TOCGC to take off-stream MEG plant in Thailand

MOSCOW (MRC) -- TOC Glycol (TOCGC) has likely to take off-stream its monoethylene glycol (MEG) plant for maintenance turnaround, as per Apic-online.

A Polymerupdate source in Thailand informed that the plant is likely to be shut in September 2015. The duration of the turnaround could not be ascertained.

Located at Map Ta Phut, Thailand, the plant has a production capacity of 400,000 mt/year.

We remind that, as MRC informed previously, Sharq shut down its MEG plant for maintenance turnaround in mid-December 2014. It remained off-stream for one month. Located at Jubail in Saudi Arabia, the plant has a production capacity of 700,000 mt/year.

Besides, Nan Ya Plastics restarted its No 3 MEG plant in Taiwan on November 3, 2014. It was under a month-long maintenance turnaround. Located in Mailiao, Taiwan, the plant has a production capacity of 360,000 mt/year.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Thailand’s Indorama Ventures Public Company Limited (IVL) informed that its subsidiary Indorama Petrochem Limited, Thailand has signed a definitive share purchase agreement with Bangkok Cable Company, Limited, a major shareholder, to acquire 94.91 percent equity stake in polyethylene terephthalate (PET) polymers maker Bangkok Polyester Public Company Limited (BPC), Thailand, said Yarnsandfibers.

Bangkok Polyester is a producer of PET polymers in Rayong, Thailand, with an annual capacity of 105,000 tons.

As MRC informed before, Indorama Netherlands B.V., a 100%-owned subsidiary of Indorama Ventures Public Company Limited (IVL), has signed a share purchase agreement to acquire 100% equity stake of Polyplex Turkey from Polyplex Europa Polyester Film San. ve Tic. A.S, Turkey, a 100% owned subsidiary of Polyplex (Thailand) Pcl., and Polyplex (Asia) Pte Limited, Singapore. Polyplex Turkey owns a newly set-up greenfield PET plant with a planned capacity of 252,000 tons per annum located at Corlu, close to Istanbul, Turkey.

Indorama Ventures is a leading producer in the polyester value chain in Thailand with strong global network and manufacturing across Asia, Europe and North America. Its products serve major players in diversified end use markets, including food, beverages, personal and home care, health care, automotives, textile, and industrial. The company’s main products are PTA, PET and polyester fibre, which are distributed across the world.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Saudi Basic Industries Corp. (Sabic) has commercially launched a new range of non-phthalate polymer products developed at its technology center in Riyadh to fulfill customer demands for advanced solutions in various segments such as hygiene, fabrics, and flexible packaging, reported GV.

In light of the changing market requirements, customers the world over are seeking non-phthalate options. Sabic will globally market its new polymer range to provide customers with polypropylene products using non-phthalate catalysts.

The new products are spun bond non-woven product introduced by Sabis in February, and BOPP (Biaxially Oriented Polypropylene) film to be launched sometime later this year.

Mosaed Al-Ohali, Sabic Polymers, executive vice president, commented, "With our new polymer range, Sabic will offer a broader choice to customers in fiber and flexible packaging segments, as part of its 2025 strategy for differentiation and creating value. We are a trusted leader in the plastics industry and are constantly adopting strategies to cope with the industry’s emerging requirements and challenges, and position ourselves to take advantage of new market opportunities."

Commenting on the innovative product, Ernesto Occhiello, executive vice president, Sabic Technology & Innovation, said, "Our technology teams have adapted and responded to changing market requirements. We are relentlessly pursuing innovative technologies to bring about broad-based improvements in our products and will maintain this momentum for meeting changing market requirements."

The spun bond fiber has several applications such as baby and adult diapers, medical masks, feminine care, absorbent pads and swabs, and surgical garments and drapes. The film grade is used in flexible packaging.

As MRC wrote before, Sabic reported a 29% drop in fourth-quarter profit as lower oil prices reduced returns from its own products.

Saudi Basic Industries Corporation (Sabic) ranks among the worldпїЅs top petrochemical companies. The company is among the worldпїЅs market leaders in the production of polyethylene, polypropylene and other advanced thermoplastics, glycols, methanol and fertilizers.
MRC

МOSCOW (MRC) -- Clariant, a world leader in specialty chemicals, is introducing automotive engineers to ColorForward, the color forecasting guide for the plastics industry during the Plastics in Automotive Engineering Congress sponsored by VDI, the society of German engineers, said the producer on its site.

Clariant's ColorWorks offers traditionally two versions of ColorForward: one aimed at designers of solid plastic components and the other, ColorForward Interiors, which is addressed to users of fibers and textiles. The goal of both versions is to help designers and marketing professionals make more informed color choices.

Starting from this solid root, this year a new member joins the ColorForward family: ColorForward Automotive, specifically addressed to the needs of the automotive design.

"Clariant Masterbatches is, since many years, one of the major global suppliers of color and additive solutions to the Automotive industry, with links to all the players in the value chain," explains Laura Carrillo, Head of Market Segment Automotive Europe.

ColorForward springs from the minds and experience of an international team of color, design, marketing and polymer experts, representing multiple creative industries from all over the world. Each edition presents four global societal trends that can be expected to influence consumer behavior. Each trend is then represented by five colors that capture the essence of that trend. In the original ColorForward, the colors are presented in molded plaques made of various plastics, rigid and flexible, opaque and translucent. ColorForward Interiors presents the colors as pompons made of polypropylene (PP) and polyamide (PA) fibers, but also "wrap cards" with polyester fiber samples – forms that are very familiar to developers and users of fabrics, carpeting and upholstery.

As MRC informed before, Clariant's Masterbatches, a devision of the world leader in specialty chemicals Clariant, has presented two innovative products - REMAFIN-EP white masterbatches and Hydrocerol nucleating agents, which cater to the needs of India’s pharmaceutical and infrastructure industries.

Clariant's Masterbatches business unit is a recognized global leader in color and additive concentrates and performance solutions for plastics.

Clariant AG is a Swiss chemical company and a world leader in the production of specialty chemicals for the textile, printing, mining and metallurgical industries. It is engaged in processing crude oil products in pigments, plastics and paints. Clariant India has local masterbatch production activities at Rania, Kalol and Nandesari (Gujarat) and Vashere (Maharashtra) sites in India.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Consumer, healthcare, transportation and building products manufacturers now have a high-performance material offering both excellent properties and sustainability in one cost-effective, vinyl-based material package. PolyOne’s Geon BIO Flexible Solutions, formulated with a bio-derived plasticizer also complies with phthalate-restrictive regulations such as California’s Prop 65 and the Consumer Product Safety Initiative Act of 2008 (CPSIA), reported the producer on its site.

Concerns about phthalates are well documented and with the entire category under scrutiny, current industry practice has been to label products containing terephthalates, thought by many to be safe, as "non-phthalate" or "phthalate free" in order to avoid unnecessary deselection.

"Geon BIO materials are formulated with PolyOne’s plant-based reFlex 300 plasticizer," said James Stephenson, director, Global Marketing, Geon Performance Materials. "This creates a truly non-phthalate flexible vinyl that performs at levels equal to or better than materials containing petroleum-based plasticizers. At last, customers can avoid compromising performance to meet regulatory and sustainability objectives."

Consistent with the PolyOne No Surprises Pledge, reFlex 300 materials have been tested and certified by the United States Department of Agriculture’s BioPreferred Program to be 99% bio-based.

Compared to other flexible vinyls, Geon BIO materials feature a wider processing window and enhanced thermal stability, which may reduce production costs by improving manufacturing efficiency. In addition, specific healthcare formulations are pre-certified to meet biocompatibility requirements for United States Pharmacopeia (USP) Class VI protocols.

As MRC wrote previously, last year, PolyOne Corporation presented its specialty portfolio for automotive interiors. These advanced technologies, including soft-touch materials as well as colorants and special effects, enable customers to design new features that boost consumer appeal and reduce manufacturing complexity.

PolyOne Corporation, with 2014 revenues of USD3.8 billion, is a global 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