Uralkali regrets Solikamsk-1 mine fatality

(uralkali) -- Uralkali regrets to announce that a mine foreman died in an accident that occurred at the Solikamsk-1 Mine on 30 May 2012.

Uralkali expresses its deepest condolences to the relatives of the miner. The company will pay compensation to his family. An investigation is being carried out by a special commission to determine the causes of the fatality and ensure that similar accidents do not occur in the future. The accident will not affect the Company's production plans.

Uralkali is one of the world's largest potash producers with a market share of about 20%. The Company's assets consist of 5 mines and 7 ore-treatment mills situated in the towns of Berezniki and Solikamsk (Perm Territory, Russia). Uralkali employs ca. 12,500 people (in the main production unit).

MRC

(gunvorgroup) -- Gunvor Group signed a purchase agreement to acquire the assets of Petroplus’ Ingolstadt refinery and related German marketing activities Gunvor Group, one of the world's major independent commodity trading companies, has announced that it has signed a purchase agreement to acquire the assets of Petroplus’ refinery in Ingolstadt and related German marketing activities.

The acquisition is subject to customary closing conditions and regulatory clearance from competition authorities. The closing of the transaction is expected in the third quarter of 2012, with the support from the local and German state authorities.

Gunvor intends to restart operations as soon as possible, following the refinery’s closure in early February as a result of Petroplus’ financial situation. The Ingolstadt refinery is one of the best performing European refineries, with a strong regional footprint in one of Germany’s most prosperous regions, Bavaria. It has a processing capacity of approximately 100,000 barrels per day.

MRC

(univareurope) -- Univar Inc., a leading global chemical distributor, announced it has signed a new agreement with BASF to market and distribute its plastic additives and polymers in Turkey.

"We are delighted to start this relationship with Univar in the Turkish market and we strongly believe that its knowledge of the plastics industry in the region, together with its local presence, will be of mutual benefit for our business relationship. We are confident that our extensive additives and polymer product offering will better reach this growing market by working together with Univar," says BASF Vice President, Dirk Kruse.

"As a high quality additives and polymers supplier, with an excellent product range, BASF’s partnership with Univar is a strategic fit," explains Nick Powell, vice president Middle East, Africa, Turkey and Greece, Univar. "This association will further enhance our product and service offering to our Turkish customers, enabling them to develop truly innovative products and gain competitive advantage."

MRC

(lanxess) -- Specialty chemicals company LANXESS is investing EUR 75 million in the construction of a new plant for high-tech plastics in Antwerp. The world-scale facility for polyamide plastics is designed for an annual capacity of 90,000 metric tons and scheduled to begin operation in the first quarter of 2014.

"This investment is yet another milestone on our way towards profitable growth, and a clear commitment to our Antwerp site. High-tech plastics play a critical role in our global strategy. Our plans for growth depend on innovations and technologies that support the global megatrends. Activities therefore are focused on solutions for sustainable mobility," said Axel C. Heitmann, Chairman of the Board of Management of LANXESS AG, at the groundbreaking ceremony for the new polyamide facility.

Global demand for high-tech plastics is expected to rise by five to six percent each year through 2020. The automotive industry is one of the main growth drivers for LANXESS plastics.

MRC

(plastech) -- The BOPP film industry continued to show robust growth during 2011 with demand advancing by 5.5% compared with 2010 to top 6 million tonnes for the first time according to the latest report on the global BOPP film market from AMI Consulting.

Demand growth was slightly down on 2010 which had been the bounce back year from the financial crisis for most markets around the world.

Global demand is increasingly being driven by developments in Asia, particularly in China, India and Indonesia. With over 60% of BOPP usage occurring in food packaging, it is the growth in demand in these countries for an ever-widening variety of packaged foods sold through supermarket outlets that is one of the principle drivers for this material. With large, youthful and growing populations, increased urbanisation and rising incomes it is the developing markets of Asia that will continue to underpin growth in BOPP film demand.

MRC