Mitsubishi Chemical starts full-scale sales of new grade of durabio bio-based engineering plastic

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Mitsubishi Chemical Corp. (MCC) has begun full-scale sales of a new grade of its Durabio bio-based engineering plastic designed for bottles, as per Apic-online.

Durabio is made from renewable plant-derived iso-sorbide. It features higher transparency than polycarbonate, higher strength than acrylic, and improved re-sistance to cracking, MCC noted.

The new grade allows for commercial production of bottles that are both "attractive and eco-friendly," the company added.

As MRC informed before, in December 2017, Ube Industries, JSR Corp. and Mitsubishi Chemical Corp. (MCC) received European Commission (EC) approval for the planned integration of their acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) subsidiaries. The combination involves UMG ABS, a 50-50 joint venture of Ube and MCC, and Techno Polymer Co. (TPC), a JSR subsidiary. JSR and UMG ABS plan to acquire joint control over TPC, making TPC a joint venture of the two companies. The transaction had been scheduled to take effect on 1 Oct. 2017, but was delayed due to the length of procedures stipulated in competition laws, other laws and regulations, applicable in relevant countries. The new date of the split has not been disclosed.

Mitsubishi Chemical with headquarters in Tokyo, Japan, is a diversified chemical company involved in petrochemicals, polymers, agrochemicals, speciality chemicals and pharmaceuticals. The company's main focus is on three business pillars: petrochemicals, performance and functional products, and health care.
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MOSCOW (MRC) -- Mitsubishi Chemical still has plans to shut its naphtha cracker for a maintenance turnaround, as per Apic-online.

A Polymerupdate source in Japan informed that the company is likely to undertake planned turnaround at the cracker in early-May, 2018. The cracker is expected to remain under maintenance for a period of around two months.

Located at Kashima in Japan, the cracker has an ethylene production capacity of 540,000 mt/year and a propylene capacity of 260,000 mt/year.

As MRC informed before, in July 2016, Mitsubishi Chemical Holdings unveiled plans to sell its PTA business, the primary raw material used to manufacture various polyester products and polyethylene terephthalate (PET), in India and China amid profitability concerns with oversupply of the acid, mainly from China.

Mitsubishi Chemical with headquarters in Tokyo, Japan, is a diversified chemical company involved in petrochemicals, polymers, agrochemicals, speciality chemicals and pharmaceuticals. The company's main focus is on three business pillars: petrochemicals, performance and functional products, and health care.
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MOSCOW (MRC) -- Celanese Corporation, a global technology and specialty materials company, will increase list and off-list selling prices for Ateva EVA polymers sold in the Americas, as per the company's press release.

The price rise below will be effective 1 May, 2018, or as contracts otherwise allow.

Thus, the company's EVA prices will go up by USD0.05/lb for the said regions.

As MRC informed before, Celanese Corporation has also announced an increase in April prices of Ateva EVA polymers sold in Asia. The price increase was effective 4 April, 2018, or as contracts otherwise allowed. Thus, prices rose by USD150/mt.

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 7,600 employees worldwide and had 2017 net sales of USD6.1 billion.
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MOSCOW (MRC) -- Johnson Matthey PLC (JMAT.LN) said Monday that Patrick Thomas will succeed Tim Stevenson as chairman effective July 26, when the latter will retire following a seven-year tenure, reported MarketWatch.

Mr. Thomas has been the chief executive and chairman of polymers company Covestro AG (1COV.XE) since 2015, Johnson Matthey said.

The sustainable-technology company said Mr. Thomas will join the board as non-executive director and chairman designate on June 1.

Mr. Thomas will be appointed as chairman of the board, effective from the end of the annual general meeting on July 26, the company said.

As MRC wrote previously, in September 2017, German drugs and pesticides group Bayer further reduced its holding in Covestro to 31.5% from 40.9% by selling 19 million shares in the plastics business for a total of EUR1.2 billion (USD1.4 billion).

Covestro (formerly Bayer MaterialScience) is an independent subgroup within Bayer. It was created as part of the restructuring of Bayer AG from the former business group Bayer Polymers, with certain of its activities being spun off to Lanxess AG. Covestro manufactures and develops materials such as coatings, adhesives and sealants, polycarbonates (CDs, DVDs), polyurethanes (automotive seating, insulation for refrigerating appliances) etc.
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MOSCOW (MRC) --Repsol has been for years committed to innovation, in order to increase the circularity and efficient use of the plastic materials it produces, as per Hydrocarbonprocessing.

The company is carrying out multiple projects to improve its products end of life management.

After Repsol’s adherence to the “Pact for a Circular Economy” in October 2017, promoted by the Spanish Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, Food and the Environment; and the Spanish Ministry of Economy, Industry and Competitiveness, the company's chemical business has signed up a voluntary commitment to increase the circularity and efficiency of resources.

This commitment is achieved through Repsol’s adhesion to "Plastics 2030 - Voluntary Commitment”.

During the last years, anticipating society’s demands and intending to offer its customers differentiated products, Repsol has been involved in many innovation projects to increase the circularity and efficiency of the plastic materials the company develops, both objectives of the above mentioned voluntary commitment.
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