Petainer brings PET beer kegs to Russia

MOSCOW (MRC) -- England's Petainer, leading plastic container supplier, has opened a new site in Russia producing recyclable PET beer kegs and water cooler bottles for the local market, reported the company on its site.

The factory, which is located 40 miles from Moscow in Klin, is equipped with a state-of-the-art SIDE blowing machine capable of manufacturing 700 kegs per hour, up to a maximum keg size of 50kg.

The facility is currently supplying 20 and 30-litre PetainerKegs to customers in Russia, as well as Belarus and the Ukraine.

Annemieke Hartman-Jemmett, Strategy Director at Petainer, said: "Russia is a very important market and our Klin factory will enable us to tap into the rapid growth opportunities in this part of the world. The new production unit boasts the very latest technology and produces kegs and containers that adhere to the highest quality, safety and environmental standards."

PetainerKegs are lightweight beverage containers manufactured in recyclable PET, offering economic and environmental benefits when compared with metal kegs and other plastic variants. They are available with one-way, low cost fittings that enable them to be connected to existing tapping systems for draught beer.

PetainerCoolers are also made out of PET, and contain zero bisphenol-A (BPA), making them a safer alternative to other coolers on the market. They are environmentally friendly, returnable and refillable, and designed to be compatible with major water cooler dispensers or dispensing systems.

As MRC wrote previously, in 2012, Petainer agreed to a multimillion Euro investment package over the coming 12 months to strengthen its PET container manufacturing plant in Lidkoping, Sweden. This initiative includes an initial order for a Husky HPP injection machine, which will be followed by additional investments focused on growth and supporting the current customer base.

Petainer is a specialist engineering and technology business, an industry leader in the development, design and manufacture of PET (polyEthylene terephthalate) plastic containers.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Leading chemicals company Perstorp introduces a new business model, a new organizational structure, a new management team and a cost competitiveness program, said the producer in its press release.

New business model and organizational structure to ensure true customer focus. Perstorp has defined a new business model acknowledging the clear difference in customer behavior in an intermediate marketplace driven by supply and demand as opposed to a specialty marketplace, driven by knowledge, application know-how and value-added services. This has resulted in the allocation of Perstorp’s products into the two Business Areas of Intermediates & Derivatives and Specialties & Solutions.

To support the new business model Perstorp has implemented a new functional organization as of January 1, 2014. The company has also appointed three new Executive Vice Presidents recruited from the outside to complement the current team in managing the transformation of Perstorp: Gorm Jensen appointed EVP BA Intermediates & Derivatives, Joke Driessen appointed EVP Operations and Wolfgang Laures appointed EVP Supply Chain.

A challenging business climate over the last years has resulted in eroding margins and weakening financial performance for the Perstorp Group. The extensive self-examination conducted last fall, in combination with the transition into a functional organization, has led to the need of strengthening the organization within certain areas as well as the need to eliminate duplicate roles.

As MRC wrote before, Perstorp restarted production at its oxo-alcohols plant in Stenungsund, Sweden, on 10 October 2013. Unspecified technical problems had delayed the restart of the plant following a planned eight-day turnaround.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- US oil giant ConocoPhillips posts full-year earnings rise and aims for up to 5% production increase this year, said Upstreamonline.

ConocoPhillips posted a rise in full-year profit as the US giant also took aim at a production hike this year. The Ryan Lance-led player saw production fall in 2013, however, due in part to continued disrution in Libya.

Net profit for the year was USD9.16 billion as against $8.43 billion a year earlier. Adjusted for various items such as impairments and asset sales, it was USD7.06 billion as compared with USD6.73 billion. Full-year production was 1.5 million barrels of oil equivalent per day, down from 1.53 million boepd.

"Production decreased due to normal field decline and the disruption in Libya, partially offset by growth from unconventional drilling programmes and major project start-ups," ConocoPhillips said. "Adjusted for dispositions, Libya and downtime, production grew by 30,000 boepd, or 2%, compared with 2012."

The company expects, however, to raise production by between 3% and 5% this year. Excluding Libyan production, the full-year output outlook is unchanged at 1.55 million boepd.

For the first quarter, production is set to come in at between 1.49 million and 1.53 million boepd, once again exclusing Libya.

As MRC wrote before, a subsidiary of ConocoPhillips has requested an authorization to export liquefied natural gas (LNG) from Alaska to countries that do not have free trade agreements with the United States.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Azelis announces a new distribution contract with Evonik, a leading specialty chemicals manufacturer, said the producer in its press release.

In addition to other European countries, Azelis can now also offer products in Evonik’s Crosslinkers business line to customers in Germany, Austria and Switzerland (DACH) for coatings, inks and other applications. This new co-operation represents a mandate extension of successful agreements between the two companies for these products across Europe.

Michel Dumusois, International Business Director, Azelis Coatings, states, "With Evonik’s Crosslinkers technology coupled with Azelis’ Coatings expertise, I am certain that its well known product line will be a strong addition to our portfolio in DACH. Azelis will leverage its experience in Crosslinkers applications, established local customer relationships and work closely with Evonik, to rapidly expand market share in the region."

Johan Holleman, Sales Director Europe, Evonik, adds "We know that many of our customers value the extra flexibility that comes from sourcing products via a third party known for a broad product portfolio and value added service. We are certain this will continue to be a fruitful partnership with benefits for all involved, as we have worked well with the Azelis Coating teams in other European countries."

Evonik’s Crosslinkers business line, part of the Coatings & Additives business unit and marketed under the VESTASOL, VESTAMIN, VESTANAT and VESTAGON trade names, offers real benefits for customers by improving coating performance and protection in a wide range of paints, coatings and printing inks. As MRC wrote before, Evonik Industries and LanzaTech have signed a three year research cooperation agreement which will see Evonik combining its existing biotechnology platforms with LanzaTech’s synthetic biology and gas fermentation expertise for the development of a route to bio-processed precursors for specialty plastics from waste derived synthesis gas.

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Polymer Group Inc. (PGI) has signed an agreement to acquire a controlling interest in Companhia Providencia Industria e Comercio (Providencia), a Brazilian manufacturer of nonwoven materials used in hygiene, healthcare, and industrial applications, said Plastemart.

This acquisition further accelerates PGI's global growth strategy by extending its presence into Brazil, an attractive and high-growth region, and enhancing its capabilities in North America.

PGI has nonwovens operations in 13 countries across North America, South America, Europe, and Asia. The acquisition of Providencia will enable the company to serve a more diverse range of customers in Latin America, according to the release. In November 2013, PGI completed its acquisition of Fiberweb Inc., the Nashville–based manufacturer of specialty nonwoven products and materials. As a result of that acquisition, PGI became the world’s largest manufacturer of nonwovens, according to its Nov. 15 press release.

"The acquisition of Providencia is exciting for PGI, as it aligns directly with our strategic commitment to global growth," said J. Joel Hackney Jr., Chief Executive Officer for PGI. "Providencia has built a vibrant business serving customers focused on hygiene, healthcare and industrial applications, all of which are core focus areas for PGI. The complementary nature of our businesses and Providencia's established relationships with its customers make it a perfect fit to join the PGI family."

As MRC wrote before, Brazilian trade deficit in plastic resins and raw materials surged in the first eight months of 2013 to USD615mn from just USD6.7mn in the same period last year. Producers of polyolefins outside Brazil, especially in the US, used their lower production costs to increase their share of a fast growing market.
MRC