Clariant inaugurates packaging facility in southeast China

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Clariant, a world leader in Specialty Chemicals, has announced the inauguration of a new manufacturing facility, acquired through their recent acquisition of healthcare packaging company VitaPac, reported the company on its site.

The Dongguan plant, located in Guangdong province in southeast China, will enhance Clariant's existing portfolio of controlled atmosphere packaging solutions.

Under Clariant Business Unit Masterbatches, the Dongguan plant specializes in the manufacture of a full range of high quality desiccant packets primarily for customers in the pharmaceutical, nutraceutical and food industries but also for a range of complementary active packaging products.

This plant will join Clariant's existing global manufacturing sites for healthcare packaging in Changshu (Jiangsu, China), Belen (New Mexico, USA), Romorantin (France) and Kings Park (Australia).

"By enlarging our global footprint we can be closer to our customers in the Asia Pacific region while simultaneously offering a wider range of products to the global market," said Andy Walti, Head of Clariant Healthcare Packaging. He further confirmed that "by having another large base for packet production, we will successfully support the market's need for business continuity."

Clariant currently has production facilities and sales offices in 19 major Chinese cities with a workforce of around 1,500 employees.

As MRC wrote previously, in April 2014, Clariant Chemicals (India ) Ltd., an affiliate of Clariant AG announced the successful closure of the acquisition of Plastichemix Industries - a Gujarat based masterbatches business in India, with production facilities at Rania, Kalol and Nandesari.

Earlier, in mid-2013, Clariant and Tasnee, one of the largest industrial conglomerates in Saudi Arabia, announced the signing of an agreement to establish a masterbatches joint venture in Saudi Arabia.

Clariant Chemicals (India) Limited and custom color and additive products with production of more than 10,000 color matches which are completed each year. With more than 50 manufacturing plants around the world, Clariant
Masterbatches products, technology and service deliver competitive advantages that foster long-term customer relationships.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Trinseo (formerly known as Styron), the global materials company and manufacturer of plastic, latex and rubber, launches ENLITE line of structural polymers targeted at semi-structural applications, and a new commitment to innovative solutions in lightweight technologies for external and internal automotive parts, said the producer on its site.

"Trinseo’s team at its Application Engineering and Design Centre collaborates closely with our customers from the design stage onwards on current and future challenges in the automotive industry by offering a complete range of resins for lightweight technologies," said Anis Tebib, Marketing Manager for Trinseo Automotive. "Our fully integrated team ensures a regular cycle of innovation, bringing a multi-dimensional, dynamic approach to ensure part optimization. ENLITE Structural Polymers are the result of a clear focus in research and development on structural polymers for semi-structural applications in cars."

Specifically, Trinseo Automotive will focus on two lines for semi-structural applications, ENLITE Long Glass Fiber Polypropylene (LGF-PP) and ENLITE Glass Fiber (GF) Alloys. These are the first of many glass fiber products from Trinseo, providing automotive manufacturers with a broad range of solutions for the challenges they face.

ENLITE Structural Polymers use technologies that can replace existing materials such as steel and aluminum with lighter, globally available, cost-efficient solutions. Trinseo Automotive is exploring further solutions to offer automotive manufacturers a broad range of ENLITE products and global semi-structural solutions in the near future and for years to come.

As MRC wrote before, Trinseo had completed the name change process for most legal entities around the world. Some Styron companies are still completing this process and will continue to do business as Styron until their respective name changes are complete.

Trinseo is a global materials company and manufacturer of plastics, latex and rubber. Trinseo’s technology is used by customers in industries such as home appliances, automotive, building & construction, carpet, consumer electronics, consumer goods, electrical & lighting, medical, packaging, paper & paperboard, rubber goods and tires. Formerly known as Styron, Trinseo completed its renaming process in 1Q 2015.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Ineos, operator of the Grangemouth petrochemical plant, has started a community consultation process to try to win support for fracking, said BBC.

The development of unconventional gas extraction has been halted by a Scottish government moratorium. Ineos said it was unconcerned about the moratorium and a spokesman promised to drink "a lot of tea in a lot of village halls" to try to win the argument. Shale gas extraction is opposed by environmental campaigners.

Friends of the Earth said Ineos had the budget for "a long and dirty fight", while community and campaign groups could only fight their corner "on a shoestring". The first local consultation meeting has been scheduled for Denny, near Stirling, on 16 April. Other towns in the first phase of meetings include Alloa, Falkirk, Kilsyth, Bishopbriggs and Cumbernauld.

Ineos has bought licences for shale gas exploration across 700 square miles (1,126 sq km) of land in central Scotland but the government moratorium has left a question mark over the future of the industry locally. Ineos said its shale gas information programme would highlight both the issues and benefits of shale gas extraction as well as making the company available to answer questions about its plans for production in Scotland and elsewhere.

Ineos Upstream CEO Gary Haywood said: "The Scottish government wants the public to be fully informed about shale gas production and we are determined to help. "We are launching Scotland's biggest shale gas information programme to make sure that local communities get a chance to hear the facts rather than the myths about shale gas."

The company said as many meetings as possible would be led by its director Tom Pickering. A number of campaign groups oppose fracking.

Mary Church, head of campaigns for Friends of the Earth Scotland, said: "Fracking is a dangerous, dirty industry and all the money in the world can't hide that.

As MRC informed before, Ineos announced a deal to acquire a 50% interest in seven IGas shale gas licences in the North West of England (the Bowland licences). This consists of a 60% interest in three Petroleum Exploration & Development Licences (PEDL’s 145, 193 and EXL273) and a 50% interest in a further four licences (PEDL’s 147, 184, 189 and 190). In Scotland, Ineos will acquire IGas’ entire interest in PEDL 133 (the Grangemouth licence) which will give the company 100% ownership of this asset. In addition, Ineos has the option to acquire 20% in two IGas East Midland shale gas licences (PEDL’s 012 and 200).

Ineos Group Limited is a privately owned multinational chemicals company consisting of 15 standalone business units, headquartered in Rolle, Switzerland and with its registered office in Lyndhurst, United Kingdom. It is the fourth largest chemicals company in the world measured by revenues (after BASF, Dow Chemical and LyondellBasell) and the largest privately owned company in the United Kingdom.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- A Swiss court has ruled that Sika AG isn't required to hold an extraordinary general meeting requested by its founding family, giving the chemical company a small victory in its struggle to avoid a hostile takeover by French construction giant Saint-Gobain SA, said Advfn.

Schenker-Winkler Holding AG, an investment vehicle owned by the founding Burkard family, has sought an EGM to oust Sika board members opposed to Saint-Gobain's planned 2.75-billion-Swiss franc (USD2.74 billion) takeover. Schenker-Winkler holds about 16% of Sika's stock, but nearly 53% of the company's voting rights.

The court ruled that an extraordinary meeting wasn't necessary because Sika's annual meeting is due to be held on April 14, Sika said in a statement.

The decision represents a "small, but significant step forward," a Sika company spokesman said. A spokesman for the Burkard family said the decision wasn't a surprise, and the family would continue to seek the removal of opposing board members at the AGM. The spokesman said it didn't remove the family's ability to call an EGM in the future because they own more than 10% of the share capital.

Sika has been defending itself from the planned sale since December, when the Burkard family notified the company it was selling its stake to Saint-Gobain.

The company has rebuffed efforts by Saint-Gobain to smooth relations, arguing the deal doesn't treat all shareholders fairly because it isn't extended to all investors. Sika has also said it would get lost inside a conglomerate as big as the French giant.

The court, located in the Swiss canton of Zug, hasn't yet ruled on a Sika board decision to limit the voting power of the family to 5%. The board argued that the family had formed a group with Saint-Gobain and would vote according to the French company's instructions.

The Burkards have been ordered to pay 8,000 francs in costs and 11,000 francs in compensation to Sika.

As MRC informed before, Sika AG reported a 28% increase in annual profit as the Swiss construction and industrial chemical maker continues fending off a hostile takeover bid from France's Saint-Gobain SA.

Sika is a specialty chemicals company with a leading position in the development and production of systems and products for bonding, sealing, damping, reinforcing and protecting in the building sector and the motor vehicle industry. Sika has subsidiaries in 90 countries around the world and manufactures in over 160 factories. Its more than 16,000 employees generated annual sales of CHF 5.6 billion in 2014.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- US demand for plastic film is expected to grow 1.5% pa through 2018 to 16.4 bln lbs, resulting in sales of USD26.2 bln, reported Plastemart with reference to RnR Market Research.

Acceleration in manufacturing output and disposable income bode well for plastic film sales in a wide range of markets. Expected price stabilization from increased plastic resin supply will improve the cost-competitiveness of plastic film, allowing it to replace paper and other materials in multiple applications. Increased penetration of pouches, which provide convenience and functionality in new markets, will also boost demand for plastic film.

However, environmental concerns will hinder plastic film growth in some applications, particularly plastic retail bags.
LLDPE (linear low-density polyethylene) is the largest volume film resin, comprising nearly half of resin usage in 2013, and is expected to maintain solid growth through 2018. LLDPE's high strength source reduction capabilities have helped spur gains in multiple markets, including pouches for food products and pharmaceutical packaging.

Demand for LDPE (low-density polyethylene) is expected to grow more slowly, continuing to be replaced by LLDPE in some functions and having reached market maturity in many of its primary markets. Above average growth is forecast for poly-propylene film, driven by its usage in packaging for the increasingly popular fresh produce market and its growth in snack food packaging.

HDPE (high-density polyethylene) film is expected to exhibit minimal growth in demand through 2018, with growing opposition to single use plastic bags offsetting gains in food packaging.

PET (polyethylene terephthalate) film demand will grow modestly through 2018, with healthy gains in food packaging applications replacing demand from the declining magnetic tape and photographic film markets.

Below average growth is expected for PVC (polyvinyl chloride), hampered by continued declines in nonfood applications including pharmaceutical and medical products.

Degradable plastic resins will experience the highest growth rate of all film types, due to increasing affordability and adoption by packaging converters.

The market exhibiting the greatest growth in film demand is food packaging, driven by the expanding popularity of pouches for a variety of food items, as well as the rise of active and intelligent packaging for food.

Non food packaging will also see above average growth stemming from strong demand for pharmaceutical and medical packaging.

Below average growth is forecast for non packaging film due to the maturity of trash bags and the decrease in photographic and magnetic film, offset partially by robust advances for construction film. Secondary packaging will see the slowest gains, restrained by declines in garment bags and
MRC