Magna to build new USD100 million paint plant in Slovenia

MOSCOW (MRC) -- As the result of what it calls "a full book of business" at its contract manufacturing facility in Graz, Austria, Ontario-based automotive parts supplier Magna International Inc. will build a second paint shop 75 kilometers away in Maribor/Hoce, Slovenia, as per Canplastics.

Aurora, Ont.-based Magna will spend approximately USD100 million on the new facility, which is scheduled to start operations in 2019.

"High demand for engineering and contract manufacturing by automakers such as BMW, Mercedes-Benz, and Jaguar Land Rover has resulted in the Graz facility running at high capacity utilization," Magna said in a statement. "Magna Steyr currently manufactures the BMW 5 Series and the Mercedes-Benz G-Class, with the Jaguar E-PACE beginning to launch now and Jaguar I-PACE expected to launch early in 2018. Taking into account these and other upcoming programs, Magna Steyr is expected to contract manufacture approximately 200,000 vehicles per year by 2018."

Magna broke ground on the Slovenia paint shop Oct. 17 and said it has already begun recruiting. The plant will eventually employ about 400 workers.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Shanghai Secco has brought on-stream its polyethylene (PE) plant following an unplanned outage, as per Apic-online.

A Polymerupdate source in China informed that the company has resumed operations at the plant on October 23, 2017. The plant was shut on October 10, owing to a technical glitch.

Located at Shanghai in China, the plant has a production capacity of 300,000 mt/year.

As MRC informed before, in May 2017, BP announced that it had agreed to sell its 50% stake in the Shanghai SECCO Petrochemical Company Limited (SECCO) to Gaoqiao Petrochemical Co Ltd, a 100% subsidiary of China Petroleum & Chemical Corporation (Sinopec), BP’s joint venture partner, for a total consideration of USD1.68 bln.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Russia's output of products from polymers decreased in September month on month by 2.2% despite the pressure of seasonal factors. However, this figure grew by 3.8% year on year in January-September 2017, reported MRC analysts.

According to the Russian Federal State Statistics Service, the September production of unreinforced and noncombined films increased to 99,100 tonnes, compared to 98,000 tonnes in August 2017. Output of films products grew in January-September 2017 by 5.9% year on year to 798,100 tonnes.

September production of porous boards, sheets and polymer films was 26,700 tonnes, whereas this figure was 26,200 tonnes a month earlier. Total production of these polymer products increased by 11% year on year in the first nine months of 2016 to 200,700 tonnes.

September production of plates and porous sheets decreased to 26,700 tonnes, compared with 31,300 tonnes a month earlier. Nevertheless, during the period under review, the output of these products increased by 11% - up to 250,000 tonnes.

September production of plastic bottles dropped to 1574 m units against 1612 m units in August. The output of these plastic products increased by 17% and accounted to 14912 m units in the nine months of the year.

September production of plastic windows and window sills, and door blocks increased to 2.346 m sq metres and 93,600 sq metres, respectively, versus 2.348 m sq metres and 88,800 sq metres a month earlier. The output of these products was 15.652 m sq meters in January-September and 685,000 sq meters, respectively, an increase to the same indicator in 2016 was 4% and 9.5% respectively.

September production of polymer pipes and fittings decreased to 58,000 tonnes from 60,500 tonnes a month earlier.
Overall output of these products totalled 416,800 tonnes in the first nine months of 2017, down by 2.3% year on year.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- KraussMaffei Corp., the U.S. subsidiary of German extrusion and injection molding machine maker KraussMaffei Group, has opened a new 20,000-square-foot innovation centre at its headquarters in Florence, Kentucky, said Canplastics.

The new innovation centre features new meeting space and a permanent area for live equipment demonstrations, said KraussMaffei Corp. president and CEO Paul Caprio. "It gives us more flexibility for machine trials and equipment demonstrations that would otherwise require longer prep time," Caprio said. "It’s also a great example of how KraussMaffei is making a proactive investment in the future of the company."

The innovation centre was unveiled during the company’s open house on Oct. 5 – an event that also drew record attendance, Caprio said. "With 750 guests attending, the event beat last year’s celebration that marked KraussMaffei Corp.’s 50th anniversary in the U.S.," he said. "The turnout just shows how much our growth as a company has made a positive impact on our customers and the market."

At KraussMaffei’s open house on Oct. 5. The open house also featured 80 table top displays highlighting additional technology and service offerings from partners – a sixty per cent increase from last year’s 50 participants, Caprio said.

To round out the event, experts from KraussMaffei Corp. and its technology partners presented over 35 technical papers throughout the day. "Topics included market trends in injection molding, extrusion, and polyurethane processing; KraussMaffei’s new Data Xplorer injection molding process data collection technology and the new iPul pultrusion line; plus a host of process and innovation presentations from other vendor partners," Caprio said.

KraussMaffei Corp. covers both the U.S. and Canada.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- INOVYN announces the completion of its new large scale potassium hydroxide (KOH) production facility at its Antwerp/Lillo Site (Belgium), as per the company's press release.

The first production run of membrane quality KOH for supply to customers took place during the first week of October, following successful start-up of the facility.

Comments Filipe Constant, Business Director for INOVYN: ЭWe are delighted to have achieved this significant milestone in the ongoing evolution of INOVYN, which is the culmination of a two year Project. The Project has been delivered fully to plan and with an excellent safety, health and environmental performance record.

"This major investment not only underpins INOVYN’s leading position in KOH, but will deliver our commitment to long-term continuity of supply to our customers."

INOVYN’s new KOH plant (155kT of KOH with 100kT of chlorine) uses the latest membrane technology and forms a key part of INOVYN’s Chlorine Strategy.

Antwerp/Lillo Site was selected for the investment as it is well situated to serve customers both in Europe and beyond, with the nearby Port of Antwerp facilitating KOH movements by ship. The Site is a highly competitive location given it has major customers for the co-produced chlorine, which are linked directly to the Site by pipeline. It is also strategically positioned for imports of potassium chloride, a key raw material in KOH production.

As MRC informed before, Inovyn was formed on 1 July 2015 as a jv between Ineos and SolVin, a subsidiary of Solvay. Solvay and Ineos signaled their decision to end their chlorvinyls jv in March this year. And in July 2016, Solvay completed the divestment of its shareholding in Inovyn (London), bringing to an end Solvay's chlorvinyls joint venture with Ineos.

Headquartered in London, INOVYN has pro-forma sales of more than EUR3 billion, with 4,300 employees and assets across 14 sites in Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Norway, Spain, Sweden and the UK. Governance of the Joint Venture is equally split between the partners.
MRC