AMERICAS
Dow to expand production capacity in Argentina
Dow Chemical is planning to expand polyethylene production capacities, and improve production technologies and equipment at its four sites in Argentina, starting in 2015. The LDPE plant will be improved to enable the production of resins used for extrusion coatings in packaging applications. Also, the gas phase plant will be refurbished for increasing operational performance.
Comments: Dow’s investment in increasing PE capacity at its facilities in Argentina is among the first such announcements in terms of capacity addition or expansions in the country in a while. Argentina has faced uncertainty in terms of sourcing feedstock at competitive prices globally which has led to producers being skeptical about investing in assets. Dow’s PE capacity expansions will cater to the growing demand for LDPE in the extrusion coating markets as well as blow molding applications for packaging and other end uses. With the capacity increase in the solution process asset for LLDPE, it may be a possibility that Dow might potentially start producing metallocene-based plastomers/elastomers in Argentina based on the market demand.
Flint Hills to close Michigan PP plant
Flint Hills Resources plans to close its 85 KTA polypropylene plant in Michigan and shift the production to its Longview, TX facility. The Marysville plant will be closed in July 2015.
Comments: Flint Hills Marysville PP facility is among the smallest capacity units in the United States, and its closure as such will not impact the overall PP domestic demand. The small size and scale of the unit were not sustainable to run competitively and Flint Hills will now look to dispose of the asset to a potential buyer and focus on its integrated operations in Longview, TX.
CPChem plans expansion of PAO
CPChem is currently studying a 10 KTA capacity expansion of low-viscosity polyalphaolefins at its Cedar Bayou facility in Texas. CPChem plans to seek final project approval in Q2 2015 with project completion targeted for 2016.
Milliken launches HDPE nucleating agent
Milliken & Co. have launched Hyperform nucleating agent for HDPE in injection molding applications. Hyperform is mixed with HDPE to improve stiffness, lower cycle times, and reduced shrinkage.
Comments: Nucleating injection molded polyethylene has been an ongoing challenge in the industry. MiMilliken Co’s “Hyperform®”, has been shown to exhibit increased stiffness of up to percent versus the standard HDPE, according to ASTM D790-00 testing. Such increased stiffness will help in applications where weight is a crucial factor without compromising the stiffness. The new nucleator’s unique ability to create lamellar crystal orientation of PE in the polymer flow (or machine) direction aids the reduction in shrinkage. Control of shrinkage helps in the improvement of injection molded parts. Such a product will help to become a potential material of choice in molds that traditionally run polypropylene.
LyondellBasell evaluating further ethylene capacity expansion
LyondellBasell is evaluating a project to expand ethylene capacity at its plant in Channelview texas. The project is expected to increase LyondellBasell’s ethylene capacity by 250 KTA. Preliminary engineering work is underway to study the feasibility and if LyondellBasell proceeds with the project, it is expected to be completed in 2017.
APS Elastomers offer new Maxelast TPEs
APS Elastomers has introduced a new TPE grade as a part of its Maxelast D extrusion series. This TPE is suited for end caps in tubing, piping, and poles. Maxelast D TPEs offer good energy-absorbing performance, good weather ability, good chemical and oil resistance, good chemical and oil resistance, and good surface finish.
Comments: APS Elastomers is a distributor and compounder of thermoplastic elastomers. Maxelast TPEs’ broad range of products includes ABS/PC over-molding series, nylon over-molding series, high transparency series, flame retardant series, PP over-molding, and standalone usage series. When extruded or co-extruded into profiles, the new Maxelast grade can also be miter-cut and heat welded for corner fastening products and applications, providing yet another benefit by reducing the need by processors and marketers to produce different-sized products. Depending on the grade, new Maxelast D-Series TPEs also can be foamed to achieve a smooth surface or skin. Given the wide range of benefits, the new TPE grades will prove to be versatile for use in a variety of applications.
EUROPE
LyondellBasell to invest USD 249 million in Berre
LyondellBasell plans to invest approximately USD 249 million spread over a period of six years to modernize the petrochemical facility at Berre in France. LyondellBasell’s Berre petrochemical complex includes crackers and plants for the production of PE, PP, and butadiene.
Comments: The Berre site is one of the two LyondellBasell sites in southern France. This complex includes a cracker and production units for PE, PP, and butadiene. This investment follows the permanent closure of the refinery at this site. This project would help LyondellBasell consolidate the site and increase its overall competitiveness.
Evonik starts up functionalized polybutadiene in Marl
Evonik has started a plant for the production of hydroxyl-terminated polybutadiene at Marl in Germany. The product will be sold under the Polyvest HT brand name.
Comments: Evonik produces three grades of Polvest® liquid polybutadienes. The new capacity plant will produce Polyvest® HT, which is hydroxyl-terminated liquid polybutadiene. Polyvest® HT is used in applications such as adhesive and sealant compositions, insulated glass sealants, impregnating coatings, binders for rubber compounds, etc. Evonik mainly targets adhesives and sealants that are used in automobiles.
MIDDLE EAST & AFRICA
Sabic to expand Petrokemya plant
Sabic is planning to debottleneck and expand the Petrokemya Butadiene Extraction Plant in Al Jubail, Saudi Arabia. KBR has been awarded the FEED contract for this project.
Comments: Arabian Petrochemical Company (Petrokemya), a wholly-owned subsidiary of SABIC, is one of the largest manufacturing sites in Al Jubail, Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia is one of the largest exporters of butadiene in the world. The butadiene expansion is planned to meet the increasing demand for the material in the manufacture of butadiene derivatives such as SBR, PBR, and ABS. Petrokemya is currently building an ABS plant with 140 KTA capacity.
ASIA PACIFIC
Japan Polypropylene to expand compounding capacity in US and China
Japan Polypropylene will be expanding the production capacity of polypropylene compounds in North America and China in 2015. JPP’s subsidiary, Mytex Polymers in Indiana will increase its capacity by 20 KTA, while Beijing Ju-Ling-Yan Co., in which JPP has a 55% stake, will increase its capacity by 10 KTA.
Comments: The US and China automotive markets are among the largest, fastest-growing, and most dynamic markets globally. The US automotive industry has rebounded remarkably following the recession leading to high growth rates in terms of new vehicle sales. The focused emphasis for automakers is on increasing fuel efficiency, and one key way of achieving that goal is via lightweighting by using lighter plastic materials to replace heavier materials such as steel. Polypropylene is the most widely used plastic in vehicles and is typically compounded with other plastics and is used in automotive bumpers and several other interior and exterior applications. An increase in compounding capacity in the US and China will help JPP cater to the increasing demand for compounded PP in the automotive markets.
Wison commercializes butadiene technology
Proprietary technology and catalyst of Wison Engineering will be used in 70 KTA butene oxidization and dehydrogenation for the butadiene project of Shandong Yuhuang Chemical.
Comments: The majority of the world’s butadiene is produced through the extractive distillation of crude C4. An increase in ethane cracking in North America and investment in MTO & MTP processes in China have led to the decline in the availability of C4s for butadiene extraction. This feedstock pattern and increasing demand for butadiene have led producers to develop alternate routes by dehydrogenation of n-butane/n-butenes to butadiene. Companies that have already developed on-purpose butadiene technologies include Honeywell UOP – TPC Group, Asahi Kasei, and Mitsubishi Chemical. BASF and Linde have recently announced a joint development agreement for on-purpose butadiene.
Indian Oil breaks ground on PP project
Indian Oil has broken ground on the Paradip polypropylene project. The project will involve an investment of USD 512 million and is expected to start up in 2017. The plant will include two lines each with a PP production capacity of 350 KTA.
Comments: Polypropylene is part of a bigger plan to develop Paradip into a petrochemical hub in India. Polypropylene produced by the unit of Indian Oil’s Paradip Refinery will be used in ancillaries to make molded furniture, packaging material, containers, medical disposables, and adhesive tapes. With the polypropylene unit expected to be commissioned within the next three years, several plastic processing industries would also come up in the area, paving the way for the development of a petrochemical hub in this zone. Indian Oil already has a PP plant in Panipat, with a production capacity of 600 KTA.