Taiyo Oil to shut 2 CDUs at Shikoku refinery in summer for maintenance

Taiyo Oil to shut 2 CDUs at Shikoku refinery in summer for maintenance

Japanese oil refiner Taiyo Oil Co plans to shut two crude distillation units (CDUs) at its 138,000 barrel-per-day (bpd) Shikoku refinery in western Japan in the summer for scheduled maintenance, said Reuters.

The 106,000-bpd No.1 CDU and the 32,000-bpd No.2 CDU will be shut down for about a month, he told Reuters on Tuesday.

We remind, Taiyo Petrochemical, a major petrochemical producer in Japan, closed its entire styrene plant in Ube, Japan on Dec. 23 for commercial reasons. According to the company's business strategy, this plant with a capacity of 370 thousand tons of styrene per year will be permanently closed.

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BASF invests in expansion of polymer dispersions business in Merak

BASF invests in expansion of polymer dispersions business in Merak

BASF has announced an investment in the capacity expansion of polymer dispersions at its production site in Merak, Indonesia, said Coatingworld.

The expansion is in line with the growing trend of high-quality packaging in ASEAN where key paper and board manufacturers are located.

“The expansion will bring additional supply reliability to fulfill the growing demand for acrylics and styrene-butadiene dispersions in the Southeast Asia, Australiaand New Zealand markets. It shows our commitment to enhancing regional production and providing quick responses to fulfill growing customer demand. It also reinforces BASF’s position as one of the leading and reliable suppliers in the region. With proximity to key raw materials and flexibility to produce both styrene-butadiene and acrylic dispersions, Merak remains a key supply point for all our customers, especially in the area of paper coatings,” said Bir Darbar Mehta, senior vice president of Dispersions Asia Pacific, BASF.

ASEAN is a fast-growing market for high-quality packaging, with a high concentration of major paper and board manufacturers looking to expand their capacities in the region. The BASF Merak site is located in close proximity to our monomer suppliers and has an on-site jetty to facilitate logistics. The production line enhancement will be completed in the second half of 2023.

The site in Merak, Indonesia, established in 1994, produces polymer dispersions that offer a comprehensive portfolio of paper coatings, architectural coatings, and construction applications.

We remind, BASF has broken ground on the third and final phase of the methylene diphenyl diisocyanate (MDI) expansion project at its Verbund site in Geismar, Louisiana, announced in July 2022. The company will increase production capacity to approximately 600,000 metric tons per year by the middle of the decade to support the ongoing growth of its North American MDI customers.

BASF is a leading supplier, manufacturer, and innovation partner of plastic additives. Its comprehensive and innovative product portfolio includes additives that provide ease in processing, and heat and light resistance to a variety of polymers and applications including molded articles, films, fibers, sheets, and extruded profiles.

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Covestro announces new U.S. executive leadership

Covestro announces new U.S. executive leadership

Covestro announced that Samir Hifri will take the reins as chairman and president at Covestro LLC, effective July 1, 2023, said the company.

In this role, Hifri will lead the U.S. operations of the global materials company, succeeding Haakan Jonsson, who will retire after 30-plus years of service with Covestro.

“I’m both humbled and grateful for the opportunity to lead and work alongside the talented U.S. team, as we continue to advance the company’s vision of becoming fully circular,” said Hifri. “In some ways, I feel as though as my own career has come full circle, as this next chapter brings me back to Pittsburgh, where my Covestro journey first began.”

Hifri joined the company in 1998 as a commercial trainee at Covestro’s U.S. headquarters in Pittsburgh, Pa. Since then, he has led a diverse career spanning product management, sales & marketing, supply chain and country management – a path that has taken him to 10 Covestro sites across six countries and three continents. Hifri currently serves a dual role as the senior vice president and managing director of Covestro Hong Kong, as well as head of the Supply Chain & Logistics Center for the Asia Pacific region.

Hifri graduated from Duquesne University with a bachelor’s degree in international finance, and he also holds an executive degree from INSEAD in France. Hifri is married with four children, and, in addition to his professional responsibilities, remains active in a number of community and academic functions.

We remind, Covestro has again been awarded an „A-“ rating in this year’s climate protection ranking by the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP). This underpins Covestro’s climate protection efforts and maintains its position among the leading companies in this segment. After already achieving very good results last year, Covestro participated in the survey again this year and con-vinced with its complete focus on the circular economy.

Covestro’s U.S. presence includes roughly 2,700 employees and 13 site locations across the states of Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Massachusetts, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Texas and West Virginia. The U.S. business represents approximately 25 percent of global Covestro sales.

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AkzoNobel launches dedicated range of EV Powder Coatings

AkzoNobel launches dedicated range of EV Powder Coatings

AkzoNobel has launched a new range of Resicoat EV powder coatings to protect the battery system and electrical components of a new generation of electric vehicles (EVs), said Coatingworld.

The future success of EVs is dependent on the performance of the battery and associated systems. Battery performance, however, is highly impacted by its environment, which is why it needs protection to ensure the vehicle’s performance and the safety of the passengers. Powder coatings can improve the performance of the battery by providing insulation from electric current and protection against corrosion. This means manufacturers can extend battery life, and ensure the battery performs better for longer.

Each of the five product ranges developed within the Resicoat EV range has been specifically innovated to enhance the safety and performance of the EVs of tomorrow. They have superior electrical insulating properties and enhanced thermal management to help protect the battery systems, motors, and electrical storage units.

The range comprise Resicoat EVpack which delivers a range of protective properties for the battery pack or housing to insulate electrical systems; Resicoat EVcell which provides outstanding cell to cell electrical insulation for even the most intricate designs; and Resicoat EVcooling, designed to deliver superior performance in thermal conductivity, electrical insulation, edge coverage and consistent film building in cooling tube and cooling plate applications.

It also includes Resicoat EVbusbar to coat the busbars that carry and distribute electricity to improve heat dissipation and support a lower fire load with a longer lifetime during thermal impact. To protect the electric motor, the Resicoat EVmotor range includes epoxy powder solutions that are specifically designed for the electrical insulation of hairpin stators.

Key solutions within the Resicoat EV range are tested and approved to UL 94 V-0 which enables vehicle systems to tolerate a certain amount of exposure to a flame without igniting. They’re also tested and approved to UL746B and UL1446, ensuring they can resist thermal degradation and possible damage that can occur at elevated temperatures.

Sustainability is a significant driver in the popularity of EVs and similarly important to AkzoNobel. Crucially, the guaranteed durability of the Resicoat EV range in protecting essential components means those components last longer before needing to be replaced. Resicoat powder coatings have very minimum Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) and conform to the industry’s Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) Directive, to give coaters and customers ultimate peace of mind.

Jeff Jirak, Managing Director at AkzoNobel Powder Coatings, said innovation is the key to accelerating the future EVs: “For more than 60 years we have built the expertise and innovation inherent with our Resicoat brand to help resolve the challenge of electrical insulation. We understand how an exceptional powder coating with the right application technique will provide consistent electrical insulation for the life of the key components, such as the batteries in EVs. It’s further proof of our commitment to supporting our customers through partnerships and product development to create, power and protect the designs of the future.”

We remind, AkzoNobel has completed the acquisition of the wheel liquid coatings business of Lankwitzer Lackfabrik GmbH, a deal which strengthens the company’s performance coatings portfolio. The acquired business will complement AkzoNobel’s existing powder coatings offering and expand the range of innovative products the company supplies.

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Perstorp will increase February isononanoic acid prices

Perstorp will increase February isononanoic acid prices

Perstorp Oxo AB will increase its selling prices for isononanoic acid globally, effective Feburary 1st, 2023, or as existing contracts allow, said the company.

All terms, conditions, and differentials will remain the same. This action is necessary due to supply and demand as well as increasing raw material prices. Your understanding and support is much appreciated.

The price of isononanoic acid will increase in Europe by EUR180/mt, in the USA by USD0.09/lb, in the rest of the world by USD190/mt.

We remind, Perstorp moves to make more eco-friendly polyols at Swedish site. Perstorp, a Sweden-based speciality chemicals provider, is transforming a huge majority of the polyols generated at their largest production facility in Perstorp, Sweden, to 'Pro-Environment' products. It will convert all base polyols prepared at its Perstorp unit - neopentyl glycol (Neo), pentaerythritol (Penta), and trimethylolpropane (TMP) - to 'Pro-Environment'.

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