Russian PC market decreased by 10% in January-April 2015

MOSCOW (MRC) - Russia's demand for polycarbonate (PC) granules decreased 29,400 tonnes in January-April 2015, down 10% year on year, as per MRC ScanPlast.

The reduction mainly resulted from a fall in demand in the extrusion segment. This sector of the market takes 84% from the total market of PC granules in Russia.

At the same time, production of PC granules for the sheet extrusion increased by 8% over the reported time, compared with the same time a year earlier. Total production of PC granules for sheet extrusion in Russia was 20,300 tonnes in January-April 2015.

At the same time, imports of the material over the reported time fell more than two times to 4,300 tonnes on the back of rouble devaluation, foreign exchange risk and lack of working funds in the market. The share of PC granules for sheet extrusion by the production of Kazanorgsintez, the only Russian PC producer in the country, was 83% over the reported period, up 14% year on year. The producer continues to focus on import substitution.

Russia's sector of injection moulding PC granules declined only by 2% in Jan-April 20015 to 4,600 tonnes. Sector of bottle grade PC decreased most of all - by 70% over the reported period to 256 tonnes.

Taking into account rouble strengthening it is expected resumption of deliveries from Asia and recovery in consumption to normal levels. In the near future it is expected increase in the supply of Iranian extrusion PC granules by production of Khouzestan Petrochemical Company. The company offers a range of transition grades wit melt flow index (MFI), which allows to use it for extrusion and injection moulding. Converters, who have already tested the material in the work, reported that there were no problems with this material in the work.

MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Wacker, the Munich-based chemical group, has presented a new high-tack silicone adhesive gel developed expressly for medical applications, reported the producer on its site.

Marketed under the trade name SILPURAN 2117, it is especially well-suited for skin-friendly adhesive applications such as those found in advanced wound care. Dressings using the high purity silicone adhesive gel remain reliable and durable, yet stay soft and flexible, thus enabling atraumatic dressing changes.

SILPURAN 2117 was uniquely developed and formulated by WACKER to provide advantageous properties such as enhanced tack in direct skin applications and where hypo-allergenic skin adhesion is a crucial requirement. Dressings made using this soft silicone gel are breathable due to high vapor permeability of the silicone, protect the wound site from bacteria, are waterproof and help promote an optimized healing environment. The gentle properties of SILPURAN 2117 silicone adhesive gel enable easy removal without causing damage or pain to the surrounding skin area.

Excellent tack makes SILPURAN 2117 the preferred choice for direct skin adhesive wound care and prosthetic medical device applications while at the same time exhibiting the benefits associated with typical silicone properties. It is chemically inert, heat-resistant and remains flexible at temperature extremes ranging from -50 to +200 C. Free from organic plasticizers and stabilizers, this two-part A/B component adhesive has passed selected tests for bio-compatibility according to ISO 10993 and USP (United States Pharmacopeia) Class VI.

As MRC wrote before, in 2013, Wacker Chemie AG officially launched its new production plant for EVA dispersions at its Ulsan site in South Korea. The additional 40,000 tonnes from the second reactor line increases the site's EVA-dispersion capacity to a total of 90,000 tonnes per year. The production capacity of the site has, thus, almost doubled, making the plant complex one of the biggest of its kind in South Korea.

Wacker Chemie AG is a worldwide operating company in the chemical business, founded 1914. The company is controlled by the Wacker-family holding more than 50% of the shares. The corporation is operating more than 25 production sites in Europe, Asia, and the Americas. The product range includes silicone rubbers, polymer products like ethylene vinyl acetate redispersible polymer powder, chemical materials, polysilicon and wafers for semiconductor industry.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- LyondellBasell, the world’s biggest maker of polypropylene plastic, has announced that Daniel M. Coombs has been selected to become executive vice president of Intermediates and Derivatives (I&D), with additional responsibility for Supply Chain, Procurement and Technology, as per the company's press release.

Coombs replaces Pat Quarles, who is taking a leadership position at a major US company.

In announcing Coombs' appointment, LyondellBasell Chief Executive Officer Bob Patel said: "Dan is an outstanding business leader. His commitment to safety, operational excellence, employee development, along with his broad range of commercial and manufacturing experience on a global basis, position him as the right leader at the right time for LyondellBasell. We welcome Dan to our Leadership Team as we build continued success upon a very strong foundation." Coombs' appointment is effective May 29, 2015. Patel also announced that Coombs would be nominated to join the Company's Management Board.

"I also want to acknowledge the many contributions made by Pat Quarles to LyondellBasell and its predecessor companies," Patel said. "We have all benefited from Pat's leadership and friendship. We wish him continued success in his new role."

Coombs has been senior vice president of Manufacturing at Chevron Phillips Chemical Company. He has held executive positions there since 2010, including senior vice president for Specialties, Aromatics and Styrenics, vice president of Corporate Planning and Development, and vice president and deputy general manager for Qatar Chemical Company Limited. He began his career in 1978 at Phillips Chemical, holding a variety of engineering and supervisory positions of increasing responsibility.

As MRC wrote before, in February 2015, LyondellBasell announced that it had reached an agreement with Karyn F. Ovelmen, executive vice president and chief financial officer, for her separation from the company. Under the agreement, Ovelmen will continue as CFO for up to three months while the company conducts a search for her successor.

LyondellBasell Industries NV is a manufacturing company. The company produces chemicals, fuels, and polymers used for packaging, clean fuels, durable textiles, medical applications, construction materials, and automotive parts. LyondellBasell Industries operates globally and is headquartered in the Netherlands. LyondellBasell is also a leading licensor of polypropylene and polyethylene technologies. The more than 250 polyolefin process licenses granted by LyondellBasell are twice that of any other polyolefin technology licensor.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- At the Annual Stockholders‘ Meeting of specialty chemicals company Lanxess Chairman of the Board of Management Matthias Zachert looked back on fiscal 2014 and presented the first results of the company’s three-phase realignment program, as per the company's press release.

"In 2014, we made good progress on the way back to success," said Zachert.

The first phase, which focused on improving the competitiveness of the company’s business and administrative structure, has largely been completed. From the end of 2016, Lanxess will benefit from savings of around EUR 150 million annually.

The company has initiated first measures associated with the second phase of the program, targeting the optimization of its production network. With the third phase, Lanxess seeks to improve the competitiveness of its business portfolio. Currently the company is holding talks with potential partners for cooperations in the rubber business.

Despite the difficult business situation, the company improved its operating result in fiscal 2014. While sales declined slightly by 3.5% to around EUR 8 billion, EBITDA pre exceptionals increased by 9.9% to EUR 808 million. Net income improved by EUR 206 million to EUR 47 million.

The Board of Management and the Supervisory Board proposed a dividend of EUR 0.50 per share at the Annual Stockholders’ Meeting. This amounts to a total dividend payout of around EUR 46 million.

Lanxess got off to a good start in the first quarter of the current fiscal year. While sales were stable compared with the previous year at around EUR 2 billion, EBITDA pre exceptionals rose by 11.7 percent to EUR 229 million in the first quarter.

Net income fell by 12.0% year-on-year to EUR 22 million, reflecting exceptional charges for the realignment measures.

The Group anticipates that the favorable developments from the first quarter, especially those involving currency effects and savings from the realignment, will continue over the course of the year. Hence, Lanxess increased its guidance for full year 2015 and expects EBITDA pre exceptionals to come in between EUR 820 million and EUR 860 million.

"In 2015, we will set the course for the future of our company. In 2016, we plan to complete our realignment," Zachert said. "We should then have the ability to return to growth mode, step by step. Our goal is to expand our position in less cyclical businesses."

The Annual Stockholders’ Meeting is also electing new stockholder representatives to the Supervisory Board of Lanxess. Rainer Laufs and Robert J. Koehler will both be leaving the board at the close of this year’s Stockholders’ Meeting. The Supervisory Board proposed Lawrence A. Rosen, member of the Board of Management of Deutsche Post AG, and Dr. Matthias Wolfgruber, chairman of the Management Board of Altana AG, for election as new members of the Supervisory Board.

Additionally, Dr. Friedrich Janssen, Dr. Rolf Stomberg, and Theo H. Walthie are standing for re-election to the Supervisory Board for a term ending with the Annual Stockholders’ Meeting in 2020. Stomberg will be proposed to the new Supervisory Board as a candidate for the chairmanship of the Supervisory Board. One year ago, Claudia Nemat was elected to the Supervisory Board for a term ending with the Annual Stockholders' Meeting in 2019.

As MRC informed previously, in mid-2013, Lanxess opened its first production facility in Russia. In the new plant at the Lipetsk site, Lanxess subsidiary Rhein Chemie manufactures polymer-bound rubber additives for the markets in Russia and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), primarily for the automotive and tire industries. A production facility for the bladders used in tire production is to be added in 2016. The overall investment volume in euros amounts to a seven-digit figure and 40 new jobs will be created at the new plant in the medium term.

Lanxess is a leading specialty chemicals company with sales of EUR 8.0 billion in 2014 and about 16,300 employees in 29 countries. The company is currently represented at 52 production sites worldwide. The core business of Lanxess is the development, manufacturing and marketing of plastics, rubber, intermediates and specialty chemicals.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- SIBUR will present its polymer products at the largest exhibition of petrochemical products in Asia - ChinaPlas (Guangzhou, China), said the company.

China is an important market for SIBUR. The Company sells a wide range of products on the Chinese market, primarily polyethylene, polypropylene, butadiene nitrile rubber, and butyl rubber. SIBUR’s exports of PP and LDPE to China account for around 40% of its total polymer export volumes. The new Tobolsk-Polymer plant, one of the world’s largest polypropylene production facilities operational since 2013, enabled SIBUR to expand its range of PP grades to Asian customers.

The 29th International Exhibition on Plastics and Rubber Industries (ChinaPlas 2015) will be open for visitors on 20–23 May 2015 in China Import&Export Fair Complex.

As MRC informed earlier, Sinopec Corp, China's top oil refiner, inked an agreement with Russia-based petrochemical firm Sibur to set up a synthetic rubber joint venture in Shanghai. The two sides agreed to set up a factory to produce 50,000 tons of nitrile butadiene rubber (NBR) every year. Sinopec will hold 74.9% of the stake, while Sibur will take the remaining 25.1%.

SIBUR is a uniquely positioned vertically integrated gas processing and petrochemicals company. We own and operate Russia’s largest gas processing business in terms of associated petroleum gas processing volumes and are a leader in the Russian petrochemicals industry.
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