Equipment failure caused fire at Bostik plant

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Operations have been suspended at the Bostik Inc. plant in Greenville after a large fire heavily damaged the facility on 10 August, said Greenvilleonline.

The company on 11 August could not provide an estimate on when the manufacturing facility, located at 6997 Pelham Road, would reopen, spokeswoman Janet Smith said.

An equipment malfunction caused the fire to break out about 8:45 p.m. 10 August, the Pelham-Batesville Fire Department said. About 25 employees were evacuated when a large tank ruptured, spilling liquid adhesives that are kept at a temperature of more than 500 degrees, Assistant Fire Chief Carey Ballew said.

More than 50 firefighters from various departments responded to the scene. Firefighters left the location about 2 a.m. 11 August, although the fire had been under control for hours.

As MRC informed earlier, Arkema finalized the acquisition of Bostik, the worldпїЅs No. 3 in adhesives, on 2 February 2015. With this acquisition, the group reaches a new milestone in its development, and confirms its ambition to become a world leader in specialty chemicals and advanced materials.

Bostik develops high-performance and high-value-added bonding and sealing products for the nonwoven, industrial, construction, and consumer markets. Bostik employs about 4,900 people across 48 production facilities - 18 in Europe, 10 - in North America, 8 - in Asia, 6 - in Australia and New Zealand, 2 - in Africa, and 4 - in South America.

Arkema is a leading European supplier of chlorochemicals and PVC. Kynar and Kynar Flex are registered trademarks of Arkema Inc.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- South Korea's LG Chem is in plans to take its polyethylene (PE) plant off-stream for a maintenance turnaround, as per Apic-online.

A Polymerupdate source in South Korea informed that the plant is planned to be shut in the second half of October 2016. It is expected to be taken off-line from October 10, 2016 for a period of around 8-10 days.

Located at Daesan in South Korea, the plant has a production capacity of 170,000 mt/year.

As MRC reported before, in January 2016, LG Chem said it had decided to drop a plan to jointly build a USD4.2-billion petrochemical complex in Kazakhstan, citing a prolonged slump in oil prices and a sharp increase in facility investments. In 2011, the chemical company said it would construct the complex near the western Kazakh city of Atyrau as part of a 50-50 joint venture with two Kazakh companies. The plan involved building ethylene and PE plants with annual capacities of 840,000 tonnes and 800,000 tonnes, respectively. The project was announced in 2013.

LG Chem Ltd., often referred to as LG Chemical, is the largest Korean chemical company and is headquartered in Seoul, South Korea. According to ICIS report, it is 15th biggest chemical company in the world in 2011. It has eight domestic factories and global network of 29 business locations in 15 countries. LG Chem is a manufacturer, supplier, and exporter of petrochemical goods, IT&E Materials and Energy Solutions.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Overall imports of unmixed polyvinyl chloride (PVC) into Belarus decreased in the first six months of 2016 by 21% year on year, totalling 9,800 tonnes, according to MRC's DataScope report.

According to the Statistical Committee of the Republic of Belarus, in June, PVC shipments to Belarus virtually remained at the level of May and totalled about 1,800 tonnes. The limited export quotas of Russian producers did not allow local converters to increase their consumption. European resin was significantly more expensive.

In general, according to the National Statistics Committee of Belarus, demand for PVC from local converters subsided to 9,800 tonnes in January-June 2016, compared to 12,400 tonnes a year earlier. The main reason for such a major decline in processing volumes was the fall in export sales of finished products, particularly, of profile-moulded products. In six months of the year, their exports decreased almost twice year on year, totalling about 3,700 tonnes.

Russian producers became the key PVC suppliers to the local market. Their share exceeded 74% this year, overall shipments totalled about 7,300 tonnes. Producers from Germany and Poland with 1,300 tonnes and 732 tonnes, respectively, shared the second and third places.

MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) - Production of unmixed polyvinyl chloride (PVC) in Russia decreased to about 421,100 tonnes in the first seven months of this year, down 11% compared to the same period of 2015. A significant increase in production volumes showed RusVinyl, according to MRC DataScope report.

July output of unmixed PVC in Russia rose to 60,500 tonnes compared to 50,100 tonnes in June, on increased capacity utilisation at Bashkir Soda Company, SayanskKhimPlast also resumed PVC production after long-time shutdown. Russia's PVC production totalled to about 421,100 tonnes in January-July 2016 against 473,500 tonnes year on year. RusVinyl increased production by 39%, but this factor did not offset the forced SayanskKhimPlast's shutdown.

Structure of PVC production over the reported period looked as follows.

RusVinyl (JV of SIBUR and SolVin) produced about 23,300 tonnes of PVC in July, which was almost the same as in June (23,600 tonnes).
Total production of resin at RusVinyl in the first seven months of this year was about 180,100 tonnes, compared with 130,000 tonnes year on year.

Bashkir Soda Company increased capacity utilisation in July, with 22,100 tonnes of suspension polyvinyl chloride (SPVC) produced, compared with slightly more than 20,800 tonnes in June. Producer's production of PVC totalled about 148,700 tonnes in January - July of this year, up 1% year on year.

Kaustik Volgograd produced about 7,600 tonnes of SPVC in July, compared with 5,800 tonnes in June; producer shut its capacities for the turnaround in the late May - beginning June. Total PVC production at the plant exceeded 49,400 tonnes in January-July 2016, down 11% year on year.

SayanskKhimPlast resumed PVC production following forced shutdown since the mid-February, the first batches were shipped on 11 July.
The producer had to stop SPVC again in the second half of July because of problems with ethylene supply. For the incomplete July SPVC production at SayanskKhimPlast reached about 7,600 tonnes; total SPVC production at the plant was 42,800 tonnes in the first seven months of the year compared with 140,900 tonnes year on year.


MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Royal DSM, a global science-based company active in health, nutrition and materials, and specialty chemicals producer Zhejiang NHU Special Materials Co., Ltd. (NHU), have officially inaugurated their joint venture company for polyphenylene sulfide (PPS) compounds, DSM NHU Engineering Plastics (Zhejiang) Co Ltd., on August 22, as DSM's press release.

The JV, which was announced May 2015, has been established in Zhejiang province, close to NHU’s linear PPS polymer plant in Shangyu, for manufacturing of the high performance compounds.

DSM has a 60% share in DSM NHU Engineering Plastics (Zhejiang) Co Ltd., with NHU holding the remaining 40%. Products, which are branded Xytron PPS, are marketed globally and targeted principally at automotive, electrical and electronics, water management and industrial markets. DSM will be marketing the product globally, including China.

The PPS polymer plant operated by NHU uses proven technology to provide high quality base polymer for the compounds. The joint venture will take over NHU’s existing compounding capacity. DSM for its part brings its long-standing expertise in application development and materials science, as well as access to its global customer network.

"Xytron PPS compounds will further enhance DSM’s offering in the high temperature performance engineering plastics space, adding to our leadership positions with Stanyl polyamide 46 and our ForTii polyamide 4T,” says Roeland Polet, President DSM Engineering Plastics. "They also complement our offerings in Akulon polyamide 6 and 66, and in Arnite and Arnitel thermoplastic polyesters for engineering applications."

"We now have a strengthened portfolio of solutions for customers operating in key markets. Strategic customers have welcomed the addition of PPS to our portfolio and are eager for us to develop new materials and applications."

DSM NHU Engineering Plastics (Zhejiang) Co Ltd. is initially offering two standard commercial grades. These are Xytron G4010T, containing 40% glass fiber reinforcement, and Xytron M6510A, which contains 65% glass fiber and mineral filler. Recently DSM has added to its portfolio a 30% glass reinforced grade and a 40% glass reinforced low chlorine grade (especially important for electronic applications) which are currently being evaluated by customers. Grades under development include types with enhanced wear resistance and low friction, with high flow/low flash, and with increased impact strength.

In the run-up to the official inauguration, the joint venture has already captured business in three important applications in both China and Europe, with materials currently being evaluated by numerous customers, including key automotive OEMs and Tier Ones. One of the three products already commercialized is an engine block heater for electric generators, which is required to operate in continuous contact with water at temperatures between 35 and 50 C.

As MRC wrote before, DSM NV will raise approximately USD100 million by selling 4.9 million shares in the drugs company Patheon NV (Durham, North Carolina) in Patheon's IPO on the New York Stock Exchange. DSM currently owns 53.5 million shares in Patheon, a 49% equity stake. Patheon itself is selling 25.6 million shares at USD19-22 per share and will use the proceeds to pay down debt. Patheon has granted the underwriters a 30-day option to purchase up to an additional 4.6 million ordinary shares from the company.

Royal DSM is a global science-based company active in health, nutrition and materials. DSM delivers innovative solutions that nourish, protect and improve performance in global markets such as food and dietary supplements, personal care, feed, pharmaceuticals, medical devices, automotive, paints, electrical and electronics, life protection, alternative energy and bio-based materials.
MRC