Bayer acquires DuPont aniline plant in Texas

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Bayer MaterialScience has acquired DuPont's aniline production facility in Baytown, Texas, said Hydrocarbonprocessing.

With the acquisition, Bayer assumes responsibility for the facility's direct operating personnel. Financial terms were not disclosed.

Aniline is a primary feedstock used to manufacture methylene diphenyl diisocyanate (MDI), a versatile chemical used to produce rigid polyurethane foams for insulation in the construction industry, as well as coatings, adhesives, sealants, elastomers and binders.

The aniline facility is located within Bayer's Baytown plant — the company's largest manufacturing facility in the US and a critical asset in its global manufacturing portfolio. Adding aniline production fully integrates the Baytown plant along the MDI value chain for enhanced production flexibility.

"North America is poised for strong MDI growth driven by recovery in the construction market, energy code advancement and home comfort trends," said Craig Caputo, vice president of polyurethanes and regional product manager for Bayer MaterialScience. "This strategic acquisition positions Bayer to meet this growing demand while further strengthening our leadership in the polyurethane industry."

The acquisition also reinforces Bayer's commitment to the Baytown facility, according to company officials. Over the last two years, Bayer has invested roughly USD120 million in process, reliability, quality and environmental improvements at the plant, which in addition to MDI produces toluene diisocyanate (TDI) and polycarbonate.

We remind that, as MRC informed previously, Bayer MaterialScience has opened its first Polymer Development & Technology Center in South Korea, with a goal of developing new polycarbonate applications for Korean firms. Located in Yongin, near Seoul, the new center adds to Bayer's global network of research and development hubs, and is supported by its network of major production sites in the Asia Pacific region.

Headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pa., BMS is part of the global Bayer MaterialScience business with approximately 14,800 employees at 30 production sites around the world. The company’s 2011 sales in North America were USD2.9 billion.

MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Petroliam Nasional Bhd (Petronas) will make a final investment decision on the Refinery and Petrochemicals Integrated Development (Rapid) project in Johor by end of this month, even though resident relocation issues remain, said Malaysia-chronicle.

"I'm not sure how far one can imagine the size of the Rapid project. This is a RM60 billion project and we got a 6,000-acre site, the challenges that we are facing is massive," Petronas president and CEO Tan Sri Shamsul Azhar Abbas told pressmen after reporting Petronas' fourth quarter financial results here yesterday.

He said the state government is taking steps in providing alternative shelters to relocate the people in Pengerang. "We have no choice but to continue working with the state government and federal government on the alternative relocation plan as well as some possible delays that we need to manage. As far as Petronas, the project owner of Rapid is concerned, until we get the full site possession, there is no way we can start work," said Shamsul.

He did however say that they are in the midst of tender and bidding processes for the project. Should the bidders submit their tender with high prices, Shamsul said, there will be significant impact to the viability of the project.

Petronas last year announced a second delay to the project in Johor to 2018, with a final investment decision on the project to be made in the first quarter of 2014.

The Rapid refinery was initially scheduled for start-up in fourth quarter of 2017, while the remaining plants within the complex were to be commissioned in 2018.

The commissioning of the plant, by far the largest liquid-based green-field downstream undertaking in Malaysia, was pushed back due to a delay in the state government's relocation of residents.

Petronas, short for Petroliam Nasional Berhad, is a Malaysian oil and gas company wholly owned by the Government of Malaysia. The Group is engaged in a wide spectrum of petroleum activities, including upstream exploration and production of oil and gas to downstream oil refining; marketing and distribution of petroleum products; trading; gas processing and liquefaction; gas transmission pipeline network operations; marketing of liquefied natural gas; petrochemical manufacturing and marketing; shipping; automotive engineering; and property investment.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Saudi Arabia plans to build a plant able to turn crude directly into chemicals, without first having to refine the oil, said Arabnews, citing Petroleum and Mineral Resources Minister Ali Al-Naimi.

Development of the Saudi petrochemical sector is part of Riyadh’s strategy for diversifying the economy away from heavy dependence on crude export revenues.

Chemical companies usually process refined oil products into petrochemicals, such as ethylene and propylene, that are then used to make plastics and other products.

ExxonMobil started up the world’s first plant that processes crude oil into chemicals in Singapore last year.
Now the world’s largest crude oil exporter plans to build its own at Yanbu, in conjunction with Saudi Basic Industries Corp. (SABIC).

"An innovative technology is being studied by the ministry, in collaboration with SABIC, to set up an integrated industrial complex for the production of petrochemicals from crude oil without the need to build a conventional oil refinery," Al-Naimi told a conference in Yanbu.

He said the chemicals project would help provide jobs for Saudi youth in the growing industrial port, home to several petrochemicals plants and oil refineries.

Saudi Aramco has been researching ways to make ethylene and propylene directly from oil for years.

We remind that, as MRC wrote previously, in early 2012, Saudi Aramco signed a joint venture agreement with China’s state-owned oil refiner, Sinopec, to build a 400,000 bbl/day refinery in Yanbu on the kingdom's Red Sea coast. The project, named Yanbu Aramco Sinopec Refining (YASREF), will begin production in the second half of 2014.

Saudi Aramco, officially the Saudi Arabian Oil Company, is a Saudi Arabian national oil and natural gas company based in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia. Saudi Aramco was estimated to be the world's most valuable company. It is the largest oil company in the world due to having the largest proven oil reserves, about 260 billion barrels, and the highest production, 10 million barrels per day. Saudi Aramco owns and operates four refineries serving the local market, with a combined refining capacity of 1 MMbpd. The firm also has a 50% interest in SAMREF and in SATORP, a joint venture with Total, which will also produce cleaner fuels.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Celanese Corporation, a global technology and specialty materials company and a global leader in EVA emulsions, has announced that it will increase the price of vinyl acetate-based dispersions sold in Europe, the Middle East and Africa, reported the company on its site.

PVAc homopolymer, vinyl acetate ethylene (EVA) and vinyl copolymer dispersions will increase by up to EUR50/tonne effective April 1, 2014, 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.

The above price increase is in addition to the price increase previously announced on January 17, 2014, of up to EUR 25/tonne effective February 1, 2014, or as contracts allow.

As MRC informed earlier, in late February 2014, Celanese Corporation reaffirmed the previously announced price increase of USD0.04/pound (USD90/tonne) for all high VA (vinyl acetate) grades of Ateva EVA, effective February 1, 2014. In addition, Celanese expanded the announcement to include also all grades of low density polyethylene (LDPE).

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, Texas, Celanese employs approximately 7,400 employees worldwide and had 2013 net sales of USD6.5 billion.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- PolyOne Corporation, a premier global provider of specialized polymer materials, services and solutions has announced the launch of NEU View Radiopaque Translucent Solutions, an innovative polymer formulation that provides catheter manufacturers and healthcare professionals enhanced material functionality and performance, as per the company's press release.

Catheters made using the patent-pending NEU View technology provide optical visibility (translucent) when outside the body and superior visibility under X-ray (radiopaque) when inside the body.

This technology enhances the ability of clinicians to make visual confirmation of fluid flow and can allow for detection of potentially harmful air bubbles that might cause embolisms, while patients can experience greater comfort via use of a single catheter. Manufacturers of catheters can benefit through increased production efficiency by eliminating a need for co-extrusion, which is typically required to manufacture striped catheters, as well as reducing material usage and complexity.

"PolyOne's specialization strategy is powered by our exceptional ability to innovate, and our launch of NEU View materials is the latest example," said Robert M. Patterson, executive vice president, chief operating officer, PolyOne Corporation. "Our healthcare solutions portfolio continues to grow, as does our mix in this important industry, where last year company revenues from healthcare reached USD413 million, as compared to USD103 million in 2006."

As MRC wrote before, in February 2014, PolyOne Corporation announced the addition of new capabilities to its OnColor HC Plus portfolio. These expanded offerings add medical-grade LDPE, nylon, PEBA, PS and PVC to the globally available palette of specialty healthcare colorants, and are pre-certified to meet or exceed biocompatibility requirements for ISO 10993 and/or USP Class VI protocols.

PolyOne Corporation is a global provider of specialized polymer materials, services, and solutions. PolyOne is a provider of specialized polymer materials, services and solutions with operations in specialty polymer formulations, color and additive systems, polymer distribution and specialty vinyl resins.
MRC