Covestro board enters formal talks on USD12 billion ADNOC approach

Covestro has entered into open-ended discussions with suitor Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) over a takeover approach, the German company said in a statement, said Reuters.

Covestro's change in stance comes after two top-15 investors told Reuters last month that the plastics and chemicals maker should engage in formal takeover talks in the interest of its shareholders.

Earlier on Friday, Reuters reported citing a source that Covestro's board would meet to discuss formal negotiations with ADNOC. The company's shares closed up 7.8% at 51.5 euros having hit their highest levels in about 18 months.

The CEO of larger rival BASF has described the reported approach as a sign that the European chemical industry, due to cost inflation and a weak economy, needs support from lawmakers to become more competitive.

ADNOC, which is trying to diversify and develop its downstream and renewable energy operations, made a non-binding offer for Covestro of 55 euros per share in June, which was rejected, according to media reports.

In August, ADNOC indicated to Covestro, which has not commented on the takeover approach, that it could raise its informal offer to 60 euros conditional on the German company entering formal talks, Reuters reported at the time.

That non-binding offer would value Covestro, a maker of chemicals used in insulation, upholstery foams, coatings and transparent engineering plastics, at about 11.6 billion euros ($12.4 billion).

In August Covestro warned demand was not improving this year as customers continue to draw down existing inventory rather than order new chemicals.

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Global flexible packaging and material science company ProAmpac has unveiled its new patent-pending ProActive Recyclable Paper (RP) 1000 High Barrier (HB) packaging solution, said Packaging-gateway.

The new paper packaging solution has been introduced as an extension to ProAmpac’s existing range of ProActive Recyclable RP-1000 series. The ProActive Recyclable series was launched in February this year.

RP-1000 HB has been designed to offer a high barrier against moisture and oxygen. It also has grease resistance properties. All these features together make RP-1000 HB an ideal packaging solution for dry food products, for instance flavoured oatmeal, dehydrated fruit and confectionery.

ProAmpac global marketing director Nathan Klettlinger said: “RP-1000HB is a pre-qualified kerbside recyclable paper solution that seamlessly integrates with existing equipment, simplifying the transition process and minimising costs compared to less efficient sustainable alternatives.

“RP-1000HB is another solution that enables brands to effectively achieve their sustainability objectives.” RP-1000HB, according to ProAmpac, is a sustainable alternative for replacing conventional multi-material laminates.

It can be adapted in various versatile formats, such as pre-made three-sided seal pouches and roll stock. The company said it has used bleached paper for making this packaging solution, which makes it suitable for graphical reproduction. After use, consumers can easily recycle RP-1000HB in kerbside paper streams.

ProAmpac global sustainability innovation director Amir Saffar said: “In rigorous tests simulating up to 85% relative humidity conditions, RP-1000HB preserves its barrier properties, assuring the longevity of products susceptible to spoilage due to environmental moisture.

We remind, Russia is shipping its first crude oil cargo to Brazil, as it seeks to diversify its list of buyers, which has been drastically limited by U.S. and EU sanctions, LSEG data showed and traders said. Russia has been heavily relying on India and China as main buyers of its crude after European embargo and price cap policies were imposed in December last year after Russia's action in Ukraine that Moscow calls a special military operation.

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Russia is shipping its first crude oil cargo to Brazil, as it seeks to diversify its list of buyers, which has been drastically limited by U.S. and EU sanctions, LSEG data showed and traders said Reuters.

Russia has been heavily relying on India and China as main buyers of its crude after European embargo and price cap policies were imposed in December last year after Russia's action in Ukraine that Moscow calls a special military operation.

Brazil is part of the BRICs alliance together with India and China which have been the most active buyers of Russian oil heavily discounted because of sanctions.

Unlike India and China, Brazil is a major oil producer and exporter, but it does occasionally import crude for domestic refining needs.

Russia's Lukoil is shipping 80,000 metric tons of its Varandey crude oil on the Stratos Aurora vessel from Murmansk port to the terminal of Madre de Deus port in Brazil, operated by Transpetro, a subsidiary of Petrobras, according to sources and shipping data.

Varandey Blend is a light sweet crude oil grade, as other Russian oil grades have mostly been shipped to India and China in recent months.

Lukoil, Petrobras and Brazil's Ministry of mines and energy did not immediately respond to requests from Reuters for comment. Information on the buyer of the cargo was not available.

We remind, Russia is shipping its first crude oil cargo to Brazil, as it seeks to diversify its list of buyers, which has been drastically limited by U.S. and EU sanctions, LSEG data showed and traders said. Russia has been heavily relying on India and China as main buyers of its crude after European embargo and price cap policies were imposed in December last year after Russia's action in Ukraine that Moscow calls a special military operation.

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Trinseo has reached a deal to refinance all of the company's outstanding USD660m 2024 term loan that is due in September as well as USD385m of its existing USD500m 2025 senior notes, said the company.

Trinseo has made refinancing the debt a top priority. Its stock rose by nearly 13% to USD8.59/share.

In all, Trinseo obtained USD1.077bn in secured term loan financing arranged by Angelo, Gordon & Co and Oaktree Capital Management, with funds managed by Angelo Gordon, Oaktree and Apollo Global Management as lenders.

The net cash proceeds come to USD1.045bn. The final maturity date is 3 May 2028.

Frank Bozich, CEO, said "The financing process was very competitive, a testament to investors’ strong belief in the long-term outlook for the business."

We remind, Trinseo's sales volumes have stabilised at levels that are 20% below typical mid-cycle levels. So far, demand in the third quarter is similar to that in the first half of the year, said Frank Bozich, CEO.

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The Russian packaging industry is facing a unique set of challenges in the wake of Western sanctions, as per Packaging-gateway.

Unlike previous crises characterised by universal trends such as decreased demand and reduced purchasing power, the current situation in the Russian packaging market presents distinct hurdles.

Against the backdrop of these sanctions, the industry grapples with packaging shortages, including PET packaging, aluminium caps, moisture-resistant paper labels, and critical additives for production.

Since the beginning of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, numerous companies have divested or sold their packaging operations in Russia. These include Heineken, Mondi, and Smurfit Kappa.

These pressures are compounded by regulatory scrutiny, which is focusing on restraining prices not only for polymers but also for packaging and products themselves.

In the global landscape, approximately 3.9bn tons of food are produced annually, with roughly one-third of it going to waste. Packaging plays a crucial role in minimising these losses.

Despite efforts to protect the environment and enhance ecological sustainability, the global packaging industry is booming. According to research from Horvath & Partner AG, a Swiss consulting company, the sales of packaging products are expected to grow from $770bn in 2021 to $1tn by 2025.

Most packaging materials for the food industry worldwide are derived from non-renewable resources, primarily polyolefin-class polymers like polyethylene and polypropylene. Polymer packaging, both flexible and rigid, constitutes a significant share of the market both internationally and in Russia.

Over 60% of flexible packaging on the global market is used in the food industry. Experts predict that the global flexible packaging market will exceed $250 billion by 2024.

According to a survey by the Flexible Packaging Association in the United States, 83% of brands currently use some form of flexible packaging. Additionally, 26% of brands have increased their use of flexible packaging in the last five years, with another 31% intending to do so in the near future.

Flexible packaging for food products is prevalent both in foreign countries and in Russia.

We remind, Russia is shipping its first crude oil cargo to Brazil, as it seeks to diversify its list of buyers, which has been drastically limited by U.S. and EU sanctions, LSEG data showed and traders said. Russia has been heavily relying on India and China as main buyers of its crude after European embargo and price cap policies were imposed in December last year after Russia's action in Ukraine that Moscow calls a special military operation.

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