Imports of polyamide and polyamide plastics in Russia for three quarters declined by 16%

MOSCOW (MRC) - Imports of polyamide (PA) and engineering plastics based on polyamide (PA-plastics) decreased to 9,500 tonnes in the last nine months of the year, down 16% year on year, according to MRC DataScope Report.

The most significant reduction in supply was seen in the sector of unfilled PA 6, with imports fallen to 2,000 tonnes, down 34% year on year. Imported PA 6 mostly processed by technology of films extrusion for food packaging.

Imports of PA copolymers decreased to 5,300 tonnes in the first nine months of the year, down 8% year on year. Main application of PA copolymers in Russia - injection of various parts for industrial purposes, as well as - production of packaging film.

Imports of unfilled PA 66 were 614 tonnes in the first nine months of the year, down 2%. This material is used for the injection of various automotive components.

Imports of PA-emulsions have increased to 1,400 tonnes in the first nine months of the year, up 2% compared to the same time a year earlier. Emulsions are used to impregnate the leather, paper, textiles, in order to increase their strength and moisture repellent properties.

Prices for PA and PA-plastics market are traditionally higher than the price of basic polymers. This material is a high-tech and has a high cost.
Because of the rouble devaluation, the domestic price of PA and PA-plastics have increased , which constrains converters in purchases.

MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) - Russia's polyvinyl chloride (PVC) production increased by 2% in the first nine months of 2014. Bashkir Soda Company and Khimprom Volgograd showed a significant increase in PVC production, according to MRC ScanPlast.

September production of unmixed PVC in Russia increased to 55,200 tonnes, compared with 30,100 tonnes in August on the back of scheduled maintenance works at the largest Russian manufacturer - SayanskKhimPlast. Total PVC production in Russia grew to 464,600 tonnes in January - September this year, (excluding RusVinyl's production), compared with 454,400 tonnes year on year. The biggest increase in PVC production showed Bashkir Soda Company on the back of bigger production rates and Khimprom Volgograd, which worked without scheduled maintenance works this year.

Structure of PVC production over the reported period looked as follows. SayanskKhimPlast produced 26,300 tonnes of PVC in September.
Total PVC production at SayanskKhimPlast in the first nine months of the year remained practically steady at 206,800 tonnes, compared with the same time a year earlier (206,100 tonnes) .

Bashkir Soda Company (BSC) in the current year has expanded its PVC capacities to 230,000 tonnes/year, having increased capacities by 20,000 tonnes/year. September PVC production at the plant was 19,800 tonnes. Total PVC production at the company increased to 172,200 tonnes in the first nine months of this year, from 155,700 tonnes year on year. The producer plans to increase its PVC capacities to 240,000 tonnes/year.

Kaustik (Volgograd) produced 7,700 tonnes of SPVC in September, compared with 8,100 tonnes in August. Total SPVC production at the plant was 71,900 tonnes in the first nine months of the year, compared with 70,000 tonnes year on year.

The only producer of emulsion polyvinyl chloride (EPVC) in Russia - Kaustik Volgograd has been in the verge of bankruptcy in recent months. The producer had to reduce its capacity utilisation. Kaustik's EPVC production was 1,400 tonnes in September, remaining practically at the August level. Total EPVC production at the plant was 13,800 tonnes in the first nine months of the year, up 12% year on year on the back of reduced time of turnaround.

As it was already written, RusVinil (JV of SIBUR and SolVin) launched SPVC production in August in test mode. The producer did not give official data on the August and September PVC production volumes.


MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) - Production of polypropylene (PP) in Russia increased by 12% in In first nine months of this year, compared to the same period of 2013. The largest increase in production volumes continued to show new production sites in Omsk and Tobolsk, according to MRC ScanPlast.

September PP production in Russia exceeded 100,000 tonnes, reaching a record level in the history; August PP production were 63,200 tonnes because of scheduled maintenance works at Ufaorgsintez and Poliom. Total PP production in Russia reached 724,200 tonnes in January - September 2014, compared with 617,700 tonnes year on year. A significant increase in production showed Poliom and Tobolsk-Polymer other producers because of high production rates showed more modest results.

Structure of PP production over the reported period was as follows. Poliom (GK Titan, Omsk) increased PP production in September to 15,800 tonnes, compared with 6,400 tonnes in August. The producer's PP output was 125,300 tonnes in the first nine months of 2014, up 70% year on year.

Tobolsk-Polymer (SIBUR group) produced about 36,000 tonnes of PP in September, having reached record high monthly level since the launch of the plant. Total PP production at Tobolsk-Polymer was 150,700 tonnes in January - September 2014.

PP production at Nizhnekamskneftekhim and Ufaorgsintez increased by 3% in the first nine months of the year, reaching 160,200 tonnes and 89,600 tonnes respectively. Tomskneftekhim due to many factors, including the initially high level of capacity utilisation showed only 1% increase in PP production in the first nine months of this year, reaching 92,900 tonnes.

Neftekhimiya (Kapotnya), on the contrary, reduced PP production in January-September by 5% to 87,400 tonnes.

As it was written earlier, Stavrolen resumed PP production on Monday, 13 October following the emergency outage from 26, February.
The company's customers said the company began the first shipment of polypropylene in the domestic market from 15, October. The plant's annual production capacity is 120,000 tonnes.


MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- BASF, , the world’s leading chemical company, is adding its first carbon fiber-reinforced Ultradur to its PBT portfolio (polybutylene terephthalate), as per the company's press release.

The specialty Ultradur B4300 C3 LS features low electrostatic charge along with good conductivity. This makes it particularly suitable for components in sensitive areas of measurement and control technology for machines and automotive electronics. Due to the anti-static PBT, less dust or dirt adheres to the component: this allows it to work reliably and permanently - even in unfavorable usage conditions – and without damages because of electrostatic discharge. In areas with explosion hazards, the use of the conductive Ultradur grade also reduces the risk of electrostatic loading and possible sparking.

BASF thus meets the increasing requirements on material and parts especially in automotive electronics. With Ultradur B4300 C3, miniaturization, precision, and safety can be combined even better in the future: parts made of the carbon fiber-reinforced engineering plastic retain their antistatic property permanently and even after contact with media (e.g. fuels) and at high temperatures.

Ultradur B4300 C3 LS bk15126 is available in commercial quantities. The material, which is reinforced with 15 percent carbon fiber, has a low volume and surface resistance. It absorbs hardly any water, is laser-markable, and its good mechanical properties are similar to those of a standard PBT with 30 percent glass fibers. Furthermore, Ultradur B4300 C3 can be easily combined with other PBT grades, e.g. by welding or bonding, and is also suitable for complex, thin-walled components.

Possible applications of the carbon fiber-reinforced PBT are parts in cars or machines with gases or fluids flowing through, fast-moving components in textile machines or conveyor belt elements that are subject to static charge due to friction. Other fields of usage include machines in paper processing, printers, and transportation packaging for sensitive electronic goods that require ESD (=electrostatic discharge) protection.

As MRC reported earlier, in June 2014, BASF undertook three key capacity expansion projects for performance materials at its Pudong site in Shanghai (China). The capacity expansion projects includes Ultramid (polyamide, PA), Ultradur (polybutylene terephthalate, PBT), Elastollan thermoplastics polyurethane elastomers (TPU), and Technical Center and capacity expansion of Cellasto (microcellular polyurethane components).

BASF is the largest diversified chemical company in the world and is headquartered in Ludwigshafen, Germany. BASF produces a wide range of chemicals, for example solvents, amines, resins, glues, electronic-grade chemicals, industrial gases, basic petrochemicals and inorganic chemicals. The most important customers for this segment are the pharmaceutical, construction, textile and automotive industries. BASF had sales of about EUR74 billion in 2013 and over 112,000 employees as of the end of the year.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Arkema, a France-based chemical manufacturer, will display its latest innovations, espacially oriented for demanding industrial and automotive applications at Fakuma 2014, as per the company's press release.

Arkema offers a comprehensive portfolio of technical polymers: the group is the only chemical company in the world to offer the three families of long chain polyamides (polyamide 10, 11 and 12) and also PVDF fluoropolymers, adapted to all plastics technologies; injection moulding, extrusion technology or thermoforming.

Arkema, a leading developer of state-of-the-art solutions for automotive fluid transportation, expands its range of specialty polyamides for injection molding applications. Pebax HD, a new range of high performance thermoplastic elastomers for demanding industrial applications.

As MRC informed before, in April 2014, Arkema developed two new grades - Luperox organic peroxides and Kynar Flex PVDF resins - specifically designed for electric and electronic wires and cables applications.

Arkema with annual revenue of EUR6.4 billion is a leading European supplier of chlorochemicals and PVC. Kynar and Kynar Flex are registered trademarks of Arkema Inc. Arkema operates 11 organic peroxide plants on the three continents.
MRC