Clariant Masterbatches establishes regional packaging center in Thailand

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Clariant Masterbatches is ramping up its support for packaging industry customers in Asia Pacific by creating a Regional Packaging Center (RPC) in it’s Phanthong manufacturing facility in Thailand, as per the compnany's press release.

The RPC is part of a Clariant program to provide a higher level of service to the packaging industry in the region. The Center is home to formulation, process and analytical experts who also have in-depth knowledge of market trends and customer needs. They have access to state-of-the-art analytical equipment, a wide array of processing machines, and Clariant’s regional network of application-development laboratories in Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam, Indonesia, India, New Zealand & Australia. The Center is operational now, and upgrades and equipment additions will continue be added through Q1 of 2020.

"With the RPC, we want to engage deeper with customers in a co-creation process to develop breakthrough concepts and solutions in masterbatch products and processes tailored to their aesthetic and functional needs," explains Chris Hansen, Head of Clariant Masterbatches Asia Pacific. "We are doing this in partnership with other suppliers, leading institutes and universities so that Clariant can provide comprehensive solutions to packaging convertors and brand owners."

Clariant has an extremely broad range of color and additive masterbatches, and it’s expertise extends across the dozens of polymers used in today’s - and tomorrow’s - packaging. Clariant masterbatches are already used in bottles, microwaveable trays, biodegradable food containers, multi-layer laminate, active packaging, durable industrial drums, tear-resistant shrink wrap and many other and innovative plastic packagings in or on the way to the market.

The RPC also houses a wide array of state-of-the-art analytical equipment used for determining the chemical, mechanical, environmental stress cracking, anti-static and coefficient of friction properties of packaging materials. Production-scale processing machines include mono- and multilayer blown film, blow molding, cast film and injection-molding lines. This equipment makes it possible to produce end-use application samples that allow customers to easily evaluate color and functionality enhancements delivered by Clariant products.

As MRC informed before, in June 2016, Clariant inaugurated its new production plant for water-based pigment preparations in Mexico. The new plant located in Santa Clara doubles Clariant’s Mexico annual production capacity for water-based pigment preparations and enhances its ability to serve customers across North and Latin America.

Clariant AG is a Swiss chemical company and a world leader in the production of specialty chemicals for the textile, printing, mining and metallurgical industries. It is engaged in processing crude oil products in pigments, plastics and paints. Clariant India has local masterbatch production activities at Rania, Kalol and Nandesari (Gujarat) and Vashere (Maharashtra) sites in India.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- PT Chandra Asri Petrochemical Tbk. (CAP) is in plans maintenance at its naphtha cracker in Cilegon, according to Apic-online.

A Polymerupdate source in Indonesia informed that the company is likely to commence maintenance at its plant in early-August 2019 and it is expected to remain in for a period of around 6-7 weeks.

Located at Cilegon in Indonesia, the naphtha cracker has an ethylene production capacity of 860,000 mt/year.

As MRC informed before, in June 2018, W. R. Grace & Co., the leading independent supplier of polyolefin catalyst technology and polypropylene (PP) process technology, granted a license which allows CAP to expand its existing UNIPOL PP plant. The world-scale capacity UNIPOL PP facility, located in Ciwandan, Indonesia, will be expanded to 590 KTA of polypropylene.

CAP is the largest integrated petrochemical company in Indonesia and operates the country’s only world-scale size Naphtha Cracker. The CAP plant is strategically located in Banten province, providing convenient access to key customers.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Air Liquide announced that it has signed two long-term supply agreements with Marathon Petroleum Company for a total of up to 900 tons per day oxygen for Marathon Petroleum’s Refineries in Texas City, Texas and Garyville, Louisiana, according to Hydrocarbonprocessing.

The two agreements mark a growing relationship between the two companies and nearly double the amount of oxygen Air Liquide will supply Marathon Petroleum in total. Both sites are located on the Gulf Coast.

At Marathon Petroleum’s Galveston Bay Refinery in Texas City, Texas, Air Liquide will increase its current oxygen delivery by 400 tons per day. And in Garyville, Louisiana, Air Liquide will increase oxygen delivery by up to as much as 500 tons per day.

Marathon Petroleum Corporation operates the nation's largest refining system with more than 3 million barrels per day of crude oil refining capacity across 16 refineries.

“Air Liquide is pleased to build upon its existing relationship with Marathon Petroleum and further expand its portfolio of investments in the U.S. The two new supply agreements with Marathon Petroleum further demonstrate Air Liquide’s ability to develop and scale its capacity across our pipeline networks and safely and reliably serve the growing demand for industrial gases in key geographies," Michael J. Graff, Executive Vice President and Executive Committee Member, Air Liquide Group said.

As MRC reported earlier, in June 2018, Fluor Corporation announced that it had achieved substantial engineering completion for Marathon Petroleum Corporation’s Tier 3 gasoline sulfur standard reconfiguration project at the Galveston Bay refinery in Texas City, Texas.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- W. R. Grace & Co., the leading independent supplier of polyolefin catalyst technology and polypropylene (PP) process technology, has licensed its UNIPOL PP Process Technology to Hyundai Chemical Co., Ltd., a joint venture between Hyundai Oilbank Co., Ltd. and Lotte Chemical Corporation, as per Hydrocarbonprocessing.

Located in Daesan, South Korea, the new, 250KTA facility will be part of a larger cracker complex that is slated to open in 2021. The UNIPOL PP unit will be used to produce high-end, specialty grade, random copolymer resins.

Grace's all gas-phase UNIPOL PP Process Technology provides the most advanced and broadest range of PP homopolymers, random copolymers, and impact copolymers in the industry. This process technology, without any moving parts inside of the reactor and requiring less equipment than any alternative, is a reliable, safe, and stable operation which leads to lower capital, operating, and maintenance costs.

Laura Schwinn, President of Grace’s Specialty Catalysts business, said, "Grace is excited to be the technology choice for Hyundai Chemical Co., Ltd.’s plant in Daesan, South Korea. The UNIPOL PP Process Technology will provide their customers with some of the best random copolymer resins in the industry. We are confident that our technology coupled with our non-phthalate CONSISTA® catalysts will give Hyundai Chemical Co., the ability to deliver the resins that are in highest demand from their customers."

As MRC wrote previously, in April 2018, W. R. Grace & Co. completed the USD416 million acquisition of the Polyolefin Catalysts business of Albemarle Corporation.

A leader in polyolefin catalysts and licensing, Grace has the world’s broadest portfolio of polypropylene and polyethylene catalyst technologies used to produce thermoplastic resins for a variety of applications. A leading innovator and strategic partner to its customers, Grace supplies catalyst solutions for all polyolefin processes, as well as polypropylene process technology and process controls. Grace employs approximately 3,700 people in over 30 countries.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- The Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) announced a new strategic partnership with OCI N.V. (OCI). OCI is a global producer and distributor of natural gas-based fertilizers and industrial chemicals, headquartered in the Netherlands, according to Hydrocarbonprocessing.

The partnership will see ADNOC combine its fertilizer business, ADNOC Fertilizers, into OCI’s Middle East and North Africa (MENA) nitrogen fertilizer platform to form a new joint venture (JV).

The JV will become the largest export-focused nitrogen fertilizer platform globally and the largest producer in the MENA region with a production capacity of 5 million tons of urea and 1.5 million tons of sellable ammonia. Annual revenues for the combined entity are USD1.74 billion, based on 2018 pro forma figures. ADNOC and OCI will own a 42% and 58% stake in the JV respectively.

This combination brings greater geographic diversity to the platform's MENA production channels, enabling greater combined market access to strengthen market share and better serve its customers around the world. It will have a centralized commercial team, supported by a robust storage and distribution infrastructure with access to key ports on the Mediterranean, Red Sea and Arabian Gulf.

The JV will operate a young, state-of-the-art asset base with low maintenance costs and strong free cash flow generation. As a result, the company will be well-positioned to pay its shareholders attractive dividends and to fund future organic and inorganic growth opportunities.

In conjunction with this joint venture, ADNOC Fertilizers has also signed a new long-term gas supply agreement with ADNOC, which will provide its facilities in Ruwais with the required feedstock for its operations based on a competitive pricing formula.

The JV will be based in Abu Dhabi and registered in the Emirate’s international financial center, Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM), furthering the development of fertilizer expertise and trading in Abu Dhabi. The board of the new entity will consist of 6 members nominated by OCI and 4 nominated by ADNOC. H.E. Dr Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, UAE Minister of State and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the ADNOC Group, will be Chairman of the Board.

Nassef Sawiris will assume the role of CEO of the JV, alongside his current role as CEO of OCI. His leadership will be supported by a joint management team of experienced key executives from OCI and ADNOC, which will drive value creation through the unlocking of substantial operational, supply chain, marketing and trading synergies across the combined platform.

H.E. Dr Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, UAE Minister of State and ADNOC Group CEO, said: "We are extremely pleased to have created this new joint venture with OCI who are a world leader in nitrogen fertilizers and share our ambition and vision to grow our new combined fertilizer business. Pooling our assets and capabilities is a value enhancing step for both companies, allowing us to leapfrog competitors to become the top nitrogen export platform globally. It will also enable us to access new markets, benefitting both existing and new customers."

He added, "This unique business combination is in line with ADNOC’s approach to value-added partnerships and will improve the profitability and cash flow of our fertilizer portfolio. It also supports ADNOC’s objectives to attract investors to Ruwais by leveraging its strategic location, world-class logistics and the UAE’s abundant gas resources at commercially attractive terms. It is another milestone in the delivery of ADNOC’s 2030 strategy and our ambitions to expand ADNOC’s Downstream portfolio."

Nassef Sawiris, CEO of OCI N.V. commented: "I am very pleased to start a long-term strategic partnership with ADNOC, a company which has a clear downstream strategy and drive to unlock value. This partnership creates a first-of-its-kind export platform with best-in-class cash conversion metrics. I believe that this platform has significant potential for future growth and value creation, with the support and under the guidance of its two key shareholders".

This new partnership marks another step in ADNOC’s group-wide transformation and value creation program that addresses the evolving energy and petrochemicals landscape and ensures ADNOC remains a resilient and flexible company able to take full advantage of emerging market opportunities and trends. The Group’s transformation is driven by an expanded approach to strategic partnerships and co-investments as well as the more proactive management of ADNOC’s portfolio of businesses, assets and capital. ADNOC is delivering on its ability to package and structure smart transactions with its partners.

This transaction continues this strategy and follows on from several other recent value creation initiatives, including ADNOC’s debut capital markets transaction, the issuance of the Abu Dhabi Crude Oil Pipeline (ADCOP) bond, the IPO of ADNOC Distribution, the recent strategic equity and commercial partnerships between ADNOC Drilling and Baker Hughes as well as ADNOC Refining and Eni and OMV.

Central to ADNOC’s 2030 strategy is the significant expansion of ADNOC’s Downstream business. In May 2018, ADNOC announced its new Downstream strategy that includes an AED 165 billion (USD 45 billion) investment program that will see the Ruwais Industrial Complex upgraded to significantly increase its flexibility and capabilities to produce greater volumes of higher-value refined and petrochemical products.

The transaction is expected to close in the third quarter of 2019, subject to legal and regulatory conditions.

As MRC reported earlier, in May 2018, ADNOC unveiled plans to invest AED 165 billion (USD45 billion) alongside partners, over the next five years, to become a leading global downstream player, enabling it to further stretch the value of every barrel it produces to the benefit of ADNOC, its partners and the UAE.
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