BASF picks US Fluor as global petrochemical engineering partner

MOSCOW (MRC) -- BASF has selected Fluor as global engineering partner for its future chemical and petrochemical projects across the world, said Chemicals-technology.

The agreement was signed at BASF's chemicals complex and headquarters in Ludwigshafen, Germany. The scope of work under the deal covers conceptual and front-end engineering, detailed engineering, procurement, project management, construction management and other services.

Fluor chief operating officer Peter Oosterveer said: "We are delighted to sign this global agreement with BASF as it marks a successful working partnership established over the past four years through projects undertaken under three regional agreements - Asia, Europe and North America. "We are delighted to sign this global agreement with BASF as it marks a successful working partnership."

"We will now be able to leverage Fluor's global capabilities to provide integrated solutions and deliver chemical and petrochemical plant projects for BASF anywhere in the world." The company plans to execute future BASF projects from its global network of offices.

Fluor will leverage previous project experience with BASF in Brazil, China, Germany, India, Malaysia, Poland, Spain, and the US to improve project delivery capabilities.

US-headquartered Fluor designs and builds complex projects, as well as develops integrated solutions for engineering, procurement, fabrication, construction, maintenance and project management segments.

The company has served energy, chemicals, government, industrial, infrastructure, mining and power markets. In 2014, Fluor recorded revenues of USD21.5bn.

As MRC informed, BASF SE is considering a potential offer for Syngenta AG, its Swiss rival which has received a USD45 billion takeover offer from Monsanto Co. BASF is speaking to investment bankers about the possibility of an offer for Syngenta, though it has made no decision and no bid may materialize, the people said, asking not to be identified because the deliberations are confidential.

BASF is the leading chemical company. It produces a wide range of chemicals, for example solvents, amines, resins, glues, electronic-grade chemicals, industrial gases, basic petrochemicals and inorganic chemicals. The most important customers for this segment are the pharmaceutical, construction, textile and automotive industries.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Huntsman Corporation announced today that it has completed the acquisition of Tecnoelastomeri, a manufacturer and marketer of methylene diphenyl diisocyanate (MDI) based hot-cast elastomer systems and processing machines, based in Modena, Italy, said the company in the press release.

2014 sales revenue for Tecnoelastomeri was approximately USD12 million. The purchase price was not disclosed.

Hot-cast polyurethanes are used in many downstream applications, including bumper pads, coated conveyor belts, gears, rollers and wheels. These applications are used in the automotive, rail, oil and gas, mining and steel industries among others. Huntsman has supplied MDI for these applications for many years.

Tecnoelastomeri markets its diverse product line globally under a number of well-known trademarks, including Tecnoelastomeri engineering urethane elastomers, Tecnothane polyurethane systems, Rithane specialty polyurethane systems, Castech polyurethane machines and Linthane specialty thermoplastic urethanes (TPUs).

Commenting on the acquisition, Tony Hankins, President of Huntsman’s Polyurethanes division, said: "We are very pleased with the acquisition of Tecnoelastomeri. The addition of its highly experienced team to our Polyurethanes business will significantly strengthen our offer to the growing, downstream hot-cast elastomer markets globally."

"In the past few years we have strengthened our downstream capabilities and now have more than 25 facilities worldwide. These investments reflect our confidence in the long-term growth prospects for MDI-based urethanes."

As MRC informed earlier, Huntsman Corporation has announced that Monte Edlund will succeed Stu Monteith as president of Huntsman’s Performance Products division (HPP), effective July 1.

Huntsman Corporation is a publicly traded global manufacturer and marketer of differentiated chemicals with 2014 revenues of approximately USD13 billion,including the acquisition of Rockwood’s performance additives and titanium dioxide businesses. Huntsman is a global manufacturer and marketer of differentiated chemicals. The company's operating companies manufacture products for a variety of global industries, including chemicals, plastics, automotive, aviation, textiles, footwear, paints and coatings, construction, technology, agriculture, health care, detergent, personal care, furniture, appliances and packaging.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Celanese Corporation, a global technology and specialty materials company, will increase list and off-list selling prices for acetic acid in view of the recent rapid increase and continued volatility in China methanol prices, as per the company's statement.

The price increase below will be effective immediately, or as contracts allow.

Thus, prices of acetic acid will rise by RMB100/tonne.

As MRC reported before, Celanese Corporation will raise list and off-list selling prices of Vinyl Acetate Monomer (VAM). The price increases below will be effective as of July 1, 2015, or as contracts allow.

Thus, VAM prices will rise as follows:

- by USD0.03/lb - for USA, Canada and Mexico;
- by USD70/tonne - for Central and South America;
- by USD40/tonne - for Asia (outside China).

Besides, Celanese Corporation raised list and off-list selling VAM prices effective June 1, 2015. Thus, the company's VAM prices rose by EUR 75/tonne for Europe and Middle East and by USD30/tonne for Asia (outside China).

Earlier, in April 2015, Celanese Corporation increased its prices of vinyl acetate-based emulsions sold in Asia. Vinyl acetate ethylene (EVA) emulsions increased by Yuan 400/tonne for China and USD55/tonne for the rest of Asia effective April 24, 2015, or as contracts allow.

This price increase affected 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 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) -- BASF, the world's petrochemical major, has commissioned the pilot plant for the manufacturing of SLENTITE, its new high-performance product, as per the company's press release.

The large-sized insulating panels will initially serve the optimization of the performance profile and will subsequently be supplied to selected cooperation partners. This high-performance insulating material based on a polyurethane aerogel is thus the first to be available in the form of a heavy-duty panel. SLENTITE combines all the key properties of a forward-looking insulating material for both new construction projects and renovation.

As announced, the new plant at the Lemforde location went into operation after 18 months of planning and construction. Numerous firms from the local area were involved in the project. The plant was installed by plant engineering specialists working to specific instructions from BASF engineers. "We're very pleased to have been able to execute such a complex and novel project on time with our competent and enthusiastic team," says Dr. Hermann Bergmann, Group Leader Polyurethane Research. "Now it's a question of fine-tuning the production process." Dr. Rene Lochtman, Managing Director BASF Polyurethanes GmbH, also stressed the positive impact of development from the laboratory to the pilot stage: "By investing in new technologies like the SLENTITE pilot plant, we have succeeded in building on our very good position on the insulating materials market and strengthening the Lemforde location."

Dr. Marc Fricke, SLENTITE project manager, stresses the special features of the newly developed product: "SLENTITE is unique. With the pilot plant up and running, we have achieved an important goal and can soon start supplying samples to selected partners. What's more, we are now in a position to develop an industrial-scale production process."

The high-performance product is suitable above all for interiors and offers architects ample design freedom. It also scores with its minimal space requirements and excellent moisture regulation which adds to a pleasant room-climate. The panel can be handled dust-free and processed just like conventional construction products.

As MRC reported earlier, in june 2014, BASF undertook three key capacity expansion projects for performance materials at its Pudong site in Shanghai (China). The capacity expansion projects includes Ultramid (polyamide, PA), Ultradur (polybutylene terephthalate, PBT), Elastollan thermoplastics polyurethane elastomers (TPU), and Technical Center and capacity expansion of Cellasto (microcellular polyurethane components).

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

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Nan Ya Plastics (part of Formosa Group) is in plans to restart its No.2 monoethylene glycol (MEG) plant, according to Apic-online.

A Polymerupdate source in Taiwan informed that the plant is planned to be restarted in mid-July 2015. It was shut on June 10, 2015 for maintenance turnaround.

Located in Mailiao,Taiwan, the plant has a production capacity of 360,000 mt/year.

As MRC informed previously, Nan Ya Plastics shut down its No.4 MEG plant in Taiwan for maintenance turnaround on September 7, 2014. The plant remained shut for around one month. Located at Mailiao, Taiwan, the plant has a production capacity of 720,000 mt/year.

We remind that Sinopec Hubei Chemical Fertilizer has started a new MEG plant on February 8, 2014. Initially the plant was scheduled to start commercial production in late 2013. Located at Zhejiang in Hubei province of China, the plant has a production capacity of 200,000 mt/year.

Another Chinese petrochemical producer Hubei Chemical Fertilizer started a new monoethylene glycol (MEG) plant in late 2013. Located in Hubei, China, the plant has a production capacity of 200,000 tonnes per year.
MRC