BASF declares Force Majeure for a range of EO-based products in the portfolio of Care Chemicals

MOSCOW (MRC) -- BASF’s European production sites for ethylene oxide have experienced significant technical problems leading to a Force Majeure declaration on ethylene oxide on May 19, 2015, reported the producer on its site.

Due to the ethylene oxide (EO) shortage BASF has subsequently to declare Force Majeure for EO-based products produced in Europe in the portfolio of Home Care and Industrial & Institutional Cleaning, Formulation Technologies, AgChem Additives and certain EO-based products in the portfolio of Personal Care.

The resulting effects of the Force Majeure for customers are currently being evaluated. BASF expects that the supply situation of the affected products will improve towards end of June. Meanwhile BASF is implementing measures to limit the consequences for its customers. BASF will continuously inform customers about the development and the details regarding the supply capability with the affected products.

As MRC wrote previously, in October BASF, the German chemicals giant, and Archroma agreed on the sale of BASF’s global textile chemicals business to Archroma, a supplier of specialty chemicals to the textile, paper and emulsions industries.

Archroma is a portfolio company of SK Capital Partners, a private investment firm with focus on the specialty materials, chemicals and healthcare sectors. It is planned to integrate the business into the Archroma Textile Chemicals Specialties business. Currently, the textile chemicals business is part of BASF’s Performance Chemicals division.

BASF is the world’s leading chemical company. Its portfolio ranges from chemicals, plastics, performance products and crop protection products to oil and gas. BASF had sales of about EUR74 billion in 2013 and over 112,000 employees as of the end of the year.
MRC

Wacker Polymers to raise prices for dispersions in EMEA

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Wacker Polymers, a division of Wacker Chemie AG, is to raise its prices for VINNAPAS vinyl acetate homopolymer dispersions as well as VINNAPAS vinyl acetate-ethylene (EVA) and VINNOL ethylene-vinyl chloride-based (EVCL) copolymer dispersions in Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA), as per the company's statement.

Effective June 15, 2015, Wacker will implement a price increase of up to eUR50 per ton, or as customer contracts allow. This measure has become necessary in the view of the recent increase in raw-materials cost.

The price adjustment enables Wacker Polymers to continue providing customers a wide-range of innovative quality products and comprehensive technical, sales and customer support services.

Dispersions of the VINNAPAS and VINNOL brand are applied in a broad variety of industries, ranging from adhesives, construction, nonwovens, paints and coatings to paper, carpet and textiles.

As MRC informed previously, Wacker last raised prices for VINNAPAS EVA and VINNOL EVCL copolymer dispersions and dispersible powders in the Americas starting from 1 November, 2014. The price increase was USD0.03/pound, or as customer contracts allowed.

Wacker Polymers is a leading producer of state-of-the-art binders and polymeric additives based on polyvinyl acetate and vinyl acetate copolymers. These take the form of dispersible polymer powders, dispersions, solid resins, and solutions. They are used in construction chemicals, paints, surface coatings, adhesives and nonwovens, and in fiber composites and polymeric materials based on renewable resources. Wacker Polymers has production sites in Germany, China, South Korea and the USA, as well as a global sales network and technology centers in all major regions.
MRC

Russian government postponed the restriction of PET containers of 0.5 liters for beer

MOSCOW (MRC) - The government will not accept inappropriate "tough measures" in relation to plastic containers, used for bottling alcoholic beverages, said Deputy Prime Minister Arkady Dvorkovich at a plenary session of the forum "Big Chemistry".

"The main thing - to behave properly, to focus on the scientific and proven properties of materials," - said Dvorkovich. He also expressed the hope that the State Duma will consider on second reading a bill to limit the PET containers, take a "balanced solution".

The State Duma Committee on Economic Policy, had to consider a bill to limit the plastic containers for beer for the second reading on 20, May, but the issue was removed from the agenda. The bill has been considered since 2013. It was proposed to reduce the strength and volume of beer in PET up to 4 degrees and 0.5 liters from 2015, but the document has not yet passed the second reading. In autumn 2014 the brewers agreed with officials that since 2017 it will be stopped filling into plastic bottles of 1.5 liters and above, however, the packaging should not be reduced further.

But in April 2015 the government proposed to limit the bottling in PET 1.5 liter from July 2016 and then to reduce the permitted capacity up to 0.5 liters.

As MRC reported earlier, imports of beer in Russia declined by more than 71% in 2014. According to the Federal Customs Service, Russia imported 13.43 million liters of beer in Q1 2015, while in Q1 2014 the country imported 46.97 million liters of beer.

MRC

LLDPE imports in Ukraine decreased by 11% in January - April 2015

MOSCOW (MRC) - Ukraine's imports of linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE) decreased to 13,400 tonne in first four months of this year, down 11% year on year, compared to the same period of 2014. Demand most significantly reduced from the local producers of cable injection moulding products, according to MRC DataScope.

April LLDPE imports to Ukraine dropped to 2,900 tonnes, compared with 3,700 tonnes in March 2015. The main reduction in imports occurred for film LLDPE. Total LLDPE imports in the country decreased to 13,400 tonnes in January - April 2015, compared with 15,000 tonnes in the same time a year earlier.

The need for a linear polyethylene decreased in all sectors of consumption, however, the largest decline in demand occurred for the producers of cables, wires and closures. Structure of LLDPE imports over the reported period was as follows.

April imports of film LLDPE decreased to 2,700 tonnes, compared with 3,500 tonnes because of the limited export quotas at the European and Middle Eastern producers. Demand for film LLDPE in the first four months of the year decreased by 8% to 12,500 tonnes on the reduction of purchases from the local producers of stretch films.

April imports of LLDPE for rotational moulding sector for overall products dropped to 46 tonnes against 184 tonnes a month earlier. Total imports of LLDPE for rotational moulding sector were 406 tonnes, down 22% year on year.

Total imports of linear polyethylene from other sectors of consumption over the period under review were about 426 tonnes.


MRC

Lubrizol introduces innovative polymers

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Lubrizol Engineered Polymers, an innovative specialty chemical company, is showcasing several of its new and/or expanded polymer solutions at NPE 2015 - The International Plastics Exposition - in Orlando, FL from March 23-27, reported the producer on its site.

A global leader in supplying polymer solutions, Lubrizol will be highlighting its innovative offering including:

- BounCell-X Microcellular TPU Foam: containing Lubrizol’s Estane TPU, BounCell-X is a new microcellular TPU (thermoplastic polyurethane) foam that contains highly elastic microcellular parts that excel in energy absorption and cushioning applications. In addition to lightweight, superior long-term compression properties and a fast molding cycle, BounCell-X can provide a high-quality, thin skin layer that adds aesthetic values, as well as the typical advantages of TPU such as outstanding abrasion and cut resistance;

- Bio TPU by Lubrizol: Bio TPU by Lubrizol is a revolutionary line of bio-based TPU that’s made with renewable-sourced material. Bio TPU by Lubrizol provides the same performance and benefits as traditional petroleum-based TPU and can range in hardness from 82 Shore A to 55 Shore D. Both extrusion and injection molding grades are available;

- High-Heat TPU: a new, high-heat TPU, Estane TS92AP7 is not only formulated for superior abrasion and chemical resistance, but also features excellent high heat resistance and low temperature flexibility. With its 125 C rating and UL yellow card certification, Estane TS92AP7 is the next generation of high-heat-resistant TPUs for cable jacketing and injection molded components.

"At our core, the Engineered Polymers business is focused on collaboration with our customers and developing new and innovative solutions to meet their toughest application challenges. Our advanced technologies deliver on these goals," says Arnau Pano, vice president and general manager, Lubrizol Engineered Polymers. "Our wide-ranging portfolio of solutions is unlike anything else available in the market and highlights our continuous investment in new technologies and dedication to future growth."

As MRC informed previously, since 2013 Lubrizol has been implementing four-year, USD400 million global expansion of its chlorinated polyvinyl chloride (CPVC) resin and compounding manufacturing sites.

The Lubrizol Corporation, a Berkshire Hathaway company, is an innovative specialty chemical company that apart from its production develops and supplies technologies to customers in the global transportation, industrial and consumer markets. Lubrizol's advanced polymer technology delivers exceptional performance for the plumbing, fire sprinkler, industrial and other building and construction related applications. Lubrizol is providing innovative solutions for its customers' high-performance application needs and remains committed to ongoing investment in its CPVC capabilities that support future growth.

With headquarters in Wickliffe, Ohio, Lubrizol owns and operates manufacturing facilities in 17 countries, as well as sales and technical offices around the world. Founded in 1928, Lubrizol has approximately 8,000 employees worldwide. Revenues for 2014 were USD7 billion.
MRC