Trinseo raises July prices of polystyrene and SAN in Europe

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Trinseo, a global materials company and manufacturer of plastics, latex binders and synthetic rubber, and its affiliate companies in Europe have announced price increases for all polystyrene (PS) and SAN grades, as per the company's press release.

Effective July 4, 2017, or as existing contract terms allow, the contract and spot prices for the product listed below will increase as follows:

- STYRON general purpose polystyrene grades (GPPS) - by EUR45 per metric ton;
- STYRON and STYRON A-TECH high impact polystyrene grades (HIPS) - by EUR45 per metric ton;
- TYRIL SAN resins - by EUR25 per metric ton.

As MRC informed before, Trinseo last raised its prices of all PS grades in Europe, effective 1 June, 2017, or as existing contract terms allow. Thus, the contract and spot prices for the product listed below rose as follows:

- STYRON general purpose polystyrene grades (GPPS) - by EUR50 per metric ton;
- STYRON and STYRON A-TECH high impact polystyrene grades (HIPS) - by EUR50 per metric ton.

Trinseo is a global materials company and manufacturer of plastics, latex and rubber. Trinseo's technology is used by customers in industries such as home appliances, automotive, building & construction, carpet, consumer electronics, consumer goods, electrical & lighting, medical, packaging, paper & paperboard, rubber goods and tires. Formerly known as Styron, Trinseo completed its renaming process in 1Q 2015. Trinseo had approximately USD3.7 billion in net sales in 2016, with 15 manufacturing sites around the world, and nearly 2,200 employees.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- A shortage of natural pipe high density polyethylene (HDPE) has been seen since the end of June in the Russian market. Some suppliers took a break in sales, the price increase is not ruled out, according to the ICIS-MRC Price Report.

Many market participants reported a shortage of supply of natural pipe HDPE grade PE100 in the last week of June. The main reason was the shutdown of the key Russian producers of this polyethylene: Gazprom neftekhim Salavat and Nizhnekamskneftekhim. The lack of this material in the market will continue in July, and at the same time, the prices are expected to rise.

The supply of natural PE100 was sufficient in the first half of June, the deals were done in the range of roubles (Rb) 84,000-87,000/tonne, including VAT, and delivery to the Central part of Russia.

Gazprom neftekhim Salavat shifted to the production of injection moulding HDPE, and shut its capacities for a month long turnaround. The second largest producer of natural PE100 - Nizhnekamskneftekhim since the end of June, has shifted to the production of linear polyethylene, which is likely to last until August.

Some trading companies temporarily suspended their sales in connection with the temporary shortage of natural PE100 in the market, although they have small inventories. Some of them are considering the possibility of increasing prices.

At the same time, there is a sufficient supply of black PE100 in the market, although it is much more expensive than natural HDPE. Price offers for black PE 100 were heard at Rb93,000/tonne FCA, including VAT.

MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- US-based company Air Products has received the contract to build a nitrogen plant and supply industrial gases to support the capacity expansion project of the Semiconductor Manufacturing International’s (SMIC) Tianjin facility in China, said Chemicals-technology.

The contract requires Air Products to construct an on-site nitrogen plant and use its existing air separation unit and liquid gases capacity to supply multiple high-purity bulk gases such as nitrogen, oxygen, carbon dioxide, hydrogen, argon, helium and compressed dry air.

According to Air Products, the contract is expected to strengthen its position and commitment to China’s electronics manufacturing industries.

Air Products Industrial Gases China president Saw Choon Seong said: "SMIC is our long-term strategic customer and we are honoured to have their continued confidence in our capabilities to support their expansion in Tianjin.

"Air Products is committed to supporting our customers’ growth and the advancement of China’s IC and other electronics manufacturing industries as guided by the government’s thirteenth five-year plan and ‘Made in China 2025’ strategy."

SMIC’s Tianjin facility is located at an electronics industry base in the state-level Xiqing Economic and Technological Development Area (XEDA).

Air Products has been supplying high-purity nitrogen, oxygen, argon and helium to the facility since 2004 for producing 8in wafers.

Currently, SMIC TianJin is building a new fabrication facility under its expansion project to increase its 8in integrated circuit (IC) production to 150,000 wafers per month.

Active in the global electronics industry for more than 40 years, Air Products is constructing new plants in Fujian Province and at the Nanjing Pukou Economic Development Zone in Southern and Eastern China to serve its IC clients in the country.

As MRC informed earlier, in 2016, Air Products and Unipetrol RP (part of Unipetrol), have signed a new long-term agreement extending their successful relationship.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Indian marketing agency PI Industries has entered an agreement with Japanese firm Kumiai Chemical Industry to establish a joint venture company (JVC) in India, said Chemicals-technology.

The two organisations are set to establish the new JVC in order to initially produce and distribute bispyribac sodium, one of the major agrochemical products of Kumiai, in India with an aim to attain operational efficiencies and further growth.

Kumiai president Yoshitomo Koike and PI Industries managing director and CEO Mayank Singhal said in a joint statement: "Both the companies are associated for more than 40 years and this joint venture will further strengthen our relationship and help us bring superior innovative solutions in India to enhance farm productivity and also leverage manufacturing efficiencies of India under ‘Make in India’ initiative."

"The two organisations are set to establish the new JVC in order to initially produce and distribute bispyribac sodium."
After due consultation, the companies may also add more products to the new JVC portfolio in future for evaluation, manufacture, registration and distribution in India to leverage PI Industries’s understanding of Indian agriculture, and Kumiai’s research and development capabilities for new products.

Headquartered at Gurgaon in Haryana, India, the JVC will be formed by 50% share of PI Life Sciences Research, a wholly owned subsidiary of PI Industries, and other 50% share of Kumiai Chemical Industry.

To be named PI Kumiai, the new JVC is expected to begin its operations next year.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- PTT Global Chemical Public Company Ltd., whose subsidiary may build a multibillion-dollar ethane cracker complex in Belmont County along the Ohio River, bought 168 acres for USD13.8 mln, as per Plastemart.

The Thai company is considering building a petrochemical facility in eastern Ohio, and has bought property that used to house a FirstEnergy Corp.

As MRC reported previously, PTT is on track to start commercial operations at its new 400,000 mt/year metallocene C6 linear low density polyethylene plant at Map Ta Phut, Thailand, in the first quarter of 2018. PTT will start up the plant by the end of this year. PTT currently has a total capacity of 800,000 mt/year of high density polyethylene (HDPE), 300,000 mt/year of low density polyethylene and 400,000 mt/year of LLDPE at the same site.

PTT Global Chemical is a leading player in the petrochemical industry and owns several petrochemical facilities with a combined capacity of 8.45 million tonnes a year.
MRC