Taiwan Prosperity Chemical Corp shut down BPA plant in Taiwan for maintenance

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Taiwan prosperity Chemical Corp (TPCC) has shut a bisphenol A(BPA) plant for maintenance turnaround, as per Apic-online.

A Polymerupdate source in Taiwan informed that the plant was shut on December 22. It is likely to remain off-stream for around one month.

Located in Linyuan, Taiwan, the plant has a production capacity of 100,000 mt/year.

As MRC wrote before, South Korean petrochemical company LG Chem restarted its BPA plant in South Korea for maintenance turnaround in late November2014. It was shut on October 26, 2014. Located in Yeosu, South Korea, the plant has a production capacity of 150,000 mt/year.

BPA is a type of engineering plastic for use in automobiles, mobile phones, and electronics appliances.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Royal DSM, the global Life Sciences and Material Sciences company, will feature numerous new applications in automotive, mobile electronics and electrical equipment that incorporate its engineering plastics for high performance, low weight, and improved sustainability at PlastIndia 2015 (5-10 February, Gandhinagar, Gujarat), as per the company's press release.

For the automotive sector, a major highlight is a new generation of Diablo high temperature resistant grades in DSM’s Stanyl polyamide 46 and Akulon polyamide 6 portfolios. The new Diablo grades are aimed at such engine compartment applications as air intake manifolds with integrated ducts and charge air coolers (CACs). The latest version of Stanyl Diablo polyamide 46 is able to withstand a continuous use temperature of 230C, while the new Akulon Diablo withstands a 220C continuous-use temperature. Equally important, both new grades have improved resistance to short-term high temperature peaks.

Other innovative automotive applications on display include a composite fuel tank for two- and four-wheeled vehicles running on methane or hydrogen, and an award-winning crankshaft cover. The fuel tank is a pressure vessel made by wrapping a high-barrier liner blow molded in DSM’s Akulon Fuel Lock polyamide 6 inside a continuous fiber reinforced plastic shell. It is around one third the weight of a steel tank, and so enables a substantial improvement in fuel-efficiency. It is even possible to use thermoplastics such as DSM’s high performance EcoPaXX polyamide 410 -which is derived from renewable resources-in the shell, rather than a traditional thermosetting resin.

EcoPaXX has just won an award in another automotive application, a lightweight multi-functional crankshaft cover. The part came top in the Powertrain category in the Society of Plastics Engineers (SPE) Automotive Division Innovation Awards Competition. The EcoPaXX crankshaft cover is produced by DSM’s automotive component specialist partner KACO in Germany for the latest generation of diesel engines developed by the Volkswagen Group. It weighs around 40% less than a crankshaft cover with similar geometry made in aluminum.

DSM is also emphasizing its extensive offering for Electrical and Electronics (E&E) applications, especially in mobile communications. For example, the company has new solutions that answer growing requirements for size reduction and thinwalling, for halogen-free flame retardance, and for heat management. On the DSM stand, visitors will be able to talk with experts about the latest options for such components as connectors, bezels and frames, enclosures, wire and cable, antennas and splitters.

Elsewhere in E&E, DSM has taken a leading position in the development of halogen-free flame retardant high performance polyamides that provide a more efficient, cost-effective and environment-friendly alternative to glass-reinforced thermoset composites in molded case circuit breakers (MCCBs). DSM also has various innovative solutions for LED lighting, including thermally conductive compounds which can be used to produce heat sinks that are easier to make, lighter and more functional than aluminum versions: leading lighting producer Osram recently started using DSM’s Stanyl TC compound based on polyamide 46 for heat sinks in a new series of LED down lights, for example. DSM has halogen-free materials for wire and cable too, including its Arnitel thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) for electrical and communications cables.

Arnitel is also at the heart of new breakthrough technology developed by DSM for the medical sector. Arnitel VT provides very high levels of protection against contagious viruses coupled with breathability for wearer comfort when used as a single-layer membrane laminated to fabric in disposable medical gowns and drapes.

At PlastIndia 2015, DSM will also highlight the "green" manufacturing practices it applies to its own production operations. This September, the company inaugurated a Solar Technologies Demonstration Center at its facility in Pune, India, where it produces polyester and polyamide compounds. This state-of-the-art center will showcase the performance of DSM's innovations in solar technology, and will also reduce the plant's CO2 footprint by using solar energy to meet 25% of the site's electricity needs.

As MRC reported earlier, this week Royal DSM announced it had reached agreement with Cathay Investments for the sale of Euroresins. Subject to customary approvals and notifications, the transaction is expected to close in Q1 2015. Financial details will not be disclosed at this time.

Royal DSM is a global science-based company active in health, nutrition and materials. DSM delivers innovative solutions that nourish, protect and improve performance in global markets such as food and dietary supplements, personal care, feed, pharmaceuticals, medical devices, automotive, paints, electrical and electronics, life protection, alternative energy and bio-based materials.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Saudi Arabia, the world's largest crude exporter, on Thursday announced a 2015 budget with a huge USD38.6 billion deficit due to the sharp decline in oil prices but still raised spending, said Channelnewsasia.

A statement read on state-run television said spending for 2015 is projected at 860 billion riyals (USD229.3 billion) and revenues at 715 billion riyals (USD190.7 billion).

Projected spending is slightly higher than the 855 billion riyals planned for this year, but revenues are 140 billion riyals lower than estimates for 2014, said the statement read after a cabinet session chaired by Crown Prince Salman bin Abdulaziz.

The budget shortfall is the first deficit projected by the OPEC kingpin since 2011 and the largest ever for the kingdom. Over the past decade, Saudi Arabia overspent budget projections by more than 20 per cent and if the trend is maintained next year, the deficit will be much higher.

The price of oil, which makes up more than 90 per cent of public income in Saudi Arabia, has lost about half of its value since June due to a production glut, weak global demand and a stronger US dollar.

Saudi Finance Minister Ibrahim al-Assaf said this month that Riyadh will continue massive public spending despite the sharp decline in oil prices. Assaf said the budget comes during "challenging" global economic conditions but reserves built over many years have given Saudi Arabia "depth and a line of defence that come in handy in times of need".

In royal decrees issuing the new budget, King Abdullah called for "rationalisation of spending" and for the "accurate and efficient implementation of the budget". "You are aware of the slowdown in growth in the global economy and the events in the petroleum market that led to the sharp fall in oil prices," the statement quoted the king as saying.

If oil prices remain at the current level of about US$60 a barrel for benchmark Brent crude, Saudi Arabia is expected to lose half of its oil revenues of USD276 billion posted in 2013. No figures have yet been provided for this year's budget results.

The International Monetary Fund has warned that due to the drop in oil price, Saudi Arabia will post a budget deficit this year. But the wealthy kingdom, which pumps around 9.6 million barrels per day, can easily tap into huge fiscal buffers, estimated at USD750 billion, to meet the budget deficit.

King Abdullah authorised the finance minister to draw "from the reserves" to meet the deficit or through borrowing.

Ratings agency Standard and Poor's lowered its outlook for Saudi Arabia to stable from positive following the slide in oil prices. But S&P also affirmed its high ratings for Riyadh over the "strong external and fiscal positions" it has built up in the past decade.

As MRC wrote before, Saudi Arabia has earmarked USD91bn over the next decade to build new petrochemical plants and expand existing ones, alongwith integrating refineries with new or existing units in the Kingdom
refinery-saudiThe Kingdom has created lucrative business opportunities in its plastic and petrochemical industries.
The GCC nations also aimed to achieve a production capacity of over 100mn tonnes of petrochemicals per annum by 2015.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) - The average capacity utilisation for the production of bottle grade polyethylene terephthalate (PET) chips increased to 80% in November, the highest level since June this year. Russia's production of PET chips was 40,600 tonnes in November, up 6% compared with the production in October, as per MRC ScanPlast.

Russian PET producers SIBUR-PET, Senege and Alco-Naphtha slightly increased their production volumes in November. At the same time, Polief reduced its PET chips output by 4% in November, compared with the October level.

Production of bottle grades PET chips in Russia grew by 5% in the first eleven months of the year, compared to the same period a year earlier.

Polief significantly increased its PET production in January-November 2014. SIBUR-PET and Senege's PET output over the reported period remained steady. At the same time Alco-Naphtha reduced its production of PET chips in the first eleven months.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Russia's production of low density polyethylene (LDPE) decreased by 2% over the first eleven months of 2014. Kazanorgsintez and Ufaorgsintez reduced their production because of the long scheduled outages for maintenance, while other producers increased their output, according to MRC ScanPlast report.

The overall November LDPE production in Russia rose to 57,500 tonnes from 59,800 tonnes in October. In general, Russian producers reduced LDPE production to 576,200 tonnes from January to November 2014 versus 586,100 tonnes a year earlier. All producers, except for the two manufactures - from Kazan and Ufa, increased their output.

The structure of production of ethylene polymers by grades looks the following way over the stated period.

Tomskneftekhim's November LDPE production dropped to 22,100 tonnes versus 23,800 tonnes a month earlier. The plant's output of this polyethylene (PE) grade decreased over the first eleven months of 2014 to 236,800 tonnes, up by 4% year on year.

Kazanorgsintez, Russia's second largest LDPE producer, produced 19,400 tonnes of LDPE last month (19,000 tonnes in October). The plant's output of this PE grade fell to 171,700 tonnes over the stated period, down by 15% year on year. Such a slumpt in production was caused by prolonged shutdowns for maintenance in April-June and September-October of 2014.

Ufaorgsintez increased its LDPE production to 7,700 tonnes in November from 7,500 tonnes in October. The plant's overall PE production dropped by 10% from January to November 2014 and totalled 75,300 tonnes.

Gazprom neftekhim Salavat maintained its last month's LDPE production at the level of October - 3,600 tonnes. The plant's overall PE output totalled 32,800 tonnes over the said period, up by 2% year on year.

Angarsk Polymer Plant has been gradually reducing its LDPE production since September, the plant's November output fell to 4,700 tonnes versus 5,600 tonnes in October. Overall, the plant produced 59,500 tonnes of PE over the first eleven months of 2014, up by 44% year on year.

MRC