Rochling to expand Czech car parts plant

MOSCOW (MRC) -- German plastic car parts maker Rochling Group will expand its production facility in Koprivnice, the Czech Republic, said Plasticsnews.

The move will allow the firm to increase the factory’s output capacity and take on new workers. "Rochling Automotive Koprivnice intends to expand its plant. The favorable situation of the company... demands an increase in production capacities," the Czech municipality said in a statement.

To carry out the investment, the German company will add two new production halls, one with 2,200 square meters of space and a second with 3,900 square meters. The project is will add 85 new jobs to the current 75.

The plant is located in the Koprivnice-Vlcovice industrial park, in the country's eastern part, and it was launched in 2006. Construction will begin in May, and is expected to be completed in January 2016.

As MRC informed before, Rochling Group's automotive business will build its seventh U.S. manufacturing site in Akron, OH to support customers Ford Motor Co. and General Motors.

Rochling makes various plastic components for car makers, including GM, Ford, Nissan, Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Skoda and Subaru. Based in Mannheim, Germany, the group has a global workforce of 8,000 employees in 21 countries worldwide, and annual revenues of about 1.4 billion euros (USD1.48 billion).

MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Tianjin Dagu Chemical is likely to shut a styrene monomer (SM) plant for maintenance turnaround, according to Apic-online.

A Polymerupdate source in China informed that the plant is planned to be shut in early April 2015. It is likely to remain off-stream for around one month.

Located in Tianjin, China, the plant has a production capacity of 500,000 mt/year.

We remind that, as MRC wrote previously, Idemitsu Kosan, one of Japan’s largest refining and petrochemical companies, is likely to shut its SM plant for a maintenance in April 2015. It is expected to remain off-stream for around three months. Located at Chiba in Japan, the SM plant has a production capacity of 210,000 mt/yr.

Besides, Denki Kagaku Kabushiki Kaisha (Denka) is in plans to shut its SM plant for maintenance in Q1, 2016. The duration of the shutdown could not be ascertained. Located at Chiba in Japan, the plant has a production capacity of 270,000 mt/year.

Also, Grand Pacific Petrochemical Corporation (GPPC) is likely to shut its SM plant for maintenance in November 2015. It is likely to remain off-stream for around one month. Located in Tashe, Taiwan, the plant has a production capacity of 140,000 mt/year.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Mitsui Chemicals, Inc. (Tokyo, Japan) announced the successful March startup of Mitsui Chemicals Functional Composites (Shanghai) Co., Ltd.’s (MFS ) plants for Milastomer and Admer in China’s Shanghai Jinshan District, said the company in its press release.

Mitsui Chemicals Functional Composites (Shanghai) was established in October 2012 as the Group’s strategic base in China for manufacture and sale of functional polymeric materials.

In China, rapid growth continues in the automotive and packaging material markets. To capture share in these expanding markets, Mitsui Chemicals strategically situated its new company and manufacturing facilities to serve as its compound base and to support the Group’s efforts as a central player in supplying manufacturers concentrated in Eastern China.

The startup of the new plant underpins the Group’s aggressive efforts to strengthen and expand its functional polymeric compound business through intensification of manufacture, distribution, and technical service for its high quality, state-of-the-art products.

As MRC informed before, Mitsui Chemicals and China Petroleum & Chemical have announced the startup of one of the world’s largest EPT (ethylene-propylene-dieneterpolymer) plant for a single train under their joint venture.

Mitsui Chemicals,a Japanese chemical company, is a part of the Mitsui conglomerate. The company has a turnover of around 15 billion USD and has business interests in Japan, Europe, China, Southeast Asia and the USA. The company mainly deals in performance materials, petro and basic chemicals and functional polymeric materials.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- South Korean petrochemical company LG Chem is in plans to shut its monoethylene glycol (MEG) plant for maintenance turnaround, reported Apic-online.

A Polymerupdate source in South Korea informed that the plant is likely to be shut on March 21, 2015. It is likely to remain off-stream for around one month.

Located in Daesan, South Korea, the plant has a production capacity of 210,000 mt/year.

As MRC informed previously, LG Chem is in plans to shut its phenol-acetone plant for maintenance turnaround in May 2015. It is likely to remain off-stream for around one month. Located at Daesan in South Korea, the plant has a phenol capacity of 300,000 mt/year and acetone capacity of 180,000 mt/year.

LG Chem Ltd., often referred to as LG Chemical, is the largest Korean chemical company and is headquartered in Seoul, South Korea. According to ICIS report, it is 15th biggest chemical company in the world in 2011. It has eight domestic factories and global network of 29 business locations in 15 countries. LG Chem is a manufacturer, supplier, and exporter of petrochemical goods, IT&E Materials and Energy Solutions.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Imports of high density polyethylene (HDPE) to the Russian market rose slightly in February. However, the overall HDPE imports totalled only 28,800 tonnes over the first two months of 2015, down by 25% year on year, according to MRC DataScope report.

Last month's HDPE imports to Russia grew to 15,500 tonnes from 13,300 tonnes in January. Overall, the total HDPE imports decreased to 28,800 tonnes over the first two months of 2015 versus 38,300 tonnes a year earlier. Seasonal factors, credit financing issues and the rouble devaluation, which made HDPE purchasing in foreign markets unprofitable for Russian converters, were the main reasons for lower imports.

The supply structure by consumption sectors looks the following way over the stated period.

Last month's HDPE imports for pipe extrusion rose to 3,300 tonnes compared to 920 tonnes in January. Such a serious increase of supply was caused by the desire of some local pipes producers to build up additional inventories of material on the back of low prices in Europe and tight supply of coloured PE100 from Russian producers. The overall imports of pipe grade HDPE into Russia totalled 4,200 tonnes, down by 40% year on year.

February HDPE imports for extrusion coating of large diameter steel pipes rose to 5,100 tonnes from 4,600 tonnes a month earlier. 9,700 tonnes this polyethylene (PE) grade were imported over the said period, down by 37% year on year, which was caused by the increased domestic production.

Imports of injection moulding HDPE fell to 2,600 tonnes last month from 4,200 tonnes in January. The overall imports of this PE grade dropped by 9% in January and February 2015 to 6,800 tonnes.

Last month's HDPE imports for extrusion blow moulding (EBM) virtually remained at the level of January and totalled 2,600 tonnes. The overall imports of this PE grade rose to 5,200 tonnes over the stated period, up by 47% year on year. The increase in blow moulding HDPE imports was caused by lower production of Russian manufacturers, as well as by the outage at Stavrolen.

The overall HDPE imports to the other consumption sectors totalled slightly over 1,800 tonnes in January and February 2015.

MRC