Total and Corbion form a JV in bioplastics

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Total and Corbion are joining forces to develop bioplastics by creating a 50/50 JV to produce and market polylactic polymers, said Corbion on its site.

The two companies plan to build a PLA polymerization plant with a capacity of 75,000 tpy at Corbion's site in Thailand that already has a lactide production unit, which will become part of the JV. Corbion will supply the lactic acid necessary for the production of the PLA and the lactide.

"I’m very pleased with this joint venture, which aims to become a major player in the growing bioplastics market. This investment is consistent with our One Total ambition of expanding in biofuels and bioplastics, in addition to our more traditional oil- and gas-based products," said Bernard Pinatel, President of Total Refining & Chemicals. "Corbion’s unique position in the lactic acid and biopolymers value chain makes it a natural choice for Total."

"PLA is one of the first renewable, biodegradable polymers able to compete with existing polymers,” said Tjerk de Ruiter, CEO of Corbion. “The joint venture, which will combine Total’s technical and marketing knowledge and leading position in polymers with Corbion’s expertise in lactic acid and biopolymers, will enable us to supply innovative products and will accelerate market acceptance."

The new company will be based in the Netherlands and will launch operations in the 1st quarter of 2017, subject to regulatory approvals.

As MRC informed earlier, Total and Italy's Erg are looking to sell a stake in their Italian refinery business Sarpom to facilitate an auction of one of the country's biggest service station networks.

Total S.A. is a French multinational oil and gas company and one of the six "Supermajor" oil companies in the world with business in Europe, the United States, the Middle East and Asia. The company's petrochemical products cover two main groups: base chemicals and the consumer polymers (polyethylene, polypropylene and polystyrene) that are derived from them.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Trinseo, a global materials company and manufacturer of plastics, latex binders, and synthetic rubber, has announced that effective November 22, 2016 or as contract terms permit, the company is increasing the prices of all styrene butadiene latex and styrene acrylic latex products sold into the carpet, paper, and performance latex markets in North America, said the producer in its press release.

The company said that the increase will be USD0.05/wet lb.

This price increase is being driven by increased costs in the manufacturing of these latexes.

We remind that, as MRC wrote earlier, Trinseo last raised prices for all styrene butadiene latex products in North America on 18 July 2016. The increase was USD0.05/wet lb (USD0.11/kg or USD110/tonne) for all styrene butadiene latex products.

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. Trinseo had approximately USD4.0 billion in revenue in 2015, with 18 manufacturing sites around the world, and more than 2,200 employees.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- PTT Global Chemical (PTTGC) has planned to shut its linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE) plant next year, as per Apic-online.

A Polymerupdate source in Thailand informed that the company has schedule to halt operations at the plant early-June 2017 for a maintenance turnaround. The plant is likely to remain off-line for around 3 weeks.

Located at Map Ta Phut in Thailand, the LLDPE plant has a production capacity of 400,000 mt/year.

As MRC reported before, earlier this year, PTTGC restarted its LLDPE plant in Thailand on April 3, 2016. The plant was shut for maintenance in early-March 2016.

PTT Global Chemical is a leading player in the petrochemical industry and owns several petrochemical facilities with a combined capacity of 8.45 million tonnes a year.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Jacobs Engineering Group Inc. has received a contract from MEGlobal, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Equate Petrochemical Company and a world leader in the manufacture and supply of merchant monoethylene glycol (MEG) and diethylene glycol, to provide engineering, procurement and construction management services for a new MEG manufacturing facility near Freeport, Texas, said the producer on its site.

"Jacobs' chemical industry expertise and proven track record were key factors in the selection process. The completion of this complex project will help MEGlobal establish a US Gulf Coast presence and expand its position in the MEG market," said President, MEGlobal International FZE of MEGlobal Ramesh Ramachandran.

This award follows Jacobs' successful delivery of the facility's front end engineering package, which incorporates The Dow Chemical Company's licensed process technology as well as non-process equipment and piping both inside and outside the new facility's battery limits.

"Our global MEG and local chemical project experience combined with our thorough understanding of the engineering package will contribute significant value and an efficient, high-quality approach to this important project," said Jacobs Senior Vice President Petroleum and Chemicals Manuel Junco.

As MRC informed before, in March 2016, MEGlobal unveiledits plans to construct a new world-scale MEG plant at Dow’s Oyster Creek site in Freeport, Texas. The new Oyster Creek MEG facility will be owned by MEGlobal and is the company’s first manufacturing unit in the US. The new MEGlobal plant will create 1,400 construction jobs at the project’s peak, and the company will employ approximately 50 new workers when it goes on stream in mid-2019. Additionally, the new site will benefit through a long-term ethylene supply agreement with Dow from its new ethylene cracker.

MEGlobal is a world leader in the manufacture and marketing of merchant monoethylene glycol and diethylene glycol (EG). Established in July 2004, the company is a joint venture between The Dow Chemical Company and Petrochemical Industries Company of Kuwait and is headquartered in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. With approximately 200 employees worldwide, MEGlobal serves customers around the world, and has production facilities in Fort Saskatchewan and Prentiss, Alberta, Canada.

Established in 1995 as Kuwait’s first international joint-venture in this industry, Equate Petrochemical Company embodies its “Partners in Success” slogan through the partnership between Petrochemical Industries Company, The Dow Chemical Company, Boubyan Petrochemical Company and Qurain Petrochemical Industries Company. Commencing production in 1997, EQUATE is currently the owner and single-operator of several fully integrated world-class units in Kuwait, North America and Europe that annually produce over six million tons of the highest quality petrochemicals.

Jacobs is one of the world’s largest and most diverse providers of full-spectrum technical, professional and construction services for industrial, commercial and government organizations globally. The company employs 50,000 people and operates in more than 30 countries around the world.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Celanese Corporation, a global technology and specialty materials company and a global leader in vinyl acetate ethylene (EVA) emulsions, has announced that it will increase the price of EVA emulsions sold in China, as per the company's statement.

EVA emulsions will increase by CNY200/MT for China effective November 20, 2016, or as contracts allow.

This price increase affects all applications including, but not limited to, adhesives, paints and coatings, waterproofing, building and construction, carpet and paper.

This increase is attributed to the continued pressures on raw materials, notably ethylene and vinyl acetate monomer (VAM).

As MRC informed before, in November, 2016, Celanese raised its prices of EVA-based emulsions sold in the Americas. Vinyl acetate homopolymer and vinyl acrylic emulsions rose by up to USD0.03/wet pound effective November 15, 2016, or as contracts allow. Vinyl acetate ethylene (VAE) emulsions grew by up to USD0.05/wet pound effective November 15, 2016, or as contracts allow. This price increase affects all applications including, but not limited to, adhesives, paints and coatings, building and construction, nonwovens, glass fiber, carpet, paper and textiles.

Celanese Corporation is a global technology leader in the production of differentiated chemistry solutions and specialty materials used in most major industries and consumer applications. Based in Dallas, Celanese employs approximately 7,000 employees worldwide and had 2015 net sales of USD5.7 billion.
MRC