Global bioplastics market to see double digit growth until end of decade

MOSCOW (MRC) -- The global bioplastics market is estimated to grow at a double-digit CAGR of 28.8% uptil 2020, as per Future Market Insights.

The global bio-plastics market accounted for USD1.9 bln in 2014, and is expected to reach US$43.8 bln by 2020. The global bio-plastics market accounted for 0.1% to the global plastics market in 2014. Factors driving the growth of the global bio-plastics market include growing beverage packaging industry, rigid government policies about adopting bio-based materials, and rising consumer acceptance for bio-plastics.

By material type, the market is segmented as bio-PET, bio-PE, bio-PA, bio-degradable polyesters, PLA & PLA blends, starch blends, PHA and others. Bio-PET market is expected to contribute USD29.1 Bn revenue to the overall bio-plastics market by 2020. Moreover, the bio-PET market is expected to be the fastest growing segment with a CAGR of 31.4% between 2014 and 2020. On the basis of application, the global bio-plastics market is segmented as bottlers, other packaging, food-services, agriculture/horticulture, consumer products, automotive and others.

Among all the aforementioned applications, the bottles application was valued at USD5.6bln in 2014, and is estimated to be the largest contributor in 2020, followed by automotive and other packaging segments. The bottles segment is expected to register a significant CAGR of 35.3% over the forecast period.

As MRC wrote before, US demand for bioplastics is forecast to climb at a 20 percent annual pace through 2016 to 550 million pounds, valued at USD680 million. Although they have achieved a considerable degree of commercial success, bioplastics remain in an early stage of development, representing only a small niche within the overall plastics industry.
mrcplsat.com

MOSCOW (MRC) - Imports of high density polyethylene (HDPE) to Kazakhstan exceeded 14,000 tonnes, up almost three times compared with January 2014. Such a significant growth occurred in the supply of pipe polyethylene (PE), according to MRC DataScope.

Imports of HDPE in Kazakhstan in January 2015, despite seasonal factors, rose to record highs in the last three years and amounted to over 14,000 tonnes, compared to 4,700 tonnes in January 2014 and 8,400 tonnes in December 2014. The reason for such record imports occurred for large purchases of the local PE pipe producers, mainly Russian ones.

Serious devaluation of the rouble made Russian HDPE profitable to buy for the Kazakh converters. Many Kazakh companies amid fears of devaluation of the national currency, as well as a possible increase in HDPE price in Russia decided to form additional PE pipe inventories in anticipation of a seasonal increase in demand for finished products, which was the reason for the record level of imports.

January imports of HDPE from Russia were 12,300 tonnes, with the share of pipe polyethylene occurred for about 94% from the total supply.
According to preliminary data, HDPE imports from Russia fell several times, partially because of the decline in lending by local banks. January imports of HDPE from other countries were 1,800 tonnes, compared with 400 tonnes in January 2014 and 1,300 tonnes in December 2014.

Imports of blow moulding HDPE from Uzbekistan were 600 tonnes, and imports of pipe PE from South Korea and Saudi Arabia were about 1,000 tonnes.


MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Prices of Asian polyethylene terephthalate (PET), including delivery to Russian ports, rose by USD15-35/tonne compared with the end of last week, according to ICIS-MRC Price report.

Chinese producers have raise their prices. Prices already started to grow actively on Thursday, after the start of the working week in China, following the Lunar New Year holidays. Prices of PET chips have been rising on the back of higher feedstock prices.

According to ICIS-MRC Price report, to date, prices of imported Asian PET are at USD1,020-1,070/tonne CIF Novorossiysk, excluding VAT. Import prices of Asian PET are at USD965-1,010/tonne CIF Vostochny, excluding VAT, in eastern Russia.

Russian importers should expect a rise in prices of Lithuanian PET, following the upward trend of PET prices and higher prices of PET feedstocks (TPA, MEG and paraxylene) in Asia.

In their turn, Russian producers maintained their prices the same. Prices of imported PET have been going down for customers in Russia because of the rouble strengthening. The gap between spot prices of Russian bottle grade PET and Chinese material still remained, sellers said. Prices of Russian PET were still below Asian PET chips in the domestic market.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Shandong Dongyue will be restarting its polyvinyl chloride (PVC) plant following maintenance turnaround, reported Apic-online.

A Polymerupdate source in China informed that the plant is likely to be restarted in early March 2015. It was shut on February 6, 2015.

Located in Shandong province, China, the plant has a production capacity of 120,000 mt/year.

As MRC informed earlier, Guangzhou Tosoh shut down its PVC plant in China for maintenance turnaround on February 27, 2015. It is likely to remain off-stream for around one month. Located in Guangzhou, China, the plant has a production capacity of 250,000 mt/year.

We also remind that on 9 October 2014, Inner Mongolia Yili shut its PVC plant in China for maintenance turnaround. It remained off-stream for around one month. Located at Erdos in Inner Mongolia, the plant has a production capacity of 500,000 mt/year.

Besides, earlier last year, Formosa Plastics Corp (FPC) took off-stream its PVC plant in China for maintenance turnaround on September 9, 2014. It was planned to remain shut for around one month. Located at Ningbo in Zhejiang province of China, the plant has a production capacity of 400,000 mt/year.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- AkzoNobel’s Specialty Chemicals business recently broke ground on a new alkoxylation facility in Ningbo, China, bringing the company’s total investment in the strategic multi-site to more than EUR400 million, said the producer on its site.

As well as contributing to AkzoNobel’s position as one of the leading surfactant producers in China, the new facility also creates a more sustainable footprint in the region and will enable the company to better serve its customers.

Werner Fuhrmann, Executive Committee member responsible for Specialty Chemicals said: "Our investment in this new plant is further proof of our ongoing commitment to China, which is one of our most strategically important markets. The new facility also gives added momentum to our organic growth ambitions, as well as enabling us to continue expanding our manufacturing footprint in Asia."

The Ningbo multi-site covers around 50 hectares and accommodates production for chelates, ethylene amines, ethylene oxide, organic peroxides and Bermocoll cellulose derivatives. Surface Chemistry’s latest investment will increase annual capacity by nearly 18,000 tons, mainly catering for domestic demand in China.

As well as contributing to AkzoNobel’s position as one of the leading surfactant producers in China, the new facility also creates a more sustainable footprint in the region. The added alkoxylation capacity (the process of reacting a fatty amine with ethylene oxide to make ethoxylated amines) will enable the company to better serve its customers in the agrochemical, oilfield and personal care markets.

As MRC informed previously, in November 2014, AkzoNobel started operations at its state-of-the-art vehicle refinishes plant in Changzhou, China - the company's 30th manufacturing facility in the country. The new factory added around 25 million liters of capacity for Sikkens, Lesonal and Prime vehicle refinishes products and strengthens AkzoNobel’s position as one of the leading players in China's vehicle refinishes and commercial vehicle OEM markets, building on its acquisition of Changzhou Prime Automotive Ltd. in 2010.

AkzoNobel Surface Chemistry is a global leader in the manufacturing and supply of specialty surfactants, synthetic and bio-polymer additives and specialty polymers. AkzoNobel currently employs more than 7,400 people in China. Revenues in China totaled EUR1.7 billion in 2014.
MRC