Polyethylene to see more use during switch to 1-piece caps

(plasticsnews) -- In the U.S., processors use injected molded, high density polyethylene closures to cap water bottles. However, carbonated soft drinks and hot-fill applications are usually topped with compression molded, two-piece closures, an outer polypropylene shell and a liner, usually made from ethylene vinyl acetate.

The U.S. preference for two-piece caps is unique - one-piece closures are common on soft drinks in other locations, primarily Europe and Asia.

Switching from a two-piece to a one-piece closure requires changing both material and manufacturing process, and, according to the experts, these changes offer several economical and environmental advantages.

PE is now a more cost-effective material than PP. The material also has a balance of toughness and stiffness that can make it a prime replacement for PP in most applications, said Eric Vignola, research and development manager for PE products at Nova Chemicals Corp. of Calgary, Alberta.

And processors are taking advantage of those opportunities - HDPE is the fastest-growing material in the caps and closures arena and it’s taking some of that market share from PP, partly thanks to the growing one-piece market, said Ashish Chitalia, project manager at Houston-based Chemical Market Resources Inc.

Switching to one-piece caps can eliminate material in both the cap and the bottle, said Lothar Brauer, marketing and business development director at Bericap GmbH & Co. KG.

MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- In September, imports of high-density polyethylene (HDPE) to the Russian market reached 42,000 tonnes, reaching its maximum level from 2000. Over nine months, the external supply of HDPE in Russia amounted to about 290.000 tons, as per MRC analysts.

According to preliminary data, last month imports of HDPE to Russia amounted to about 42,000 tonnes, the highest level since 2000. This significant increase in imports was mostly due to the prolonged shutdown of the second largest maker of HDPE in Russia - Stavrolen.

The main increase in imports expectedly fell on film and pipe HDPE. The shortage of film and pipe polyethylene in the market over the high seasonal demand Russian companies offset by the supply from foreign markets.

The largest volume of imports made South Korean HDPE (about 7,500 tonnes). The second-largest supplier was Germany - about 6,200 tonnes in total imports. Saudi Arabia is the third-largest importer with 5,400 tonnes, where about 4,900 tonnes was pipe HDPE.

In the whole, over the nine months of this year, the total import volume of HDPE to Russia amounted to about 290,000 tonnes, up 28% compared to the same period a year ago.

MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- PP import to the Russian market keep falling after June’s peak level. In September, the total PP import to Russia decreased to the level of 19,700 tonnes. Over the past nine months, PP exports to the Russian Federation made about 189,000 tonnes, according to MRC Datascope.

PP exports to the Russian market keep declining after the June’s record level of 34,300 tonnes. As per preliminary information, last month import of PP went down by 7,800 tonnes and made about 19,700 tonnes.

The gradual decline of PP imports is due to several factors. Firstly, the record import volumes in the summer months (about 89,000 tonnes in June-August) allowed converters, as well as traders, to form large stock inventories in the market. Secondly, August and September surge in PP prices made import material unprofitable for the local companies. The third and not the last factor is a serious reduction of PP exports (by 30% year-on-year) in favour of the domestic market.

In general, the total year-to-date PP import to the Russian Federation made about 189,000 tonnes, up 37% year-on-year.

MRC

(solvay) -- Solvay and Russian petrochemical company Sibur have signed an agreement to establish Ruspav, a 50/50 joint venture for the production of surfactants and oilfield process chemicals in Dzerzhinsk, Russia.

Ruspav will be located near SIBUR's petrochemicals operations, 400km east of Moscow, and is expected to be operational in 2015. Demand for surfactants in the CIS is growing at more than 6% annually. The surfactants are used mainly in home & personal care products, oil & gas as well as in other industries.

Sibur will contribute its raw materials, production and logistics capabilities to the joint venture. It will also, given its longstanding experience of the Russian petrochemicals market, support the development of the surfactants business in oil and gas markets in Russia and the CIS.

Sibur is the largest integrated petrochemical company in Russia, in the CIS, Central and Eastern Europe by revenues. The company purchases associated petroleum gas and liquid hydrocarbon feedstock from major Russian oil and gas companies and processes them into energy products, including liquefied petroleum gases, natural gas, and naphtha, and further into various petrochemical products, including basic polymers, synthetic rubbers, plastics, products of organic synthesis, intermediates, and other chemicals.

Solvay is an international chemical Group committed to sustainable development with a clear focus on markets such as consumer goods, construction, automotive, energy, water and environment, and electronics.

Solvay's technologies are also to be used at other Sibur's project - Rusvinil, where the production of PVC is planned to be launched by 2014.
MRC