Celanese raises July VAM prices in Asia

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Celanese Corporation, a global technology and specialty materials company, has increased list and off-list selling prices for vinyl acetate monomer (VAM) in Asia, said the producer on its site.

The price increases were effective 12 July 2017 or as contracts otherwise allow, as were as follows:

- CNY200/tonne - for China;
- USD50/tonne - for Asia outside China.

As MRC informed before, Celanese Corporation last raised its list and off-list VAM prices in Asian region on 19 April, 2017. The price increase was as stated below:

- CNY300/tonne - for East China;
- CNY350/tonne - for South China
- USD100/tonne - for Asia outside China.

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, Celanese employs approximately 7,300 employees worldwide and had 2016 net sales of USD5.4 billion.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Eager to sustain its customers’ strong growth, in particular in automotive, 3D-printing, and in consumer goods markets such as sports and electronics, Arkema has announced an investment plan of some EUR300 million over 5 years in the biosourced polyamide (PA) 11 chain, as per the company's press release.

This major investment will enable the Group to increase by 50% its PA 11 global production capacities. The project falls in line with Arkema’s strategy to speed up its development in advanced materials, one of the key pillars of its future growth, sustained by a unique portfolio of innovations around the main sustainable development trends.

Arkema announces a major investment plan in its biosourced polyamide 11 chain with a view to significantly increasing its production capacities in Asia.

Over the next five years, the group plans to invest some EUR300 million in building, in Asia, a world-scale plant dedicated to producing Rilsan PA11 biosourced polyamide from castor oil.

The new plant, which will produce both the amino 11 monomer and its polymer, Rilsan® PA11, should come on stream in late 2021. It will enable Arkema to increase by 50% its Rilsan PA11 (powder and granule) production capacity. The investment also includes a 50% increase in global production capacities for Pebax, in particular Pebax RNew, of which amino 11 is a key component. Pebax RNew is a biosourced polyamide elastomer with unique properties such as energy return and flexibility, earmarked in particular for the sports and electronics markets.

With this upcoming plant, Arkema will have a second amino 11 monomer production site, complementing its historical site in Marseille, France.

Rilsan PA11 is the only high performance 100% biosourced polyamide to qualify for the most exacting applications in particular in the electronics, 3D-printing and automotive markets, where it serves as a metal substitute.

This investment illustrates the Group’s long-term commitment to fulfil strong demand from its customers in Asia by offering biosourced solutions to the key challenges of lightweighting and design of materials. Over the next few years, annual growth of some 7% is forecast in these markets in Asia.

With this project, the specialty polyamides business, which already achieves 40% of its sales in Asia, will bolster its industrial, commercial and R&D presence in the region. The group thereby confirms its commitment to support its customers by working closely on their individual needs and providing them with the right innovative solutions that match the local specifics of their various markets.

As MRC informed previously, in early March 2017, Arkema completed the sale to INEOS of its 50% stake in Oxochimie, their oxo alcohols manufacturing joint venture, and of the associated business. The impact of this divestment on the group’s annual sales will represent some EUR40 million. With this operation, Arkema continues to implement its divestment program.

Arkema is a global manufacturer in specialty chemicals and advanced materials, with 3 business segments - High Performance Materials, Industrial Specialties, and Coating Solutions. The company reports annual sales of EUR7.5 billion. Buoyed by the collective energy of its 19,700 employees, Arkema operates in close to 50 countries.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- The global demand for polystyrene (PS) and expanded polystyrene (EPS) was valued at USD32 bln in 2014 and is expected to reach USD42 bln in 2020, growing at a CAGR of approximately 4.5% between 2015 and 2020, as per Plastemart with reference to Zion Market Research.

In terms of volume, the global PS and EPS market stood at 17.5 mln tons in 2014.

The packaging industry has remained major driving force for the growth of polystyrene and polystyrene industry. Packaging industry in emerging economies such as China, India, Brazil, South Africa, etc. is growing at a rapid pace. Increasing demand for consumer goods in these countries has resulted in the rise in demand for packaging materials.

Moreover, strong growth of food & beverages and pharmaceutical industry in emerging economies is expected to further trigger the demand for the packaging industry. However, environmental concern, fluctuating prices of raw materials and substitute materials are expected to present the significant challenge to industry participants. This is expected to affect the growth of this industry in the years to come.

Recycling of PS is expected to open new growth window for the industry participants. Polystyrene and expandable polystyrene are the key products types of PS market. Polystyrene dominated the global market with around two-third shares of the global market in 2014. However, EPS is expected to be the fastest growing segment during the forecast period.

The key application markets for polystyrene and expanded polystyrene includes packaging industry, electrical & electronics, building & construction, and others applications. Packaging industry dominated polystyrene and expanded polystyrene market with around 40% share of the total volume consumed in 2014. Electrical and electronics segment is expected to be the fastest growing application market for polystyrene and expanded polystyrene.

Asia Pacific was the leading regional market polystyrene and expanded polystyrene with over 40% share in total volume consumption in 2014. It is also expected to be the fastest growing regional market during the forecast period. Asia-Pacific is dominated by China, which accounts for the huge share in total volume of polystyrene and expanded polystyrene consumed in the region in 2014. China is expected to be the major driving force for the growth of global polystyrene and expanded polystyrene market. Asia Pacific was followed by Europe and North America. However, Europe and North America are expected to witness decline its market share over the forecast period owing stringent environmental regulations and growing demand for bio-base products in the region.

As MRC informed before, the global PS market is projected to reach USD28.2 bln by 2019, at a CAGR of 5.1% between 2014 and 2019, in terms of value, as per MarketsandMarkets. The market for polystyrene is estimated to grow on account of the rapid expansion of the plastics and rubber manufacturing industries, especially in Europe and the increasing rates of industrialization and globalization. The flourishing packaging and electronics application in emerging economies is expected to act as a budding opportunity for the PS market.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Braskem, the largest thermoplastics resins producer in the Americas, announced that The Linde Group, a gases and engineering company, has been selected as the lead engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contractor to build Braskem's new world-scale North American polypropylene (PP) production line, as per Hydrocarbonprocessing.

Linde offers comprehensive project development services for polyolefin industrial plants, ranging from front end engineering design (FEED) to complete EPC execution and is an approved contractor for UNIPOL Polypropylene Process Technology.

Braskem has committed up to USD675 MM toward the design and construction of the new PP production line named Delta, which will be located next to Braskem's existing production facilities in La Porte, Texas. With the engineering design phase well underway, the new plant will have a production capacity of 450 kilotons (kt), or the equivalent of approximately 1 B pounds, per year.

"Today we are pleased to announce another significant step forward in the development of Delta, which is set to be the largest polypropylene production line in the Americas,” said Mark Nikolich, Braskem North America Chief Executive Officer. “The selection of The Linde Group as our lead EPC contractor follows a highly competitive selection process. We are excited to partner with Linde on this important project as we continue to execute on Braskem's global growth strategy and extend our position as the leading producer of polypropylene in the Americas."

The construction of Braskem's new Delta production line is expected to positively impact economic activity in the La Porte region, employing approximately 1,000 development and construction workers to fully construct the facility. Construction is expected to begin mid-summer 2017, with the final phase of main construction targeted for the first quarter of 2020.

As MRC wrote before, Braskem Idesa, a 75-25 joint venture between Braskem and Grupo Idesa, started polyethylene (PE) production at its Coatzacoalcos, Mexico complex on 6 April, 2016. The jv started injecting ethane at its Etileno XXI steam cracker on 18 March, 2016.

Braskem S.A. produces petrochemicals and generates electricity. The Company produces ethylene, propylene, benzene, toluene, xylenes, butadiene, butene, isoprene, dicyclopentediene, MTBE, caprolactam, ammonium sulfate, cyclohexene, polyethylene theraphtalat, polyethylene, and polyvinyl chloride (PVC).
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- With numerous usage of extruded plastics, the global extruded plastics market is expected to increase in future. Moreover, increasing demand in construction industry owing to the rising surge for plastics is another factor that drives the global extruded plastics market growth over the forecasted period 2022. The Global Extruded Plastics Market is expected to grow at USD 280 billion in 2022 with the CAGR of 4.9% from 2016 to 2022, as per Plastemart with reference to Market Research Future.

Thus, the global extruded plastics market has been evaluated to be rapidly growing and is expected to grow tremendously. Benefits like low thermal conductivity and poor resistance to oxygen and moisture make this resin a suitable material to be used in packaging of food products which has increased its market globally.

The major participants of this market are: Desku Group Inc, Halliburton Company, Excalibar Minerals LLC, P & S Extruded Plastics Mining Co. Ltd, Ashapura Minechem Ltd, Anglo Pacific Minerals, CIMBAR Performance Minerals, Kaomin Industries, Andhra Pradesh Mineral Development Corporation Limited, Mil-Spec Industries Corporation and others. Companies such as AEP Industries Inc., Arkema S.A., Bemis Company, Inc., Berry Plastics Corporation and Chevron Phillips Chemical Company have implemented acquisition and expansion of business strategies to increase their geographical presence. Few global players have invested in R&D amenities to discover advanced and innovative folic products which has higher efficacy and is easy to use.

Based on Type global extruded plastics market has been segmented into low density polyethylene, high density polyethylene, styrene, and others. Styrene is expected to grow at the CAGR during the forecasted period. Low density polyethylene segment dominated the market in 2015 as it one of the most versatile flexible packing materials that can be formulated for several packaging applications. Based on End-User Industries which are boosting the growth of extruded plastics market has been segmented into packaging, building & constructions, automotive, consumer goods, and others. Building & constructions segment is expected to grow at highest rate during the forecasted period. The packaging industry is expected to grow maximum at the CAGR in future. The rise in demand for extruded plastics is due to technological advancement in electronics goods.

The global extruded plastics market is majorly segmented on the basis of type and by end-user. Based on type the market is segmented into low density polyethylene, high density polyethylene, styrene, and others. Further on the basis of end-user the market is classified into packaging, building & constructions, automotive, consumer goods, and others.

Asia Pacific region is expected to maintain its dominance in the global market of extruded plastic. Emerging markets of China, Japan and India are expected to boost the Asia Pacific folic acid market. Other emerging markets are North America, Europe and Middle East countries. Asia Pacific has the largest market share of global folic acid, followed by Europe and other parts of the world. The largest market of extruded plastics is in Asia-Pacific owing to the growth of electrical, construction and automobile industry. Rapid industrialization in countries like China, India and Mexico contribute further in the growth of this market. Moreover, low thermal conductivity and poor resistance to oxygen and moisture make this resin a suitable material to be used in food packaging products particularly in China, India and japan which will further drive this market in the coming years. Robust growth of plastic and automotive industries in Asia-Pacific is expected to be largest consumer of extruded plastics market. It is seen that North America is the second largest consumer of extruded plastics due to the changing trends in the automobile industry there.

As MRC informed previously, growing demand from automotive and electronics is expected to boost growth in the global plastics market, as per Transparency Market Research. However, fluctuating raw material prices and surging environmental concerns will restrain growth. Rising concerns related to the harmful effects of the manufacturing process of molded plastics on the environment will also suppress the global molded plastics market. In accordance with this, the nonbiodegradable nature of molded plastics will also suppress this market.
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