New Borealis joint venture delivers safe

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Borealis, a leading provider of innovative solutions in the fields of polyolefins, base chemicals and fertilizers, has announced its intention to partner with Neste Oil and Veolia in a joint venture to modernise and operate the power plant in the Kilpilahti petrochemical cluster in Porvoo, Finland, said the producer in its press release.

Designed to meet demanding European emissions requirements, the power plant will supply Borealis' integrated petrochemical complex in Porvoo with safe, reliable and sustainable energy.

Much of the existing power generation infrastructure dates back to 1971, and is nearing the end of its operating life. The joint venture, co-owned by Neste Oil (40%), Veolia (40%) and Borealis (20%), will implement a modernisation programme between 2015 and 2017, with planning already underway. The result will be new generating facilities comprising three new steam boilers which will comply with the latest environmental regulations, including the European Commission's (EC) Industrial Emissions Directive.

Neste Oil plans to transfer its existing power plants at the Porvoo site into the joint venture in spring 2015. Borealis and Neste Oil will source energy for their respective activities in the integrated petrochemical complex from the joint venture on a contractual basis and Veolia will take responsibility for the operations.

"The modernisation of the power plant represents a milestone for our Porvoo location," says Markku Korvenranta Borealis Executive Vice President Base Chemicals. "It further strengthens our integrated operations with Neste Oil, improves the environmental performance and supports a sustainable future for the Porvoo location. This joint-venture will secure our long-term reliable energy supply for our operations in Porvoo on a competitive basis."

As MRC wrote before, Borealis signed an agreement for technology, engineering and project management company Neste Jacobs to deliver EPCM services for the upgrade of the process section part of Borealis' steam cracker to enable increased ethane cracking in Stenungsund, Sweden. The steam cracker is one of the most feedstock-flexible in Europe and in addition to ethane, it can also crack naphtha, propane and butane.

Borealis is a leading provider of innovative solutions in the fields of polyolefins, base chemicals and fertilizers. The only polyethylene (PE) producer in Sweden, Borealis’ Stenungsund facilities include a PE plant, a cracker for ethylene and propylene production, and an innovation center focused on research and development for infrastructure markets.
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MOSCOW (MRC) -- Huntsman Corporation’s Polyurethanes division has become the first U.S. manufacturer to receive the Underwriters Laboratories (UL) Environment certification for one of its polyols -- TEROL 563 modified aromatic polyester polyol, said the producer in its press release.

TEROL 563 polyol is primarily used in polyisocyanurate (PIR) insulation applications. When properly formulated and processed, insulation panels produced with TEROL 563 can pass the Factory Mutual 4450 Calorimeter and ASTM E-84 Tunnel tests.

The UL certification demonstrates that Huntsman’s TEROL Performance Polyols business possesses the technological expertise and logistics to provide an independent, third-party certified range of recycled content and renewable content polyols. Huntsman’s aromatic polyester polyols incorporate both pre-consumer and post-consumer recycled content allowing customers to design their insulation products with confidence and meet preferred purchasing protocols.

Huntsman retained the services of UL Environment to certify its pre-consumer recycled, post-consumer recycled and renewable resource content claims. UL verified the claims by reviewing Huntsman’s manufacturing practices and raw materials sources.

"Receiving the UL Environment certification illustrates Huntsman’s continued commitment to environmental excellence and providing high-quality, sustainable insulation products to our customers," said Les Yamato, Business Manager, TEROL Polyols, Huntsman Polyurethanes. "We strive to be an industry leader in sustainability, and the UL Environment certification represents another step toward that goal."

As MRC wrote before, Huntsman Corporation received final clearance and approval from the European Commission to acquire the Performance Additives and Titanium Dioxide businesses of Rockwood Holdings, Inc.

Huntsman Corporation is a publicly traded global manufacturer and marketer of differentiated chemicals with 2013 revenues of over USD11 billion. Huntsman is a global manufacturer and marketer of differentiated chemicals. The company's operating companies manufacture products for a variety of global industries, including chemicals, plastics, automotive, aviation, textiles, footwear, paints and coatings, construction, technology, agriculture, health care, detergent, personal care, furniture, appliances and packaging.

MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Austrian steel technology and capital goods company Voestalpine AG has signed an agreement to sell its plastics solutions business to Polytec Netherlands Holding, which is part of Horsching, Austria-based Polytec Holding AG, said Plasticsnews.

In 2013 Voestalpine’s plastics solutions business unit generated sales of around EUR120 million (USD150 million) at its two Dutch sites in Putte and Roosendaal, and it employed almost 700.

Products produced by the business include underbodies, acoustic, and exterior components for commercial vehicles, as well as non-automotive products.

Polytec said the acquisition will expand its position as a leading supplier of composite parts for the European automotive industry. According to Polytec, following the acquisition, it will have 23 manufacturing plants in 10 countries.

Currently the company has 21 sites and more than 3,500 employees.

Voestalpine said the sale to Polytec will be completed around the beginning of November.

As MRC wrote before, together with its partners Bekaert (Belgium) and voestalpine Plastics Solutions (Netherlands), BASF was working on the development of thermoplastic components that are reinforced with steel cord fabrics and produced by means of injection molding. The three companies have joined together with the objective of employing and further developing this new EASI technology with partners in the automotive industry. The abbreviation EASI stands for Energy Absorption, Safety and Integrity.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) - Prices for polycarbonate (PC) in the Russian market are expected to rise from November on the back of the rising cost for feedstock, as per ICIS-MRC Price Report.

The only PC producer in Russia, Kazanorgsintez (KOS), announced an increase in production costs for all the production chain: benzene, acetone, phenol, Bisphenol A. The feedstock prices are also under the pressure of anticipated of introduction of excise duty on benzene import in the Russian Federation. Imported benzene is used by many Russian companies in PC production, including Kazanorgsintez.

If government of the Russian Federation introduces this excise duty, converters will face a significant rise in Russian PC prices.

October prices for Russian injection moulding and extrusion polycarbonate slightly decreased to Rb118,000-119,000/tonne CPT Moscow, including VAT, compared with the level in September. November PC prices are expected to be risen by Rb2-3/kg, from the October level.



MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Showa Denko (SDK) has decided to dissolve it PT Showa Esterindo Indonesia (SEI) subsidiary and terminate the production of ethyl acetate in Indonesia, reported Apic-online.

SEI will be dissolved and liquidated "without delay" following the demolition and removal of the 50,000-t/y ethyl acetate facility. Production will be stopped by the end of this year.

"The demand for ethyl acetate in Southeast Asia had been stable for awhile. In recent years, however, the business environment for SEI has become harder than before because of rises in material prices and expansion of the capacities of neighboring countries to supply ethyl acetate," SDK explained.

As MRC wrote before, Showa Denko is in plans to shut its vinyl acetate monomer (VAM) plant for maintenance turnaround in March 2015. It is planned to remain off-stream for around one month. Located at Oita in Japan, the plant has a production capacity of 175,000 mt/year.

Showa Denko K.K. is mainly engaged in the petrochemical business. The Petrochemical segment manufactures and sells olefin, organic chemicals and others. The Chemical Product segment supplies chemicals, industrial gases, special gas and functional drug for semiconductors, functional high molecular materials, among others.
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