AkzoNobel starts up new Brazil chemicals facility

MOSCOW (MRC) -- AkzoNobel's new EUR80 million Imperatriz "chemical island" in Brazil is now operational and has started supplying the Suzano Maranhao Pulp Mill in northern Brazil, said Hydrocarbonprocessing.

Operated by the company's pulp and performance chemicals business, the Imperatriz facility represents AkzoNobel's second major investment in the Brazilian pulp industry in the last two years.

It will supply, store and handle all chemicals for the 1.5 million tpy Suzano mill under an agreement which runs for the next 15 years.

"AkzoNobel is proud to be involved in this prestigious project, we strive to provide innovative and sustainable solutions that meet our customers' operational needs," said Werner Fuhrmann, the AkzoNobel executive committee member responsible for specialty chemicals.

"This investment strengthens our leading position in bleaching chemicals," added Niek Stapel, managing director for AkzoNobel's pulp and performance chemicals business. "Being our fourth chemical island in this region, it emphasizes our long-term commitment to this increasingly important market."

AkzoNobel has a well-established pulp and paper chemicals operation in Brazil, where the company already operates the chemical island concept at three pulp mills, served by the Eunapolis, Jupia and Tres Lagoas sites respectively.
The company also operates production units in Jacarei, Jundiai, and Rio de Janeiro.

As MRC wrote before, AkzoNobel N.V.has inaugurated its new, highly efficient chlorine membrane electrolysis plant in the Rhein-Main area of Germany. Capacity has been increased by 50% whilst at the same time reducing the plant's overall ecological footprint by some 20%

Akzo Nobel N.V., trading as AkzoNobel, is a Dutch multinational, active in the fields of decorative paints, performance coatings and specialty chemicals. Headquartered in Amsterdam, the company has activities in more than 80 countries, and employs approximately 55,000 people.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- PolyOne Corporation has announced the appointment of Uniflon Performance Additives as distributor of its Colorant Chromatics high-temperature polymer formulation and colorant solutions in Brazil, as per the company's press release.

"Uniflon has extensive knowledge of fluoropolymer technologies as well as the high-temperature polymer market in Brazil," explained Barto du Plessis, general manager, Colorant Chromatics. "Uniflon's local warehousing, sales and technical support expertise will help our customers reduce their product lead times and accelerate their speed to market. As a result, this partnership will provide enhanced service for our customers in the economic heart of South America."

Uniflon will inventory and distribute the full portfolio of Colorant Chromatics solutions for extrusion and injection molding applications in industries such as healthcare, automotive, and wire and cable. These solutions include: specialty colorants and formulations for a wide range of fluoropolymer and high-temperature applications, specialty dispersed pigments for PTFE extrusion processes, printing and striping inks for coating high-temperature materials used in wire insulation and jacketing.

As MRC informed previously, PolyOne Corporation is establishing a new Innovation Center in Shanghai, China. The new facility will facilitate collaboration, accelerate application development and increase speed-to-market for customers in the Asia Pacific region.

Based in Sao Paulo and established in 1995, Uniflon Performance Additives is a producer and distributor of specialty, high-temperature technologies to the Brazilian thermoplastics market with exports to North America, Europe and other countries in South America. The Company’s range of functional compounds and pigments offer excellent chemical, thermal, mechanical and electrical performance for a variety of industries, including aerospace, healthcare and wire and cable.

PolyOne Corporation, with 2013 revenues of USD3.8 billion, is a premier 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

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Some European producers have announced price increases of EUR20/tonne for polyethylene (PE) for the CIS markets, according to ICIS-MRC Price report.

The May contract price for ethylene in Europe was agreed down by EUR5/tonne from April. However, many European producers raised export PE prices by EUR10-20/tonne for the CIS countries, particularly, for low density polyethylene (LDPE) and linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE), while export quotas were slashed several times.

Negotiations over May European PE prices for the CIS markets began this week. Many market participants saisd they had managed to maintain April prices of high density polyethylene (HDPE) for May. Deals were negotiated in the range of EUR1,120-1,180/tonne FCA.

Deals for May LDPE shipments were negotiated in the range of EUR1,240-1,300/tonne FCA, up by an average of EUR10-20/tonne from April. LLDPE prices also rose by EUR20/tonne.

In general, May export quotas of many producers were significantly reduced. Market participants said they had managed to meet their May requirements for European PE by 80% maximum. Some producers have already completed all their deals for May.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- LANXESS AG reported net income for the first quarter of EUR 25 million or EUR 0.30 per share, flat with the prior-year level, said the producer in its press release.

Sales were down by 2.5% to EUR 2 billion as the encouraging increase in volumes in all segments did not offset the drop in selling prices and negative currency effects.

Looking ahead, the company expects that the economic environment will continue to slowly recover during the remainder of the year. The company currently expects fiscal 2014 EBITDA pre exceptionals of between EUR 770 million and EUR 830 million.

For the second quarter, the company anticipates EBITDA pre exceptionals to come in at between EUR 220 million and EUR 240 million.

LANXESS also announced that it is currently developing measures to realign the company and its decision to utilize the existing authorized capital in part and to increase the share capital of the company by 10 percent, excluding the subscription rights of the shareholders.

As MRC wrote previously, last July, Lanxess celebrated the opening of its first production facility in Russia. In the new plant at the Lipetsk site, Lanxess subsidiary Rhein Chemie manufactures polymer-bound rubber additives for the markets in Russia and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), primarily for the automotive and tire industries. A production facility for the bladders used in tire production is to be added in 2016. The overall investment volume in euros amounts to a seven-digit figure.

Lanxess is a leading specialty chemicals company with sales of EUR 8.3 billion in 2013 and roughly 17,300 employees in 31 countries. The company is currently represented at 52 production sites worldwide. The core business of Lanxess is the development, manufacturing and marketing of plastics, rubber, intermediates and specialty chemicals.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Packaging giant Amcor Ltd. has entered into an agreement to buy an Indonesian flexible packaging business, Jakarta-based Bella Prima Packaging Ltd., for USD25.2 million, said Plasticsnews.

Bella Prima has two plants in Jakarta specializing in heat-shrinkable plastic film, PVC shrinkable tubes, multi-color shrink labels, tamper-evident seals for dairy, food, cosmetic, pharmaceutical and household products, nylon laminated vacuum packaging bags, oriented polypropylene wraparound labels and food-grade tandem laminated lids.
An Amcor news release said Bella Prima sales in the year to Dec. 31, 2013, were about USD28 million.

Amcor already has a flexibles packaging plant in Jakarta which manufactures products for the food, household, personal care and farmer end markets. Amcor investor relations manager Tracey Whitehead told Plastics News the plant’s sales are about USD40 million a year.

Amcor’s release said the acquisition complements the existing operations because it "broadens Amcor’s participation strategy with its multinational and local customers" and adds to the domestic talent pool.

Whitehead said it is a "clean acquisition" and Amcor will continue to operate three separate plants.
Amcor’s managing director and CEO Ken MacKenzie said: "Indonesia is an attractive market for flexible packaging given its rising per capita income and changing retail formats".

"The Bella Prima acquisition gives Amcor the opportunity to broaden its product portfolio in attractive end-market segments and deepen our relationships with key customers. Given the expected synergy benefits, it is anticipated returns will exceed 20 percent by year three."

Amcor says the purchase price is seven times Bella’s earnings before income depreciation and amortization for 2013.

As MRC wrote before, Amcor Ltd. was looking to expand in India through another acquisition.
Melbourne, Australia-based Amcor is negotiating with Chennai, India-based Murugappa Group to buy its Tuflex division, which makes flexible packaging.

Amcor Limited is an Australian-based multinational packaging company. It operates manufacturing plants in 42 countries. It is the world's largest manufacturer of plastic bottles.
MRC