PolyOne acquires Spartech Corp.

(plastemart) -- PolyOne, polymer compounder and distributor, has bought Spartech Corp. The transaction is valued at about USD393 mln including assumption of Spartech’s net debt of USD142 mln. By this aquistion, PolyOne intend to turn Spartech's businesses into higher value added operations.

Spartech has a presence in aerospace and security markets, ones in which PolyOne wants to expand. Spartech’s aerospace and security markets are wedded to its cast acrylic and PVC multilayer sheet operations for applications such as aircraft windows and canopies, bullet-resistant armor for banks, and aircraft interior components. These operations, however, are small compared with Spartech’s predominant commodity sheet business of filled polypropylene. Along with its aerospace and security products, Spartech makes consumer and medical packaging products. It makes plastic sheet, specialty film laminates, specialty plastic alloys, color concentrates and blended resin compounds and has annual revenues of about USD1.2 bln.

PolyOne Corporation is a global leader offering a comprehensive array of specialized polymer materials, tailored services and end-to-end solutions.
MRC

(fibre2fashion) -- Hengli Petrochemical has recently commissioned the first phase of a world-scale purified terephthalic acid (PTA) project in Changxing Island of Dalian, Liaoning Province, China.

Hengli Petrochemical which is utilizing PTA technology from Invista, claims that the plant is the world’s largest monomer production plant.

The PTA plant was set up in a record time of two years after Hengli Group, Dalian municipal government and Changxing Island CMC signed an investment agreement. It completed all purchases in six months and took just seven months to install the main equipment.

According to media reports, the first phase of the PTA plant will have a capacity of 2.2 million tonnes per annum and after the entire project is commissioned, PTA capacity will reach 4.4 million tonnes per year.

As MRC reported earlier, Hengli Petrochemical Company operates two PTA plants in Dalian with the total capacity of 4.4 million tpa. The company resumed operations at its PTA plant No. 2 with a capacity of 2.2 million tpa at the weekend, 20-21 October, 2012. Company's PTA plant No. 1 with the capacity of 2.2 million tpa resumed production in September 2012. At present, the plant's No. 1 capacity utilization is 80% of it total production capacity.
MRC

(plastemart) -- Royal DSM is going to increase the installed manufacturing capacity for KhepriCoat anti-reflective coating. The additional capacity is expected to start operations by the end of 2012 at the Chemelot site in Geleen, the Netherlands.

The need for additional coating supply is a direct result of the fast growing market for solar energy.
KhepriCoat anti-reflective glass coating is an IP protected product, developed by the DSM Innovation Center. The coating is primarily targeted at solar applications. The coating - a thin layer with a thickness of approximately 100 - 150 nm - is applied to the cover glass of solar modules and strongly reduces the reflection of sun-light. As a result, more sun-light passes through the glass, increasing the energy output of these modules by up to 4%.

DSM delivers innovative solutions that nourish, protect and improve performance in global markets such as food and dietary supplements, personal care, feed, pharmaceuticals, medical devices, automotive, paints, electrical and electronics, life protection, alternative energy and bio-based materials.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Over three quarters of 2012, the consumption of EPS in Ukraine increased by 6%, according to MRC ScanPlast report.

In January-September, 2012, the consumption of EPS in Ukraine made 26,345 tonnes of the material, up 6% year-on-year.

This year, the structure of supplies of the material for Ukrainian consumers has changed. The share of imported material grew from 71% to 76%. The domestic supplies slashed from 7,273 tonnes to 6,435 tonnes of the material over three quarters 2012.

The main growth of imports accounts for the material of the Russian maker - SIBUR-Khimprom, the share of which in the total import volumes made 49% in January-September 2012.

MRC

(DF) -- Mr. Dmitry Firtash, Head of the Board of Directors Group DF, projected that the volume of domestic mineral fertilizers market will double by 2017.

“We are positive that the Ukrainian fertilizers market will double within 5 years to come. Even the most pessimistic outlooks show an at least a 1.7-times growth. We have a lot confidence in these forecasts which is why we invest in our enterprises,” explained Mr. Firtash.

According to the outlooks published by OSTCHEM (a company operating Group DF’s nitrogen chemical productions), by 2017 the nitrogen fertilizers consumption volumes will rise from the current 950 thousand tons up to 2 million tons, phosphates – from 225 up to 460 thousand tons, potassium fertilizers – from 125 up to 270-280 thousand tons.

Dmitry Firtash further noted that fertilizers consumption in Ukraine is growing at a pace higher than in other countries. “Whereas these days Ukraine’s share in the global fertilizers consumption breakdown is below 1 percent. In 2017 it is estimated to reach 1.5 – 1.7 percent,” says Mr. Firtash.

According to his assessments, soon enough the volumes of fertilizers consumption in Ukraine will reach those recorded in Europe. “Fertilization is a key to efficient agriculture, a key to farmers’ profitability,” stresses Dmitry Firtash. The Head of the Group DF’s Board of Directors is sure that an increase in fertilizers consumption will inevitably bring about a rise in agribusiness efficacy.

Group DF is a private international group of companies whose interests and assets are concentrated in the energy sector, chemical industry, energy production infrastructure, agriculture and real estate.

OSTCHEM is an asset management company consolidating efforts of Group DF’s nitrogen chemical industries: STIROL Concern (Gorlovka), Severodonetsk Azot, Cherkassy Azot, Rivneazot.

As MRC wrote earlier, Mr. Firtash was considered to be the probable future ownner of TNK-BP's Lisichansky refinery.
MRC