Orthex Group moves toward more sustainable raw materials in cooperation with INEOS Styrolution and BASF

Orthex, a leading Nordic producer of household products, has selected a range of INEOS Styrolution’s sustainable Luran ECO raw materials for its range of SmartStoreTM Compact storage products, said the company.

Luran ECO is a styrene acrylonitrile copolymer (SAN) resulting from a cooperation between INEOS Styrolution and BASF. It is built on BASF’s production of styrene monomer derived from renewable feedstock based on a mass balance approach. INEOS Styrolution uses the material as feedstock in its production of new sustainable styrenics solutions. According to an independent third-party assessment, the carbon footprint of the new material is 93% lower compared to the fossil-based Luran version.

Orthex Group is a leading Nordic houseware producer that strives to make consumers’ everyday lives easier with its products. The company has long championed sustainability with a focus on long-lasting products and increasing the use of recycled and bio-based materials to replace fossil-based plastic.

As a next step, Orthex’s storage solutions brand SmartStore will start using new biomass balance based Luran ECO raw material for the entire SmartStore Compact storage range. Orthex Group’s main criteria for selecting this material by INEOS Styrolution are easy processability, compliance with food contact regulations, and a reduced carbon footprint.

Alexander Rosenlew, CEO of Orthex Group, comments: “This new raw material solution will support our long-term carbon neutrality target. INEOS Styrolution and BASF make it possible for us to offer consumers more sustainable products. This supports our target to increase the share of sustainable raw materials in our production to 80% by 2030."

BASF’s biomass balance (BMB) based styrene is used by INEOS Styrolution in the production of bio-attributed styrenics specialties, mainly transparent styrenics materials such as the company’s NAS® family of styrene methyl methacrylate (SMMA) products and the Luran family of SAN products. The BASF and INEOS Styrolution processes within the end-to-end mass balance based production of the new solution portfolio are certified by ISCC+.

Artur Sokolowski, Director Sales Electronics & Household EMEA at INEOS Styrolution, comments: “Orthex is an innovative and fast-moving company. I am pleased to see that we have been able to provide a solution to Orthex that helps them to reach their ambitious sustainability target."

We remind, INEOS Styrolution, the global leader in styrenics, has today announced the introduction of a comprehensive range of sustainable solutions for its specialty ABS product group Novodur. The individual grades come with a significant product carbon footprint (PCF) saving of up to -71% as compared to the respective non-ECO product reference.

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SABIC, a global leader in the chemical industry, launched today four new LNP™ ELCRES™ FST copolymer resins that comply with the European railway standard EN45545 R6-HL 2 for train seating, said the company.

Designers can benefit from these new material solutions, which not only meet the new regulatory requirements but also provide expanded opportunities to create sleek seating designs. Compared to thermosets and aluminum, the new ELCRES resins offer lighter weight and efficient processing without requiring secondary operations. To achieve a seamless aesthetic look in an all-in-one seat unit or a design with a separate back shell without painting, SABIC offers precision color matching for its extrusion grade (LNP ELCRES FST2732E resin) and injection molding grade (LNP ELCRES FST2432 resin). For customers that require more-sustainable solutions, SABIC supplies bio-based version of each grade. These new materials, and several other new products, will be spotlighted at InnoTrans 2022 (Hall 5.1, Booth 332), September 20-23 in Berlin, Germany.

"Since the EN45545 standard came into effect, the rail industry has faced challenges in obtaining compliant thermoplastic materials – and SABIC has been proactive in providing solutions,” noted Brian Rice, Senior Manager, Global Product Management, LNP/NORYL, Specialties, SABIC. “With our new LNP ELCRES FST products, we not only met customers’ high expectations for compliance, performance, aesthetics and manufacturability, but we also addressed their sustainability goals with bio-based versions. With multiple grades to choose from, manufacturers can once again leverage the advantages of thermoplastics in their seating applications."

LNP ELCRES FST copolymers address demands from customers like Monte Meao, a Portuguese rail seating provider, for high-performance thermoplastics that help address the stringent requirements of the harmonized European rail fire protection standard, EN45545.

Fernando Cerqueira, CEO of Monte Meao said, “We needed an injection molding material that complies with the safety requirements set forth in the EN45545 standard for railway seating and offers long-term durability for our customers. SABIC’s LNP ELCRES FST2432 copolymer provided a good combination of physical properties and a flexible processing window."

As per MRC, SABIC participated in the Local Content Forum in Riyadh on September 5 and 6 to promote localization, support national industries, and stimulate national workforce development through its NUSANED™ local content initiative. Organized by the Local Content and Government Procurement Authority, the Forum was attended by Khalid Al-Dabbagh, SABIC Chairman, Yousef Al-Benyan, SABIC Vice Chairman and CEO, and Faisal Al-Bahair, CEO, Nusaned Investment. In addition, a number of ministers and other dignitaries also attended and participated in panel discussions and workshops. Members of the Local Content Coordination Council, which includes a number of leading companies, were among the prominent participants.
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Colombia's Ecopetrol will hike output at its refinery in the Caribbean city of Cartagena by a third in a bid to meet national demand for fuels and reduce imports, the majority state-owned energy company said, as per Reuters.

The refinery will increase production to 200,000 barrels of oil per day (bpd), from its previous output of 150,000 bpd, to guarantee the production of low-sulfur gasoline and diesel, Ecopetrol said in a statement.

"This expansion consolidates the Cartagena refinery as a strategic asset to guarantee Colombia's energy sovereignty," Ecopetrol's Chief Executive Officer Felipe Bayon said.

The decision follows President Gustavo Petro's announcement that fuel prices will be increased gradually to prevent a widening in the deficit in Colombia's fuel price stabilization fund - a mechanism used to subsidize prices.

Colombia counts on two refineries, the largest of which is located in the city of Barrancabermeja, which has a production capacity of 250,000 bpd, a company spokesman said.

We remind, Ecopetrol, the largest petroleum company in Colombia, has selected Aspen GDOT dynamic optimization software as part of its digitalization initiative to improve refining margins at its two refineries in Cartagena and Barrancabermeja, and upgrading to Aspen DMC3 advanced process control software in Barrancabermeja refinery.
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LyondellBasell (Rotterdam, the Netherlands) announced that Hanwha Solutions Corporation (Hanwha) will use the LyondellBasell Lupotech T high-pressure polyethylene technology at a new site in Yeosu, South Korea, said the company.

The Lupotech T process technology will be used for a 300,000 ton per year vinyl acetate copolymer (EVA) line.

“Hanwha is an experienced producer of LDPE and EVA resins in South Korea and we are excited that Hanwha opted for the Lupotech T process to expand their production capacity with this significant award,” said Neil Nadalin, Director Global Licensing and Services at LyondellBasell. Nadalin added, “When it comes to a high-pressure LDPE technology capable of producing the full spectrum of EVA and LDPE grades, the Lupotech T process is the ultimate choice for operators around the world in today’s fast-changing market."

“We expect Hanwha to be a global top tier in the EVA market through this project,” said Youngchul Kwon, Head of Corporate Business Development Office at Hanwha Solutions. Kwon added, “The Lupotech T process is highly reliable for its operability, productivity and quality."

We remind, LyondellBasell announced that Polski Koncern Naftowy ORLEN S.A. (PKN ORLEN) will be using the LyondellBasell Lupotech T high-pressure polyethylene technology. The Lupotech T process technology will be used for a 250 kiloton per year (KTA) low density polyethylene (LDPE) line. The new line will be located at their existing complex in Plock, Poland.
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Globuc, organiser of the annual Downstream Central Asia & Caspian conference has published an overview of the current industry projects in 2022, said the company.

The report includes information on ongoing projects and announcements in Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan.
In 2021, two major projects were completed in the region, the KPI polypropylene plant in Kazakhstan and the Uzbekistan GTL plant in Uzbekistan. Modernisation of the production facilities is currently underway, and plans for the construction of new facilities have been announced.

Uzbekistan plans to build a plant with a capacity of 500.0 thousand tons per year, which will process 1.5 billion m3 of natural gas per year and produce high-quality polymers using MTO (Methanol-to-olefins) technology.
Kazazot, the largest gas chemical enterprise in Kazakhstan, plans to develop the production of carbon ammonium salts, ammonium sulphate, hydrogen peroxide, bioprotein for the needs of animal husbandry, as well as ammonia water, ammonia and carbamide.

The report was published in preparation for the annual event, which will be held this year in Tashkent with the support of the national oil and gas company of Uzbekistan - JSC Uzbekneftegaz.

Representatives of KPI and Uzbekneftegaz will present their projects at the conference. In addition to completed projects, ongoing projects will also be presented, such as the construction of a gas chemical complex methanol to olefins (MTO), modernization of the Fergana oil refinery, and modernization of the Baku Oil Refinery in Azerbaijan.
The event is well known in the industry for the direct and active participation of regional project owners. This year, representatives of Sanoat Energetika Guruhi will share information about the construction of a methanol to olefins (MTO) gas chemical complex in Uzbekistan, the world's first MTO plant built outside of China.

The Azerbaijani state company SOCAR will present plans for the Baku Oil Refinery, and conference delegates will also hear about the modernization of the Fergana Oil Refinery and the construction of new KazAzot facilities, and get an opportunity to meet with the managers of these projects in person.

Downstream Central Asia & Caspian is an annual industry business event. In 2022, the event will be held in Tashkent on the 19-20th of October 2022. The conference will bring together representatives of oil and gas processing and petrochemical companies in Central Asia and the Caspian region, as well as leading technology suppliers from all over the world.

The conference is organised by Globuc, an international event management company based in London. Globuc specialises in high-level business events in the energy and oil&gas sectors.

Earlier it was reported that the Uzbekneftegaz National Holding Company will increase the production capacity of the Shurtan Gas Chemical Complex (GCC) to approximately 505,000 tonnes of polymer products per year by the end of 2024.

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