Solvay enhances energy efficiency and competitiveness of Bulgaria soda ash plant

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Solvay will bolster competitiveness of its world class soda ash factory in Devnya, Bulgaria, by improving its energy efficiency, said the company in its press release.

The measure is part of the competitiveness breakthrough plan that Solvay’s Global Business Unit Soda Ash & Derivatives launched last year and which is on track to deliver its EUR100 million cost-improvement target already by the end of 2015.

The Devnya plant, Solvay’s biggest synthetic soda ash production plant in Europe, will be equipped with a new high-tech steam boiler, whose energy efficiency will reduce CO2 emissions and bolster the site’s environmental performance.

"This investment shows Solvay’s commitment to this business," said Christophe Clemente, President of Solvay Soda Ash & Derivatives Global Business Unit. "Our breakthrough actions, including energy efficiency measures, and our goal to increase profitability of our soda ash business will ensure the security and quality of supply to our customers over the long-term."

With the soda ash breakthrough competitiveness plan Solvay aims to re-affirm its position as one of the global leaders in the business, optimizing its European synthetic soda ash production while at the same time reinforcing its trona assets in the United States.

As MRC wrote before, Solvay finalized the acquisition of Flux Schweib- und Lotstoffe GmbH (Flux), complementing its aluminum brazing capabilities and products with fast-growing formulations for automotive heat exchangers and stationary heat, ventilation and air conditioning units.

Solvay S.A. is a Belgian chemical company founded in 1863, with its head office in Neder-Over-Heembeek, Brussels, Belgium. The company has diversified into two major sectors of activity: chemicals and plastics. Solvay supplies over 1500 products across 35 brands of high-performance polymers – fluoropolymers, fluoroelastomers, fluorinated fluids, semi-aromatic polyamides, sulfone polymers, aromatic ultra polymers, high-barrier polymers and cross-linked high-performance compounds.
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MOSCOW (MRC) -- Japan's trading firms have struggled to stay competitive in the energy trading business in recent years as domestic oil demand has dwindled and crude's low price volatility has depressed margins, said Plastemart.

Amid tighter regulation reshaping the energy trading industry, large international trading firms such as Trafigura , Vitol and Glencore have gained prominence in the business. Japanese trading house Marubeni Corp is refocusing its energy trading on naphtha and liquefied natural gas (LNG) and away from crude, as it targets becoming a niche market player in a tough environment, as per the head of business in Reuters. "The role of Japanese trading firms is changing," Yasuaki Suzuki, general manager of Marubeni's energy trading department said. "In the past, we traded almost everything, but with low margins and hard competition, the Japanese traders are now increasingly becoming niche players, concentrating more on certain products," said Suzuki.

The company traded around 11 mln tons of naphtha last year, but a current depressed market makes it hard to increase volumes. Marubeni no longer has fuel oil storage capacity in Singapore and has cut staff in its office there, although it plans to keep overall headcount in the company's energy trading department intact.

Weak Asian demand and rising global supply have triggered a drop in oil prices in recent months, as producers in the key Middle East region show little sign of curbing supplies. The current glut of crude oil in Asia is likely to persist for now, as producers engage in a fight for market share that will take oil prices even lower.

As MRC wrote before, Marubeni Corporation concluded an off-take agreement with Nghi Son Refinery and Petrochemical Limited Liability Company, the operator of the Nghi Son Refinery & Chemical Complex in Vietnam, for its products, namely polypropylene and sulfur.

Marubeni is delighted to be a support of the first Japanese-owned refinery & chemical complex located outside of Japan in terms of stable operations by committing to long-term off-taking and is willing to continue its contribution to the emerging Vietnamese economy for further development.

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MOSCOW (MRC) -- Styrolution, the global leader in styrenics, has unveiled enhancements to its transparent specialties production network and portfolio, reported the company in its press release.

Specifically, the company successfully started NAS production in its Decatur, Alabama site and will open a new NAS and Zylar plant in Ludwigshafen, Germany, which will begin production in early October. Delivering on plans Styrolution shared earlier this year, the launch of production at both of these existing sites bolster global supply security and local sourcing options for transparent specialty styrenics.

Styrolution also unveiled new grades in its Zylar and Clearblend product lines. The announcement of the new grades, Zylar 670 and Clearblend 155 further reinforces Styrolution's commitment to advancing its offering in transparent specialty styrenics. Both grades are the result of a new, proprietary impact-modifying technology, and offer customized strength that has been proven through exceptional performance in drop tests.

Zylar 670 is high-performance transparent specialty product is characterized by water clear transparency, high flowability, good chemical resistance and exceptional impact-resistance when dropped. Clearblend 155 is an impact-modified, transparent styrene acrylic copolymer dry blend that offers customers a cost-effective material solution without significantly compromising performance.

The powerful combination of transparency and unique strength make these grades ideal material solutions for applications across a wide range of industries.

Marcela Villegas, Business Director, Transparent Specialties, EMEA Styrolution: "We are pleased to now offer regional supply of NAS and Zylar throughout Europe, the Middle East and Africa. In fact, the new plant in Ludwigshafen makes Styrolution the largest producer of transparent styrenics in EMEA. Customers across the region will also benefit from local Styrolution experts, who in the spirit of collaborative innovation are dedicated to helping customers across a range of industries achieve their vision for application success with transparent styrenics."

The successful start of NAS production in Decatur, the opening of the new plant at Ludwigshafen and the launch of the new grades all reinforce Styrolution's continued global leadership in and dedication to innovation through specialty styrenic materials. The successful enhancement of these production locations and sought-after product portfolios are key steps in the advancement of Styrolution's Triple Shift strategy, which calls for a focus on styrenic specialties and Standard ABS, higher-growth industries, such as healthcare, household and electronics and growth in emerging markets. These developments also ensure that customers throughout the world and across all industries have access to the material solutions critical to the success of their applications.

As MRC wrote before, in February 2014, in order to further strengthen its polystyrene (PS) business in North America, Styrolution announced it plans to consolidate PS capacity in the region. In addition, Styrolution will accelerate growth in styrenic specialties through an expansion of its offering for high-performance transparent styrenics, by providing local supply in Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA). Part of Styrolution's Triple Shift growth strategy, these measures will further enhance the company's position as the global leader in styrenics.

The Styrolution Group GmbH is a global provider of styrenics , headquartered in Frankfurt am Main. The company is a joint venture between BASF (50%) and INEOS (50%), were merged into the main styrene operations of the two partners. Its main focus is on the production of monomer, polystyrene, styrenic specialties, and ABS. The company offers styrene plastics for a variety of everyday products from different industries, such as automotive, electronics, construction, household, leisure, packaging, medicine and health. In 2013, the company's sales were at EUR5.8 billion, resulting in an EBITDA before special items of EUR442 million. Styrolution employs approximately 3,200 people and operates 17 production sites in ten countries.
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MOSCOW (MRC) -- Saudi Arabia's Advanced Petrochemical Company will raise the production capacity of its polypropylene plant in Jubail to more than 500,000 mtpa, from the current 450,000 mtpa, by mid-2105, as per Plastemart.

A debottlenecking project is currently on at the Advanced petrochemicals complex. Advanced has begun sourcing additional feedstock propylene to run its PP plant with the expanded capacity, the source added. The company inked an agreement with Jubail-based Satorp -- the joint venture between Saudi Aramco and Total Refining and Petrochemicals -- in August 2013 for supplies of 50,000 mt/year of propylene. Satorp has already begun supplying propylene to Advanced. Satorp produces 200,000 m tpa of polymer grade propylene and various aromatics at its refining and petrochemicals complex in Jubail.

As MRC wrote before, Advanced Petrochemical Company decided to invest in propane dehydrogenation (PDH) plant with SK Gas in South Korea for the production of propylene. The Board of Directors of Advanced Petrochemical Company approved the equity investment of 35% in PDH plant with SK Gas, for the production of propylene in South Korea, through its subsidiary Advanced Global Investment Company (AGIC) which is owned 95% by Advanced and sources of AGIC equity participation will be announced later.

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MOSCOW (MRC) -- On September 30th 2014, the 2014 Kavaler Award was presented to James L. Gallogly, CEO of LyondellBasell, said Thechamistsclub.

Mr. Gallogly was named one of the ICIS 2013 Top 40 Power Players – the 40 CEOs and senior executives making the greatest impact on the global chemical industry. That illustrious group elected Mr. Gallogly from their own ranks for the ICIS Kavaler Award.

Few companies have capitalized on the U.S. shale gas boom better than LyondellBasell. Under Mr. Gallogly’s leadership, LyondellBasell has significantly boosted value by returning profits to shareholders though dividends and stock buybacks – all while making investments in key expansion projects that will raise cost advantaged capacity without massive capital outlays. Mr. Gallogly, as CEO, has established a solid financial footing for LyondellBasell that is set to be maintained for many years to come.

As MRC wrote before, LyondellBasell has announced that Chief Executive Officer James L. Gallogly will retire from the company in early 2015. Gallogly will continue to serve as CEO and chairman of the LyondellBasell management board in the interim to ensure an orderly transition pending the selection of his replacement. The LyondellBasell supervisory board of directors has formed a committee to choose Gallogly's successor.

LyondellBasell is one of the world’s largest plastics, chemical and refining companies and a member of the S&P 500. LyondellBasell manufactures products at 55 sites in 18 countries. Its products and technologies are used to make items that improve the quality of life for people around the world including packaging, electronics, automotive parts, home furnishings, construction materials and biofuels.
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