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MOSCOW (MRC) -- Honeywell Resins and Chemicals has announced that it will expand production capacity at its Chesterfield, Va., facility to meet demand for high-grade nylon polymers for packaging film and other applications, reported the producer on its site.
The new production line will be able to produce both nylon 6 and copolymer nylon 6/6.6 resins, with flexibility to produce either or both as needed to match customer demand. The new line will have a capacity of 40,000 metric tons per year and is expected to start production in the fourth quarter of 2015, expanding capacity at the facility to 200,000 metric tons per year.
"We continue to invest in the production capabilities to meet our global customers’ current and future needs, and this new production line will provide greater flexibility to produce both nylon 6 and nylon 6/6.6 as required," said Qamar Bhatia, vice president and general manager of Honeywell Resins and Chemicals. "As a fully integrated nylon 6 producer, Honeywell remains well positioned as a reliable and competitive supplier to customers worldwide."
Honeywell’s resins, sold under the Aegis brand name, are used in diverse applications such as fibers and filaments for carpeting, fabrics, nets and cords; engineered plastic components for automotive, consumer and industrial applications; and films for food and protective packaging. For food packaging applications, Aegis resins provide excellent barrier properties to oxygen, helping to retain flavor and maintain product freshness.
As MRC informed before, last year, the largest refiner in Kazakhstan selected technology from Honeywell's UOP for the modernization of its facility. The Pavlodar Oil Chemical Refinery (POCR) of KazMunaiGas will use a range of UOP processes and services to upgrade its facility in Northeast Kazakhstan Province, allowing it to meet Euro-5 standards aimed at reducing motor vehicle pollution.
Honeywell Performance Materials and Technologies (PMT) is a global leader in developing advanced materials, process technologies and automation solutions. PMT’s Advanced Materials businesses manufacture a wide variety of high-performance products, including environmentally friendlier refrigerants and materials used to manufacture end products such as bullet-resistant armor, nylon, computer chips and pharmaceutical packaging.
MRC
Honeywell Resins And Chemicals to expand nylon polymer production capacity
Mexichem targets ventures, acquisitions following energy policy reform
MOSCOW (MRC) -- Mexichem is planning to pursue more joint ventures as Mexico opens its energy industry and returns from existing partnerships help the company beat petrochemical peers in the stock market, said Hydrocarbonprocessing.
Mexichem, which has acquired more than 15 companies since 2007, is a candidate for further ventures with companies such as state-run Petroleos Mexicanos, Fernando Perez, an analyst with Corporativo GBM SAB in Mexico City, said in an interview.
Pemex, as the oil producer is known, on May 6 said it plans to quadruple petrochemical investment to 50.4 billion pesos (USD3.89 billion) over the next four years to boost output. The companies formed an alliance to revamp the Pajaritos petrochemical plant last year.
Latin America’s biggest plastic pipe maker partnered in 2013 with Occidental Petroleum’s chemical unit to build a USD1.5 billion ethylene plant in southern Texas and is producing vinyl chloride with Pemex. Teaming up with other companies positions Mexichem to benefit from petrochemical growth fueled by energy reforms approved in December.
Mexichem sees "multiple options" for petrochemical expansion after Mexico’s secondary energy laws are approved, Sanchez said. Secondary legislation to energy overhaul approved last year by President Enrique Pena Nieto was presented April 30 to Mexico’s congress. The laws, which could be approved as soon as next month, will determine tax rates for private companies that set up energy project in Mexico as well as Pemex’s participation in projects such as cross-border fields.
Pemex, Mexican Petroleum, is a Mexican state-owned petroleum company. Pemex has a total asset worth of USD415.75 billion, and is the world's second largest non-publicly listed company by total market value, and Latin America's second largest enterprise by annual revenue as of 2009. Company produces such polymers, as polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), polystyrene (PS).
MRC
TOYO awarded large gas chemical complex in Turkmenistan
The complex, TOYO’s first project in Turkmenistan, is scheduled to be completed in 2018. The complex will produce ethylene, high density polyethylene, and polypropylene from natural gas produced on the Caspian Sea shelf. TOYO will be responsible for the engineering, procurement, and commissioning of the gas separation unit, ethylene and polypropylene production units.
For the gas separation unit, TOYO’s technology, COREFLUX will be applied to achieve effective recovery of ethane and LPG, and BASF’s technology, OASE for acid gas removal. Lummus’ technology will be applied for ethylene production, and W. R. Grace & Co.-Conn. for polypropylene.
Polymer products produced at this complex are planned to be exported and sold mainly in the Asia, EU and Turkish markets. Turkmenistan is a country boasting abundant reserves of natural gas, and it has been maintaining high economic growth with the export of natural gas. The country is a promising market with strong investment potential, especially in petroleum and gas fields. TOYO will be contributing to Turkmenistan’s economic development through the execution of this project as well as expanding further its business in Russia and CIS countries.
We remind that, as MRC wrote previously, recently Toyo Engineering Corp. has received a contract to build a 15,000-tpy synthetic resin production plant in Houston, Texas, from Nippon Synthetic Chemical. Construction of the plant is scheduled to begin this summer and to be completed at the end of 2014. Earlier this year, Toyo Engineering was awarded a contract from Russia's TAIF-NK to provide services for detailed engineering and procurement on the oil refinery modernization project in Nizhnekamsk.
MRC
PVC imports to Russia decreased by 57% in the first four months of 2014
MOSCOW (MRC) - Russia's polyvinyl chloride (PVC) continued to decrease on the back of strong prices in foreign markets and weak domestic demand. PVC imports to Russia dropped by 57% in the first four months of 2014, compared with the same period a year earlier, according to MRC DataScope report.
However, PVC imports slightly grew in April and March, helped by seasonally stronger demand. April PVC imports to Russia rose to 25,000 tonnes, from 19,200 tonnes in March. Nevertheless, Russia's suspension PVC (SPVC) imports decreased to 70,000 tonnes in the first four months of 2014, compared with 163,300 tonnes in the same period in 2013.
The main reasons for the imports fall were high prices of imported PVC and Russian converters' weak demand. Structure of PVC supplies over the reported period was as follows.
PVC imports from the USA fell to a record low 2,000 tonnes in April, compared with 5,500 tonnes in March. Russia's imports of US PVC dropped to 19,700 tonnes in January - April 2014, compared with 73,900 tonnes in the same period of 2013.
Imports of Chinese acetylene PVC also significantly reduced, despite the surge in April 19,200 tonnes, compared with 7,100 tonnes in March.
Total imports of Chinese acetylene PVC to Russia were 31,000 tonnes in the first four months of the year, compared with 72,200 tonnes in the same period a year earlier.
European PVC imports to the Russian market in April fell to 2,500 tonnes, from 4,400 tonnes in March. Russia's imports of European resin rose to 11,100 tonnes in the first four months of 2014, compared with 9,000 tonnes year on year ( the main volumes were imported from Belgium and Hungary).
MRC analysts expect SPVC imports to Russia to increase in future months. Despite the significant increase in production volumes at the local producers this year, Russian market remains dependent on external supplies especially in periods of high demand (May - October).
MRC
Arkema to cease coating resins production at UK site
МOSCOW (MRC) -- French company Arkema Coatings Resins have announced they're stopping production at part of their site in Stallingborough, said Grimsbytelegraph.
There are reports nearly 60 jobs could be under threat at a chemical plant in North East Lincolnshire. It's understood French company Arkema Coatings Resins have announced they're stopping production at part of their site in Stallingborough.
The company are expected to enter into talks with trade unions and employee representatives next week. Arkema have informed its staff that the final outcome will not be known until the end of the consultation period but support and guidance will be available throughout the process.
Arkema acquired the coatings element of the Laporte Road business as part of a ?495-million deal in July 2011, with a separate brand, CCP, created by Total to retain the composites element of Cray Valley, which operated across 20 global sites.
The products are used in paint, adhesives, inks and sealants, as well as for architectural, sanitary and marine applications.
Three years ago, when the deal was completed, investment totalling more than ?1-million and a 10 per cent increase in staff across the two separate entities was highlighted, however a large part of that investment was for the CCP aspect.
Arkema was actually created by a Total reorganisation back in 2004, it is now a separate entity, trading on the Paris Stock Exchange. At the time of the deal, Cray Valley had 20 different production sites worldwide, with 1,800 people employed and seven research and development centres.
As MRC wrote before, Arkema started its new 60,000 MTY emulsion polymers facility on its Changshu platform. This new plant, which represented a USD30 million investment, is located in Arkema’s Changshu manufacturing complex, the company’s largest manufacturing complex worldwide.
Arkema is a global industrial and speciality chemical company made up of three business segments; Vinyl Products, Industrial Chemicals and Performance Products. It is present in over 40 countries with 14,000 employees.
MRC