Pacur inctroduces PETG Foam made with Eastman Eastalite copolyester for rigid medical packaging

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Wisconsin-based extruder Pacur, LLC, is introducing its PETG foam, made with Eastman Eastalite copolyester, for medical packaging, reported Eastman on its site.

The opaque, extruded, multilayer product is a durable and cleaner alternative to high-impact polystyrene (HIPS) for opaque rigid medical packaging. Pacur collaborated with Eastman Chemical Company and thermoformer Tek Pak, Inc., to create and launch the new lightweight material.

"Medical companies are looking for materials that are easy to use and environmentally friendly while providing exceptional protection for their products," said Jim Banko, vice president of sales, Pacur. "Pacur PETG foam meets all of that criteria and more."

Eastman Eastalite copolyester is a styrene-free alternative to HIPS and other competitive products. It is made without materials of concern, including butadiene, bisphenol A, bisphenol S, ortho-phthalates or halogens such as chlorine or bromine. The material is compliant with select ISO 10993 requirements for medical device biocompatibility and applicable parts of ISO 11607.

"Eastman Eastalite copolyester resonates among processors and thermoformers because of its ease of processing and clean cutting," said Aneta Clark, market development manager, Eastman Chemical Company. "This is extremely important to us because it allows our value chain collaborators to gain efficiency in their production and even cut out some secondary processes. Through working with Pacur and Tek Pak, we are now able to provide these benefits to the market and demonstrate the potential of Eastalite in opaque medical packaging."

As MRC wrote before, in December 2014, Eastman Chemical Company announced the completion of its acquisition of Taminco Corporation, a global specialty chemical company, for a total of USD2.8 billion in cash and assumed debt. The acquired Taminco businesses are expected to be accretive to 2015 earnings per share by greater than USD0.35, excluding acquisition-related costs and charges, and to 2016 earnings per share by greater than USD0.60.

Eastman is a global specialty chemical company that produces a broad range of products found in items people use every day. With a portfolio of specialty businesses, Eastman works with customers to deliver innovative products and solutions while maintaining a commitment to safety and sustainability. Its market-driven approaches take advantage of world-class technology platforms and leading positions in attractive end-markets such as transportation, building and construction and consumables. Eastman focuses on creating consistent, superior value for all stakeholders. As a globally diverse company, Eastman serves customers in approximately 100 countries and had 2013 revenues of approximately USD9.4 billion. The company is headquartered in Kingsport, Tennessee, USA and employs approximately 14,000 people around the world.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Celanese Corporation, a global technology and specialty materials company, has announced price increases on its Hostaform and Celcon specialty polyacetal (POM) grades including tribological, electrostatic, high impact, custom colors and other functionalized grades, as per the company's press release.

Effective July 1, 2015, prices for the above grades in full truckload/container quantities will increase by 8.5%, or as contracts allow; prices for certain specialty color grades will increase 50%, or as contracts allow.

For less-than-full truckload quantities, appropriate upcharges will apply.

Celanese continues to support its customers globally with a growing specialty portfolio of polyacetals and functionalized grades. The company is committed to enhancing its specialty product offerings and capabilities through ongoing investments in compounding assets, technologies, and product and application expertise.

As MRC informed before, in March 2015, Celanese Corporation increased the price of vinyl acetate-based emulsions sold in Asia. EVA emulsions rose by Yuan 200/tonne for China and USD30/tonne for the rest of Asia effective March 20, 2015, or as contracts allow. This price increase affects all applications including, but not limited to, adhesives, paints and coatings, waterproofing, building and construction, glass fiber, carpet and paper. This increase was attributed to the continued pressures on raw materials, notably ethylene and vinyl acetate monomer (VAM).

Celanese Corporation is a global technology leader in the production of differentiated chemistry solutions and specialty materials used in most major industries and consumer applications. Based in Dallas, Texas, Celanese employs approximately 7,500 employees worldwide and had 2014 net sales of USD6.8 billion.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Wison Engineering has signed a strategic cooperative agreement with Guizhou Xinxin Chemical Engineering Co. (Xinxin Group) and Tianjin University to jointly promote the commercialization of their proprietary technology for the production of ethylene glycol from synthetic gas, the companies announced in their press release.

Moreover, Wison Engineering will provide EPC services relating to a demonstration unit for the yellow phosphorus tail gas to 70,000 tpy oxalic acid and 10,000 tpy ethylene glycol project under the strategic agreement.

According to the agreement, Wison Engineering, Tianjin University and Xinxin Group will give full play to their respective advantages to enhance the development of their proprietary synthetic gas-to-ethylene glycol technology and to promote its commercialization.

While Tianjin University will provide the process design package (PDP) of synthetic gas-to-ethylene glycol technology, Wison Engineering will work on PDP conversion and offer engineering design and project management services, and Xinxin Group will invest in the construction of a 10,000 tpy ethylene glycol demonstration unit for the yellow phosphorus tail gas-to-70,000 tpy oxalic acid and 10,000-tpy ethylene glycol project as a pilot plant for further technology optimization.

Wison Engineering is responsible for the basic design, detailed design, procurement and construction management, and commissioning of the demonstration unit. The company says it will take the lead to adopt advanced plant design software, including Smart Plant 3D and Smart Plant P&ID, to process the digitalized engineering work, which can improve efficiency and the design progress.

At the same time, the project will also involve the implementation of modular design, manufacturing, transportation and installation, to enable a complete digital delivery to the project owner.

"Wison Engineering is committed to continuous technological innovation and new technology engineering improvement," said Liu Haijun, senior vice president of Wison Engineering. "We are very honored to forge a strategic cooperative alliance with Tianjin University and Xinxin Group, which enables comprehensive cooperation and jointly enhances the optimization and promotion of synthetic gas-to-ethylene glycol technology so as to promote the rapid development of China's modern coal chemical industry. The demonstration unit converts yellow phosphorus tail gas-to-ethylene glycol to sets a new environmental and economic direction for the commercial application of synthetic gas-to-ethylene glycol technology."

With two decades of research, Tianjin University’s synthetic gas-to-ethylene glycol technology uses gas-phase CO coupled with synthetic oxalate and oxalate hydrogenation to produce ethylene glycol.

MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Ufaorgsintez, owned by United Petrochemical Company, has announced a Rb500/tonne increase in polypropylene (PP) prices, according to ICIS-MRC Price report.

The company's customers said starting form 9 June prices for the entire range of propylene homopolymer (homopolymer PP) rose by Rb500/tonne compared with the level as of the beginning of the month. Prices of copolymers of propylene, as well as prices of low density polyethylene (LDPE), remained unchanged.

The company's customers attributed the rise in prices of homopolymer PP to stable demand and upcoming shutdowns for scheduled maintenance works at several major PP producers: Tobolsk-Polymer, Tomskneftekhim and Poliom.

Ufaorgsintez OAO was founded in 1956 and is based in Ufa, Russia. Ufaorgsintez OAO manufactures organic synthesis products in Russia and Europe. Its products include ethylene, propylene, ethanol, cumol, ethyl benzol, phenol, acetone, copolymer rubber, polyolefines, poly vinyl chloride and polyethylene items, thinners, and dilutants. The company was incorporated in 1984. United Petrochemical Company owns 87.76% of Ufaorgsintez's capital. Bashneft sold Ufaorgsintez to United Petrochemical Company in May 2013.

According MRC ScanPlast report, the overall plant's LDPE and PP production totalled 33,100 tonnes and 42,000 tonnes, respectively, from January to April 2015.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Imports of suspension polyvinyl chloride (SPVC) into Ukraine decreased over the first five months of 2015 by 23% year on year and totalled about 28,000 tonnes, according to MRC DataScope report.

Last month's SPVC imports to Ukraine were 4,100 tonnes versus 4,400 tonnes a month earlier because of weaker demand from the local window profiles and pipes producers. Imports of suspension reached 28,000 tonnes from January to May 2015, whereas last year the figure was 36,400 tonnes. Serious economic problems in the country, military operations in the east were the main reasons for such a significant reduction in demand for polyvinyl chloride (PVC).

Demand subsided from all consumption sectors, producers of shaped and linear articles accounted for the largest fall in demand. Demand for resin in this processing sector declined by two-fold compared to last year and totalled 19,700 tonnes over the first five months of 2015. Demand for suspension from producers of plasticized compositions dropped by 9% to 5,400 tonnes. Pipes producers reduced their purchasing by 19% to 1,800 tonnes.

The structure of PVC imports to Ukraine looks the following way over the stated period.

May SPVC imports from the USA rose slightly and exceeded 1,000 tonnes, while a month earlier, the figure did not exceed 500 tonnes. January and February accounted for the peak supply of North American, which exceeded 3,100 tonnes per month, when major local window profiles producers were actively building up inventories on the back of lower prices in the United States. The overall imports of North American PVC slumped to 8,400 tonnes over the first five months of 2015 from 20,700 tonnes a year earlier.

Last month's imports of European PVC to the Ukrainian market totalled 2,700 tonnes versus 3,300 tonnes in April because of lower shipments from Hungary and Poland. Imports of suspension from Europe rose to 14,700 tonnes over the said period versus 14,600 tonnes a year earlier.

May SPVC imports from Russia dropped to 300 tonnes from 564 tonnes a month earlier, partially because of the reduction in local producers' export quotas. The overall imports of Russian resin totalled 4,800 tonnes over the first five months of 2015, whereas the last year's figure was 260 tonnes.

MRC