KraussMaffei demonstrates new process for panels

MOSCOW (MRC) -- KraussMaffei Berstorff (Munich, Germany) presented its innovative concept for producing weatherproof sheets based on renewable raw materials to a 60 customers during a live demonstration in Munich on March 12, 2014, said the producer in its press-release.

The customers were able to watch the production of so-called "Resysta" sheets at the company's TechCenter, which is equipped with a twin-screw extruder in the 32D series. Due to their outstanding properties and their deceptively realistic fine wood design, these sheets are primarily used for outdoor applications such as facades.

"Our customers showed an unexpectedly high level of interest in this innovative product," emphasized Andreas Kessler, general sales manager at KraussMaffei Berstorff in Munich. “We welcomed more than 60 international visitors who provided us with positive feedback on both the production facility and the end product," said Kessler.

The sheet production line, equipped with the KMD 90-32/WPC twin-screw extruder and a vertical three-roll polishing stack as the key components, produced 4-mm-thick, 1000-mm-wide Resysta sheets with a guaranteed output of 300 kg/h. During a series of talks focusing primarily on this topic, the customers were also able to obtain more detailed information on the material composition, the production requirements and the end product. Kessler is anticipating a promising future: "Since we are now also seeing greater use of renewable raw materials in sheet extrusion due to growing worldwide demands for sustainable production, we will be able to serve a new market segment with this product in the long term."

Processing of natural fiber-reinforced plastics calls for special machine technology, a high degree of process engineering know-how and active wear resistance of the processing unit.

Resysta International GmbH, a company based in Taufkirchen near Munich, distributes its patented compound Resysta ARF (Active Resysta Filler) all over the world. Extracted from rice husks, an agricultural raw material which has barely been used to date, the material is extremely resistant, has an excellent ecological balance sheet and therefore sets new standards in sustainable production.

The material can barely be distinguished from real wood. It is therefore mainly used whenever both weather resistance and a wood look are required, for example in outdoor furniture, floor coverings in a wet cell or outside, ships' decks or house facades.

As MRC wrote earlier, two leading pipe manufacturers from Russia have recently chosen KraussMaffei Berstorff as a systems supplier for premium-quality technology and invested in PO pipe extrusion systems.

The KraussMaffei Group is a global leader in the plastics and rubber processing industries. The company covers all areas of injection molding machinery, extrusion technology and reaction process machinery, which gives it a unique selling point in the industry.
MRC

Saudi Aramco to sell Rabigh chemical products

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Saudi Aramco Products Trading Co., the fuel marketing unit of Saudi Arabia’s state oil producer, started selling products of an affiliated petrochemicals maker, said Hydrocarbonprocessing.

Aramco Trading will sell products including polypropylene and polyethylene made by Rabigh Refining & Petrochemicals Co., according to a statement on the state oil company’s website. The company began physical deliveries of the first chemical products today, it said.

Saudi Arabian Oil Co., the world’s largest oil exporter, owns all of the marketing unit and 37.5% of the refinery, known as Petro Rabigh. Sumitomo Chemical holds an equal share in Petro Rabigh, with the remainder traded on the stock market.

The partners will sell equal amounts of Petro Rabigh’s products, according to a Petro Rabigh statement.

Persian Gulf oil producers such as Saudi Arabia are boosting chemical output to diversify their economies away from reliance on crude sales for revenue by selling finished products like transport fuels and plastics.

As MRC reported previously, Petro Rabigh had signed an agreement with Tasnee and Saudi Advanced Industries (SAIC) for the supply of propylene oxide to the joint venture for the production of polyether polyol. The plant is located in Rabiga, in the west of Saudi Arabia on the Red Sea.

Aramco and Sumitomo plan to expand the Petro Rabigh plant, and Aramco is building additional chemical capacity at Jubail on the Gulf. PetroRabigh, a joint venture between Saudi Aramco and Japan's Sumitomo Chemical, has an annual output capacity of 18 million tonsne of refined products and 2.4 million tonnes of petrochemicals.
MRC

Dow, Mitsui start up new Texas chlor-alkali facility

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Dow Chemical announced that its joint venture membrane chlor-alkali facility with Tokyo, Japan-based Mitsui & Co. has successfully initiated full-scale, commercial production in Freeport, Texas, said Hydrocarbonprocessing.

Dow’s share of the chlorine produced at the Freeport facility will serve the growing feedstock needs of its performance- and market-driven businesses. In addition, Dow will market the caustic soda on behalf of the joint venture.

"This world-class facility allows us to capitalize on our modern and efficient membrane chlor-alkali technology and serves as a real-life proof point of how new, competitive energy resources in the U.S. are re-shaping the landscape of US Gulf Coast manufacturing," said James (Jim) R. Fitterling, Dow executive vice president.

"This joint venture bolsters the integration strength of the chlorine value chain at the Freeport site in a capital efficient model that allows Dow to invest in more downstream technology and customer-driven businesses with higher and more consistent earnings."

The new facility has a name plate capacity of approximately 800,000 tpy of chlorine. As previously announced in December 2013, this new world-scale facility will replace 800,000 tpy of older capacity on the site, according to company officials.

As MRC wrote before, Dow Chemical plans to separate chlorine-related assets including its epoxy business as the company focuses on higher-margin activities. The chlorine assets account for as much as USD5 billion of annual revenue and include plants at 11 sites employing almost 2,000 people.

The Dow Chemical Company is an American multinational chemical corporation headquartered in Midland, Michigan, United States. Dow is a large producer of plastics, including polystyrene (PS), polyurethane, polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), and synthetic rubber. The Company"s more than 5,000 products are manufactured at 188 sites in 36 countries across the globe.
MRC

Gazprom neftekhim Salavat to boost ethylene and propylene output by 13%

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Gazprom Neftekhim Salavat (GNS, part of Gazprom), one of Russia's major petrochemical complexes, has launched a new pyrolisis furnace at its Monomer petrochemical plant in Bashkortostan, in the Urals region of Russia, reported the company on its site.

Thus, GNS expects its ethylene and propylene output this year will increase by around 13%. GNS did not give the exact capacity of the new line, but said that the ethylene output should increase this year to 310,000 mt.

The new production line has a higher efficiency (91-92%) than the existing equipment (on average 73%), the company said, and is a part of the Salavat's capacity modernization project.

The line can run on two types of feedstocks, processing up to 34 mt of LPG an hour or up to 36 mt/hour of naphtha, the company said. The Monomer plant has three units, which produce olefins, plastics and alcohols and plasticizers.

In 2012 the company produced 223,000 mt of ethylene, 114,000 of benzene, 146,000 ethyl-benzene and 137,000 mt of styrene in 2012, according to its annual report, published on the website. The data for 2013 is not yet available. GNS also runs a refinery and a gas processing plant at the same site.

As MRC wrote before, Gazprom neftekhim Salavat shut down its ethylene production for a scheduled turnaround in November, 2013. The outage at the ethylene production was caused by scheduled maintenance works and lasted about a week. The plant's annual production capacity is 300,000 tonnes of ethylene.

JSC "Gazprom neftekhim Salavat" is one of Russia's major petrochemical complexes. The company was integrated into JSC "Gazprom" system. The concentration of the full cycle of hydrocarbon processing, petrochemistry and mineral fertilizer production on the one site is the main advantage of GNS. The company comprises oil refinery, chemical Plant, gas&chemical plant and monomer plant.
MRC

Sipchem to start trial operation of EVA plant in Q2-14

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Saudi International Petrochemical Co. (Sipchem) said it completed the construction works of its ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) plant, expecting the experimental operation to commence in Q2-14, said Mubasher.

Sipchem's net profit during twelve months of 2013 amounted to SR 620.5 million compared to SR 601.2 million for the same period last year with an increase of 3.2%. Gross profit during 2013 amounted to SR 1,296.8 million compared to SR 1,267.5 million for the same period last year with an increase of 2.3%.

As MRC reported previously, in early June 2013, Saudi Arabia's Sahara Petrochemicals and Sipchem announced the beginning of initial talks on a potential merger. The Zamil Holding Company Group, one of the Kingdom's most prominent family businesses, is a major shareholder in both companies.

Established in 1999, Saudi International Petrochemical Company (Sipchem) manufactures and markets methanol, butanediol, tetrahydrofuran, acetic acid, acetic anhydride, vinyl acetate monomer. Besides, it has launched several down-stream projects to manufacture ethylene vinyl acetate, low density polyethylene, ethyl acetate, butyl acetate, cross linkable polyethylene, and semi conductive compound that are scheduled to start in 2013.
MRC