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MOSCOW (MRC) -- Eastman Chemical Company, a global specialty chemical company, is enhancing its medical packaging portfolio with Eastalite copolyester, the company’s first opaque offering, which is styrene-free and can be a sustainable alternative to high-impact polystyrene (HIPS), reported the company in its press release.
The material complements the company’s other medical packaging copolyester offerings: Eastman Eastar 6763 and Tritan MP100.
Eastalite is a sustainable alternative to high-impact polystyrene (HIPS) for opaque rigid medical packaging. It meets the demand for cost-effective, styrene-free material that is easier to process.
Eastman Eastalite copolyester is best suited for applications in which lightweighting and other sustainable attributes are part of their fitness for use requirements, including work-in-progress trays, thermoformed pharmaceutical packaging and packaging for economical medical devices or kits.
Aneta Clark, market development representative for medical packaging, Advanced Materials-Specialty Plastics, Eastman Chemical Company said: "Eastman Eastalite copolyester provides brand owners and medical device manufacturers with a material at a price comparable to HIPS, but one that is free of styrene and easier to process."
As MRC informed previously, Eastman Chemical is expanding capacity of its Eastman 168 non-phthalate plasticizers at its manufacturing facility in Texas City, Texas, USA. The expansion at the site will increase the overall capacity of Eastman 168 by approximately 15% and is expected to be operational by mid-2014.
Eastman Eastalite copolyester is a styrene-free alternative to HIPS and other competitive products. It is made without materials of concern, including butadiene, bisphenol A, bisphenol S, ortho-phthalates, polyvinyl chloride or halogens such as chlorine or bromine. The material is compliant with select ISO 10993 requirements for medical device biocompatibility.
Eastman (headquartered in Kingsport, Tennessee, USA) is a global specialty chemical company that produces a broad range of products found in items people use every day. With a portfolio of specialty businesses, Eastman works with customers to deliver innovative products and solutions while maintaining a commitment to safety and sustainability. Its market-driven approaches take advantage of world-class technology platforms and leading positions in attractive end-markets such as transportation, building and construction, and consumables.
MRC
Eastman expands its rigid medical packaging portfolio with Eastalite copolyester
Styron presents new carpet and flooring solutions
MOSCOW (MRC) -- Styron, the global materials company and manufacturer of plastics, latex and rubber, has presented new flooring solutions to help carpet backing and artificial grass manufacturers meet today’s market challenges, reported the company on its site.
"Making flooring more durable and more sustainable are the challenges of today's carpet backing and artificial grass manufacturers," said James Kennedy, Styron’s Global Flooring Industry Manager. "Styron’s Performance Latex solutions help our customers meet those challenges and differentiate their products in the marketplace."
The new Styron solutions include FOUNDATIONS Styrene Acrylate latex, now produced in Terneuzen (The Netherlands), which expands the company's product portfolio; ENVERSA, an innovative backing for carpet which addresses the environmental concerns with the current competitive backing, and TRINSEO, a new range of lower cost modified SB Latexes.
As MRC wrote previously, in mid-summer, 2013, Styron offered a complete portfolio of acrylonitrile butadiene styrene products under the MAGNUM ABS Resins brand name. The Styron ABS business has traditionally supported the automotive industry where customer demand values the characteristics of the material - such as a premium finish on the trims in the interior of a vehicle.
Most recently Styron’s global ABS business has expanded to include non-automotive sectors as consumers seek a premium appearance in items such as equipment housings for medical devices, cabinetry for consumer electronics and home furnishings, opaque sheet and furniture.
Styron is a leading global materials company and manufacturer of plastics, latex and rubber. Styron"s technology solutions are used by customers in industries such as home appliances, automotive, building & construction, carpet, commercial transportation, consumer electronics, consumer goods, electrical & lighting, medical, packaging, paper & paperboard, rubber goods and tires.
MRC
SAMAPCO completed 100% of performance test of the plant
With reference to the earlier announcement of 04-08-2013 concerning to The Experimental Operation of its affiliate Sahara Petrochemical Co. announces that (SAMAPCO) has completed 100% of performance test of the plant for 72 hours of running operation of the plant on Thursday 30th of Jan. 2014.
The performance test was in the presence of full team of Licensed technology and technical advisor of lenders banks in addition to the main contractor for the project, where it is expected to be completed at second quarter of 2014 to start the commercial operation.
Sahara declares there is no financial impact before the start-up of the commercial operation. It is worth mentioning that Sahara Petrochemicals Co. owns 50% of SAMAPCO and any additional updates will be declared later. Any additional information will be announced in due course.
As MRC informed before, Sahara Petrochemical Co. earned net profit of SR578.7 million in 2013, registering a growth of 183% compared to net profit of SR204.4 million in 2012.
In December, 2013, Saudi International Petrochemical Co. (SIPCHEM) unveiled its plans to sign a share-swap merger agreement with Sahara (SPC) Petrochemicals Co. in the first half of 2014, seeking to create a company with about USD5 billion in market value.
Sahara Petrochemical is involved in building and operating petrochemical projects, especially propylene, polypropylene, ethylene and mixed polyethylene industries.
MRC
SABIC UK in bid to ramp up competitiveness
SABIC UK Petrochemicals, which has operations on Teesside including the olefins cracker and LDPE (low density polyethylene) plant at Wilton, wants to build a large storage tank at its North Tees site for new feedstocks.
The North Tees site houses SABIC’S major feedstock and product logistics equipment and its aromatics complex.
A spokesperson said: "We are continuously reviewing the competitiveness of our assets worldwide including in Europe and on Teesside. As such, we are in the process of assessing the impact of new and alternative feedstocks on our businesses. It’s too early in the process to say more, but it has to do with alternative feedstocks and improving our competitiveness by becoming more efficient and lowering costs. The restructure on Teesside is also part of the plan to increase competitiveness."
Jacobs, a consultancy acting on SABIC’S behalf, said the plans will "create a more sustainable economic future for Teesside operations" and make the site more efficient. A report to planners says: "Alternative feedstock arrangements are currently available that would improve the sustainability of the business on Teesside, and to take advantage of this opportunity, SABIC must increase their feedstock storage flexibility."
As MRC reported before, in October 2013, the Polymershapes division of Sabic opened a new US branch in Austin, Texas, to give local customers better access to its plastics and associated products.
SABIC UK LTD, based in Redditch, South West Birmingham has been operating in the UK for nearly 35 years. The company have established a very strong position in the polyethylene and polypropylene business with a market share of around 18%.
Saudi Basic Industries Corporation (SABIC) ranks among the world’s top petrochemical companies. The company is among the world’s market leaders in the production of polyethylene, polypropylene and other advanced thermoplastics, glycols, methanol and fertilizers.
MRC
Oil giant BP has reported a fall in profits for 2013
MOSCOW (MRC) -- Oil giant BP has reported a fall in profits for 2013. Underlying replacement cost profit - which strips out one-off gains and the effect of oil price movements - was USD13.4bn last year, down from USD17.1bn in 2012, said the producer in its press release.
BP said lost income from asset sales, weaker margins on refining and higher exploration write-offs were to blame. For the final three months of last year, BP said underlying replacement cost profit fell to USD2.8bn from USD3.9bn.
The result for the third quarter was just above average analyst forecasts for USD2.7bn. Including the impact of the asset sales and one-off gains, BP said replacement cost profit for the year more than doubled to USD23.7bn compared with USD11.4bn in 2012.
This was largely thanks to the one-off gain from BP's USD17bn sale of its interest in the joint venture TNK-BP, which it sold to Russia's Rosneft.
BP has sold off USD38bn worth of assets since the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, helping it to fund compensation payouts.
However, this sell-off has hit production. BP said it expected reported production to be lower in 2014 due to the sales. The oil firm said in October it still plans to sell off a further USD10bn worth of assets by the end of next year.
"Capital discipline is central to BP's strategy; making the right investment choices, sticking to our capital limits, and actively managing our portfolio in pursuit of long term value," said BP chief executive Bob Dudley.
BP is one of the world's leading international oil and gas companies, providing its customers with fuel for transportation, energy for heat and light, retail services and petrochemicals products for everyday items.
MRC