Reliance raises bid for LyondellBasell by US$1.5 billion

February 22 (plastemart) -- Reliance Industries has raised its bid for LyondellBasell to around US$15 bln from an earlier offer of US$13.5 bln, on February 19, the deadline for RIL to submit its revised proposal. In a bid to make the revised offer more lucrative, RIL is reported to have also included stock and cash options for shareholders and creditors in its offer. This revision in RIL's bid comes after the management of LyondellBasell inked a deal with unsecured creditors, raising the amount to be paid out to holders of general unsecured claims by US$150 mln. These creditors had been blocking LB's attempts to emerge from bankruptcy. As per the new terms, US$450 mln will be distributed to the holders of general unsecured claims, millennium bonds and 2015 notes against the earlier offer of US$300 mln. This move could pave the way for the company to emerge out of Chapter 11 bankruptcy.

RIL has raised Rs 25,000 crore from the sale of treasury stock to fund its bid.

MRCMRC Reference

LyondellBasell. The share in the Russian market in 2008:
PE - 1.4% (including HDPE - 2.5%, LDPE - 0.3%);
PP - 4.1% (including block-copolymers - 9.5%).

Annual sales growth in Russia, during the recent 5 years:
PE - 27%;
PP - 88%.

The leader in the following polymers processing technologies:

pipe extrusion;

film extrusion;

injection molding.

February 19 (plasteurope) -- Roughly a month and a half after it announced price increases for polyols, toluene diisocyanate (TDI) and methyl diphenyl isocanate (MDI) in the Middle East, Africa and India, Dow Polyurethanes has said it will raise prices for these feedstocks in Europe as well.

Effective 1 March 2010, the group will charge an additional EUR 200/t for polyols and MDI, whereas the price of TDI will be raised by EUR 250/t. Dow said it hoped the hike would help restore its margins.

MRCMRC Reference:

Share in the Russian market, 2008:

polyethylene - 2.5% (including LLDPE - 33.1%);

polypropylene - 0.8% (including PP-impact - 1.1%);

polystyrene - 2.6%.

Annual sales growth in Russia, recent 5 years:

polyethylene - 55%;

polypropylene - 28%;

polystyrene - 2%.

Imports by processing technologies:

pipe extrusion;

film extrusion;

sheet extrusion;

foaming.

February 19 (plasteurope) -- The Norwegian Climate and Pollution Agency has updated its 2002 action plan to reduce emissions from brominated flame retardants. Under the new terms, in addition to securing a significant reduction in emissions by 2010, Norway has set itself the goal of completely reducing such emissions by 2020.

The new plan has not met with unconditional support. Willem Hofland, chairman of the European Brominated Flame Retardant Industry Panel, said that while his organisation welcomed Norway's increased engagement with EU regulations, ⌠at the same time, EBFRIP firmly believes that Norwegian legislation should not pre-empt the EU's chemicals legislation REACH.

MRC

February 19 (plasteurope) -- Blaming ongoing market trends, Lanxess has announced that it will increase the price of its ⌠Durethan A PA 6.6 compounds.

The EUR 0.35/kg hike is to go into effect on 1 April 2010 and applies to Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

MRC

February 18 (plasteurope.com) -- It seems like Hungarian chemical giant BorsodChem (Kazincbarcika) finally has sailed out of the stormy waters. As reported in several Hungarian media outlets, an agreement in principle has been reached between the majority shareholders - investee Permira (Frankfurt/Germany) and Vienna Capital Partners (VCP, Vienna/Austria) - and minority shareholder Wanhua Polyurethane (Yantai, Shandong/China).

At the centre of the agreement stands the commitment on the part of Permira and VCP to inject about EUR 140m into BorsodChem in order to guarantee liquidity and to finance existing projects for capacity expansion. With Permira allegedly planning to quit its Hungarian investment only in three years' time, Wanhua will remain the minority shareholder until then.

MRCMRC Reference

BorsodChem. The share in the Russian market in 2008:
PVC - 2.5%;
PVC-S - 2.6%.

Annual growth of sales in Russia over the 5 years:
PVC - 201%.

Supply by processing technologies:
profile extrusion;
compounding.