PVC imports to Ukraine fell by 36% in January-October 2018

MOSCOW (MRC) - Imports of suspension polyvinyl chloride (SPVC) into Ukraine decreased by 36% in the first ten months of this year, compared to the same period in 2017 and reached about 57,100 tonnes. The main reason is the growth of own production volumes, according to MRC DataScope.

Last month's SPVC imports to the Ukrainian market dropped to 3,900 tonnes from 4,100 tonnes in September, with US resin accounting for the main decrease. Overall SPVC imports reached 57,100 tonnes in January-October 2018, compared to 89,000 tonnes a year earlier. Stable work of Karpatneftekhim after many years of shutdown helped reduce the dependence of the Ukrainian market on imports.

Structure of PVC imports into Ukraine over the reported period was as follows.

Last month's imports of US SPVC shrank to 1,000 tonnes from 1,600 tonnes in September. Thus, imports of US PVC totalled 34,000 tonnes in the first seven months of 2018, compared to 44,600 tonnes a year earlier. February-March accounted for the peak of imports.

October imports of European PVC into Ukraine increased to 2,900 tonnes, compared with 2,400 tonnes in September. Total imports of European PVC into Ukraine were about 21,800 tonnes in the first ten months of the year, compared with 29,400 tonnes year on year.


As reported earlier, Karpatneftekhim shut down its PVC production for a scheduled turnaround on 5 November. The shutdown will be quite long and will last approximately until 9 December. The plant's overall annual PVC production capacity is 300,000 tonnes.

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EcoCortec opens second production plant in Croatia

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Croatian manufacturer and converter of biodegradable films, EcoCortec, has officially started up its second production plant in Beli Manastir, Croatia, as per Plasticsnewseurope.

Part of Cortec Corporation of St Paul, Minnesota in the US, EcoCortec produces corrosion protection films using the parent group’s VpCI (Vapor phase corrosion inhibitor) technology. The new 2,000m? production unit at the existing Croatian facility houses “state-of-the-art” E5 extrusion lines, which include features such as: 6.2m wide film, bags on roll and perforated sheets.

Partly-funded by the Croatian ministry of economy, the expansion doubles production capacity at EcoCortec. Apart from extrusion, the operation also has bag converting and printing facilities to meet the market’s custom product demands.

The company said in a 15 Nov statement that 2018 has been an "especially successful" year for EcoCortec, with the company completing its expansion and entering new projects.

The projects include a “Europe’s first” collection and recycling initiative for used films and plastic bags. As part of the programme, launched late last year, EcoCortec’s customers send their waste material back to the Croatian plant where it is recycled and used for manufacturing a new product.

Over the past few years, the Croatian company has participated in a number of large European-funded projects, such as ‘Marine Clean’ through which it developed its EcoOcean flexible marine biodegradable packaging from biobased PHA polymers.
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CGPC eyes maintenance at Linyuan PVC plant

MOSCOW (MRC) -- China General Plastics Corporation (CGPC) is likely to shut its polyvinyl chloride (PVC) plant for maintenance turnaround, as per Apic-online.

A Polymerupdate source in Taiwan informed that the plant is planned to be taken off-line in January 2019 for a period of around one week. The exact date of shutdown could not be ascertained.

Located in Linyuan, Taiwan, the PVC plant has a production capacity of 400,000 mt/year.

As MRC wrote before, CGPC conducted maintenance at its PVC plant in Taiwan from 20 to 31 July, 2015. Located in Kaohsiung, Taiwan, the plant has a production capacity of 170,000 mt/year.

Founded in 1964, China General Plastics Corporation manufactures, sells, and services various vinyl products in Taiwan and internationally. The company offers raw materials and fabrication products. Its products include PVC resins for use in various applications, including injection and blowing molding, hollow-vacuum forming, rigid and shrinkable films, general purpose soft and semi-rigid products, rigid pipes, hoses, wire and cable insulation, high impact flexible products, high impact sheets, high voltage wires, and cable insulations, as well as PVC compound products comprising soft and rigid type compounds.
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Spanish packaging firm Coexpan commits to 70% recycled content by 2025

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Madrid-based manufacturer of plastic packaging Coexpan SA has pledged to have a mean recycled content of 70% in its PET products by 2025, said Plasticsnewseurope.

The move is in alignment with a PET Sheet Europe commitment to step up its circular economy activities to meet the goals laid down in the EU Plastics Strategy.

Under the new EU plans, all plastic packaging on the EU market will be recyclable by 2030, the consumption of single-use plastics will be reduced and the intentional use of microplastics will be restricted.

The Madrid-based company says it currently uses 50% recycled material in its rigid PET sheets produced primarily for the manufacture of packaging for foodstuffs, household products, personal hygiene products and other industrial applications.

The figure, according to Coexpan, is already above the European average of 45%.

“Our commitment… is to design optimal and sustainable packaging solutions using the main polymers such as PS, PP, PET and PLA, that guarantee the preservation and protection of products and ensure the responsible use of our natural resources,” added Coexpan’s CEO, Dinis Mota.

Coexpan is the rigid plastics arm of the Madrid-headquartered Grupo Lantero packaging firm. Globally, Coexpan has 13 production plants in Germany, France, Spain Italy, Russia, Chile, Brazil and Mexico, with a turnover of EUR353m.

The European operations of Coexpan includes three production plants in Spain, Italy and Germany, specialised in the extrusion of PET and rPET-based plastic sheet, suitable for food contact. The company also has another two plants in France specialised in thermoformed packaging that produce trays and other rPET-based products for food packaging.

The company’s Italian subsidiary, Coexpan Montonate is one of the founder members of the PET Sheet Europe, representing the ten leading PET sheet manufactures in Europe.
MRC

Output of chemical products in Russia grew by 2.3% in Jan-Oct 2018

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Russia's output of chemical products rose in October 2018 by 4% month on month. However, this figure increased by 2.3% in the first ten months of 2018, according to Rosstat's data.

According to the Federal Service of State Statistics, last month's production of basic chemicals grew by 4% from September 2018, with caustic soda accounting for the main increase. Overall production of chemical products grew in January-October 2018 by 2.3% year on year, with benzene accounting for the greatest increase in the output.

196,000 tonnes of ethylene were produced in October versus 232,000 tonnes a month earlier, Kazanorgsintez, Stavrolen and Ufaorgsintez's production capacities were shut down for maintenance last month. 2,430,000 tonnes of this olefin were produced in the first ten months of 2018, up by 3.8% year on year.

Last month's production of benzene dropped to 96,600 tonnes from 104,000 tonnes in September. However, overall output of this product reached 1,166,400 tonnes over the stated period, up by 4,4%year on year.

October production of sodium hydroxide (caustic soda) were 109,000 tonnes (100% of the basic substance) versus 102,000 tonnes a month earlier. Overall output of caustic soda grew to 1,055,500 tonnes in January-October 2018, up by 3.2% year on year.

Last month's output of mineral fertilizers was 1,736,000 tonnes (in terms of 100% nutrients) versus 1,760,000 tonnes in September, Russian producers reduced their production of potash fertilizers. Overall, Russian plants produced 18,960,000 tonnes of mineral fertilizers in the first ten months of 2018, up by 1% year on year. Nitrogen fertilizers accounted for the greatest increase in the output - up by 4.3% year on year.
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