Grace starts up three PP reactor lines in China, signs new license with PetroChina

Grace starts up three PP reactor lines in China, signs new license with PetroChina

W.R. Grace & Co (Grace; Columbia, Md.) announced the successful start-up of several polypropylene (PP) reactor lines in China, said the company.

Dongguan Grand Resource Science & Technology Co., Ltd. (Dongguan Grand Resource) started up its second plant (consisting of two reactor lines) for using Grace’s UNIPOL PP Technology and will add 600,000 metric tons per year (m.t./yr) of polypropylene resin capacity and increase its total nameplate capacity to 1,200 (m.t./yr). In addition, Dongguan Grand Resource is utilizing Grace’s CONSISTA catalysts in both of its UNIPOL PP technology lines.

Grace has also started up a 500,000-m.t./yr reactor line for PetroChina GuangDong PetroChemical Company (PetroChina GuangDong), a subsidiary of PetroChina Group, the world’s second-largest petroleum company. The plant will produce homopolymer, random copolymer, and impact copolymer polypropylene resins, catering to the growing demand for high-quality PP resins in the Chinese market.

This marks the fourth UNIPOL®PP technology plant start-up for PetroChina, which includes PetroChina Guangxi (200,000-m.t./yr), PetroChina Fushun (300 KTA), and PetroChina Sichuan (450,000-m.t./yr). In China, this is the largest UNIPOL PP technology single-extruder reactor line.

We remind, W.R. Grace & Co has licensed its Unipol PP process technology to Gail India Ltd for its 60,000 tonnes/y polypropylene (PP) plant at Gail's existing petrochemical complex in Pata, Uttar Pradesh, India.

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Exxon Mobil not quitting exploration in Brazil

Exxon Mobil not quitting exploration in Brazil

Exxon Mobil Corp is not giving up on oil exploration in Brazil, the company's country chief Alberto Ferrin said on Monday during the Offshore Technology Conference (OTC) in Houston, said Hydrocarbonprocessing.

"I would say very crystal clear that Exxon Mobil is not quitting exploration in Brazil at all," Ferrin said, disputing a U.S. newspaper report published last month.

Brazil's government, regulators and the company's exploration partners are aware it has no intentions of leaving. Exxon is searching for exploration opportunities such as the one it encountered in Guyana, where it has had an 89% success rate, Ferrin said.

"Brazil offers those exploration success enablers that we look for globally, no doubt about that. Good rocks, good commercial terms, stable fiscals, technology advancement," he said.

We remind, ExxonMobil Corp has started up its long-planned project to expand light crude oil processing capacity by 250,000 b/d at ExxonMobil Product Solutions Co's integrated refining and petrochemicals complex along the US Gulf Coast in Beaumont, TX, US.

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Sika completes acquisition of Germany-based MBCC

Sika completes acquisition of Germany-based MBCC

Sika has completed the acquisition of MBCC Group after having received all necessary regulatory approvals, said the company.

With this highly complementary transaction, Sika strengthens its footprint across all regions, reinforces its range of products and services across the entire construction life cycle and drives the sustainable transformation of the construction industry further and faster.

MBCC Group, headquartered in Mannheim, Germany, and formerly owned by an affiliate of Lone Star Funds, is active in the field of construction systems and admixture systems. To close the transaction and to comply with regulatory requirements, Sika sold MBCC Group’s chemical admixtures assets in the UK, the USA, Canada, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand to the international private equity firm Cinven. The business now acquired by Sika generated sales of CHF 2.1 billion in 2022, employs 6,200 people and operates in over 60 countries and 95 production facilities.

After the successful closing, Sika’s sustainable product portfolio will be further enhanced with MBCC’s innovative technologies. Sika will offer a wide and comprehensive range of solutions to enable the sustainable transformation of the construction industry and help customers reduce their carbon footprint.

With this transaction, Sika strengthens its growth platform by broadening its product and solution offerings in four of five core technologies and seven of eight Sika Target Markets. Customers will benefit from an enhanced and more efficient distribution network across all construction markets. Sika expects to generate annual synergies in the range of CHF 160 – 180 million by 2026. The combined Group is set to reach sales in excess of CHF 12 billion in 2023.

We remind, the European Commission has approved the proposed acquisition of Germany-based construction chemicals producer MBCC by Switzerland’s Sika. The approval, under the EU Merger Regulation, is conditional on the divestiture of MBCC's global chemical admixture business.

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Polynt Group to build resin plant in Canada

Polynt Group to build resin plant in Canada

Polynt Group said it will open Polynt Coatings Canada Limited in Port Moody, British Columbia, during the second half of the year, said the company.

The new facility will meet the growing needs of the paint and coatings industry, it said, by increasing its capacity and flexibility in the resin marketplace. It will begin with production of conventional alkyds, oil-modified urethanes and water-based technologies to start, Polynt Group said.

We remind, Polynt Group started the process for the installation of a new esterification plant to produce special plasticizers, in particular trimellitates, at its site in Atlacomulco, Mexico. Special high-performance plasticizers, with their superior technical performances in electrical and high temperature applications, are a main component for the electrification of cars and transportation, a general trend so important for improving environmental sustainability. Trimellitates represents the most effective family of products that can satisfy those outstanding performance characteristics.

Polynt Group has more than 3,100 employees in 35 manufacturing operations throughout North and South America, Europe and Asia.

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Eastman announces first-quarter 2023 financial results

Eastman announces first-quarter 2023 financial results

MRC) -- Eastman Chemical Company announced its first-quarter 2023 financial results, said the company.

Chemical Intermediates sales revenue decreased 18% primarily due to 12% lower sales volume/mix and 5% lower selling prices.

Sales volume/mix was lower in plasticizers and olefins due to continued weak end-market demand, including for building and construction, consumer durables, and industrial.

Selling prices were lower due to lower raw material prices. EBIT decreased due to lower sales volume/mix and lower spreads, which were above mid-cycle levels in the year-ago period.

As per MRC, US-based Eastman aims to light a fire under the ecosystem for collecting hard-to-recycle polyester waste with USD2bn in new investments for plastics recycling projects in the US and France.

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