Hexpol Group buys thermoformer and rotomolder McCann Plastics

Swedish polymer group Hexpol has completed the previously announced acquisiton of US thermoplastic compounding company McCann Plastics for USD120m on a cash and debt free basis, said the company.

“The acquisition of McCann is fully in line with our growth strategy with acquisitions within polymer compounds and strengthens our market position in the US,” HEXPOL’s CEO, Georg Brunstam, said in a statement.

McCann Plastics, of North Canton, Ohio, specialises in niche thermoplastic compounds, with a focus on roto moulding applications. Its main end customer segments are general industry, agriculture and specialised cooling boxes.

The company, with sales of USD72m in the past 12 months, has operations at two sites in Ohio and employs about 100 people.

As per MRC, Hexpol has completed the previously announced acquisition of 100% of Union de Industrias C.A., S.A. (Unica) from Espiga Capital, a Spanish based Private Equity firm. Unica is a significant player in Rubber Compounds in Spain, supplying several demanding customers in the automotive, construction and agriculture sectors.
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Swedish textile recycler Renewcell has signed a deal to provide Austrian fibre manufacturer Lenzing with up to 100,000 tonnes of its Circulose pulp over the next five years, said the company.

Lenzing is to use 80,000 to 100,000 tonnes of Circulose - made from pre- and post-consumer textile waste - for use in the production of cellulosic fibres for fashion and other textile applications.

Renewcell CEO Patrik Lundstrom commented: “Lenzing is a major player in our industry, with an inspiring track record of path-breaking technical excellence and sustainability leadership.

We remind, Lenzing Group, a leading global producer of wood-based specialty fibers, is celebrating a key milestone as the production of LENZING™ ECOVERO™ branded viscose fibers reaches over 300,000 tons since the brand’s inception in 2017.

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A gas chemical enterprise to produce methanol is expected to be built in the West Kazakhstan region as part of a USD140-million project, said Interfax, citing the press service for the Kazakh Industry and Infrastructure Development Ministry.

Kazakh Industry and Infrastructure Development Minister Kairbek Uskenbayev met with representatives of CITIC Construction Co. Ltd. and China Huanqiu Contracting & Engineering (Shanghai) Co., Ltd, the press service said.

"The Kazakh company Zhaik Petroleum LTD signed an EPC contract with the Chinese side during the meeting. This contract envisages the construction of a methanol-making gas chemical enterprise with a production capacity of 130,000 tonnes in the West Kazakhstan region," it said.

Some 500 jobs will be created during construction and assembly work, and 220 permanent jobs will be created after the facility is put into operation. The overall cost of the project stands at USD140 million.

The new gas chemical enterprise is expected to begin operating in late 2024. It will be followed by the project's second stage, estimated at USD200 million, to launch the production of ammonia and carbamide.

Earlier it was reported that on November 8, KazMunayGas launched a new plant for the production of polypropylene with a capacity of 500 thousand tons per year in Atyrau, Western Kazakhstan. The new plant is valued at USD2.6 billion and will be able to produce up to 65 types of polypropylene to meet domestic demand, as well as export polypropylene to foreign markets. It uses Catofin and Novolen technologies provided by Lummus Technology.
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Nouryon has acquired a specialty surfactant alkoxylation plant on Singapore’s Jurong Island petrochemicals hub, the Netherlands-based chemical company said in a statement.

The acquired plant will enhance Nouryon’s ability to serve growing regional customer demand in end-markets such as agriculture and food, home and personal Care, natural resources, and paints and coatings, it said.

Details about capacities, the acquisition price or the seller’s identity were not disclosed.

We remind, Nobian has successfully started to supply chlorine and caustic soda from 100% renewable electricity in the Netherlands and Germany. This achievement underlines Nobian’s commitment to accelerating the supply of green products in its portfolio. The certification of Nobian’s caustic soda and chlorine by the International Sustainability and Carbon Certification (ISCC) contributes to Nobian’s renewable energy goals, as part of its sustainability program Grow Greener Together.

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ExxonMobil today announced the successful startup of its new polypropylene production unit at the Polyolefins Plant in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, said the company.

The unit increases polypropylene production capacity along the Gulf Coast by 450,000 metric tons per year, meeting growing demand for high-performance, lightweight and durable plastics, particularly for automotive parts that can improve fuel efficiency and reduce vehicle emissions. Polypropylene, a polymer with several applications, is also used to improve the safety and efficiency of everyday products like medical masks and food packaging.

“With the startup of this new production unit, we are well positioned to responsibly meet the growing global demand for these high-performance polymers,” said Karen McKee, president of ExxonMobil Product Solutions. “The ingenuity of our people and our investments in technology enable us to produce high quality products that are essential to daily life.”

ExxonMobil maintained its investments in this advantaged project through the COVID pandemic and related economic downturn. The total capital investment was more than $500 million. ExxonMobil’s extensive mega-project management experience and unrivaled technology capability enabled the unit to start up according to planned cost and schedule.

During construction, the project employed more than 650 workers and with full operational status, requires an additional 65 full-time ExxonMobil jobs.

ExxonMobil’s integrated operations in Baton Rouge include a more than 500,000 barrel-per-day refinery, as well as chemical, lubricants, polyolefins and plastics manufacturing. ExxonMobil has more than 5,500 employees and contractors in the Baton Rouge area and its operations account for approximately one in every 10 jobs in the region.

We remind, ExxonMobil and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) have joined forces to deploy MHI’s leading CO2 capture technology as part of ExxonMobil’s end-to-end carbon capture and storage (CCS) solution for industrial customers.

ExxonMobil, one of the largest publicly traded international energy and petrochemical companies, creates solutions that improve quality of life and meet society’s evolving needs. The corporation’s primary businesses - Upstream, Product Solutions and Low Carbon Solutions - provide products that enable modern life, including energy, chemicals, lubricants, and lower-emissions technologies. ExxonMobil holds an industry-leading portfolio of resources, and is one of the largest integrated fuels, lubricants and chemical companies in the world.
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