic rubber, and coatings.
MRC

(fibre2fashion) -- The recent decision of the Government of India to impose an anti-dumping duty of 16.90 percent on the import of viscose filament yarn (VFY) originating in, or exported from, China for a further period of five years, is likely to affect powerloom weavers in India?s textile hub of Surat.

Viscose filament yarn is the main raw material for about 150,000 of around 600,000 weaving machines in Surat, known for man-made fabrics production.

Federation of Gujarat Weavers Association (FOGWA) Chairman, Mr. Ashok Jirawala, told fibre2fashion, "Powerloom weavers and yarn importers in Surat would be greatly affected due to the levy of anti-dumping duty on the import of viscose filament yarn from China. The small-scale industries would especially feel the blow."

FOGWA has submitted a memorandum to two Union Ministers during the past few days urging them to remove the duty on import of VFY. "The Ministers have promised to arrange our meeting with the Textiles Minister and work to solve the issue," informs Mr. Jirawala.
MRC

(dsm) -- DSM Composite Resins announced a price increase of its complete portfolio of resins in Europe, to be effective of June 1st, 2012.

Due to continuing increases of raw material costs, the prices of its Unsaturated Polyester Resins & Vinyl Ester Resins will be raised by EUR90 per ton.

Fons Harbers, Business Manager Composite Resins Europe, explains: "In order to continue our commitment to innovation and sustainable solutions, we have no choice but to pass these increases on to our customers".

DSM Composite Resins is a business unit of DSM headquartered in Schaffhausen Switzerland.

MRC

(plasteurope) -- While announcing its Q1 2012 results, which were down amid rising feedstock costs, especially naphtha, Brazilian petrochemical giant Braskem said it was looking into switching its US polypropylene plants to shale gas feedstock. CEO Carlos Fadigas said Braskem was close to reaching a decision on whether to build its own plant to process propane from natural gas or form a joint venture.

Fadigas reportedly said the decision on whether to build such a facility and in what constellation would be made this year. Braskem had bought Dow Chemical?s (Midland, Michigan / USA) polypropylene business in the US last year.
MRC

(plasteurope) -- Extending its market reach to India, Swiss colorants, dispersed pigments and speciality compounds producer Colorant Chromatics Group (Zug) recently entered into a cooperation with Nishigandha Polymers (Mumbai / India) under the terms of which the latter will distribute the Swiss group?s entire production portfolio.

The range includes colour concentrates, specialty compounds, pigment dispersions and additives as well as high performance plastics and fluoropolymers, including PEEK and PTFE, for instance.

The Swiss group operates plants in Aland / Finland, Shanghai / China as well as Bethel, Connecticut / USA. In addition, Colorant Chromatics runs a distribution centre in Germany and works with sales agents in Spain, Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Turkey and India.

The Swiss group in 2007 became part of US liquid colourant, additive and fluoropolymer producer ColorMatrix (Berea, Ohio), which was acquired by PolyOne (Cleveland, Ohio / USA) earlier this year.
MRC