Dow Chemical Company to acquire Celanese acrylics business
The Dow Chemical Company and Celanese AG announced that they have reached an agreement for Dow to purchase the acrylics business of Celanese.
Dow will acquire Celanese’s acrylics business product line, including intellectual property, inventory, and technology for crude acrylic acid, glacial acrylic acid, methyl, ethyl and butyl acrylates and 3EHacrylate, as well as acrylics production assets at Celanese Clear Lake, Texas facility.
Comments: Celanese operations in the US were always synonymous with acrylic molecule. Most of Celanese’s activities were related to acrylic acid and derivatives. The only other company with similar philosophy in the U.S is Rohm & Haas, based on methacrylic acid.
Both acrylic acid and methacrylic acid are used as is or as esters with a portfolio of alcohols including, glycols, 2-ethyl hexanols, methanol, ethanol and butanols. The acrylate functionality provides the best source for: coating applications, clarity applications and as polarity adjuncts for a variety of polymers.
Dow with the Union Carbide acquisition, is basic in most of the Ethylene and Propylene derivatives. The product portfolio of most of the products can be expanded with the use of acrylic molecule.
Significantly, the polyolefins and SB emulsions product applications will provide additional opportunities for value added applications.
Six companies short listed for Qatar LLDPE plant
The number of companies qualified to bid for a linear low-density polyethylene contract has been narrowed down to six. The companies will bid for a contract to build a 450,000-m.t./year LLDPE) unit for Qatofin at Mesaieed, Qatar Qatofin is a joint venture of Qatar Petrochemical Co. (QAPCO), Atofina, and Qatar Petroleum (QP).
The six companies include: (1) Linde, (2) Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, (3) Toyo Engineering, (4) Snamprogetti, (5) Bechtel, and (6) Kvaerner. The plant will use Univation Technology’s Unipol polyethylene process, and is due online in second-half of 2006.
Comments: Qatofin, the joint venture between Qatar Petrochemical, Atofina, and Qatar Petroleum had announced the construction of a 450,000 MT/year polyethylene plant. The scheduled completion date for the project is 2007. QAPCO will own 63%, Atofina will own 36%, and QP will own 1% of Qa tofin.
DuPont Dow appoints John Lewis as new CEO
DuPont Dow Elastomers announced that John R. “Jack” Lewis will become President and Chief Executive Officer of the global joint venture between The Dow Chemical Company and The DuPont Company, succeeding Theo G. Krapels, who retired after 30 years of service.
Lewis, currently Vice President, Asia Growth Initiatives, DuPont Performance Coatings, assumes the position effective September 15, 2003.
Lewis joined DuPont in 1965 as a chemist and in his 38 year career with DuPont held a variety of key management assignments including leadership roles in DuPont Engineering Polymers and DuPont Performance Coatings strategic business units in both the US and Europe. His recent roles included Vice President and General Manager for Europe/Asia, Global Director Automotive Finishes and Director of Engineering Materials for Engineering Polymers.
Comments: DuPont Dow is a joint venture formed by combining the elastomer divisions in 1994. DuPont brought the existing elastomer businesses with Dow contributing the ethylene elastomers. DuPont Dow is the first organization formed totally based on elastomer product portfolio.
The original CEO, Chris Pappas was credited with the vision of innovative ethylene elastomers sold under the trade name of ENGAGE® produced with the Insite metallocene technology from Dow. The product with an overlap with AFFINITY® grades of Dow was focused on applications other than packaging.
DuPont Dow, with its unique culture of its own, has demonstrated an excellent performance in both product and market development. Currently DuPont Dow is probably one of the few organization that comes close to being an ideal elastomer company.
DuPont Textiles & Interiors becomes Invista
DuPont Textiles & Interiors (DTI), a wholly owned subsidiary of DuPont has announced that it will be called INVISTA. The name change represents the company’s next step toward separating from its parent company and crystallizing its distinct, independent corporate identity.
According to the president of DTI, INVISTA will start life as the world’s largest integrated fibers and intermediates company with more than $6.3 billion in revenue, 18,000 employees and a presence in 86 countries.
The new name will be accompanied by a linking line — “Built on DuPont Innovation” — to underscore the company’s heritage, and a tagline — “Step Forward” – which reflects the promise of the future.
Comment: DuPont Textiles, has recently been in news as a potential candidate for acquisition by Koch chemicals. The DuPont Textiles has a full portfolio of products ranging from elastomeric, tough and commodity fibers
Germany to recycle HDPE automotive fuel tanks
Discarded plastic automotive fuel tanks (HDPE-EVOH-HDPE) extruded structures typically soak up to 3 to 5% of their weight of gasoline during their life time. The new technology addresses techniques for removal of fuel from the waste HDPE through the use of a high pressure process.
According to the new separation process invented at the Fraunhofer Institute for Chemical Technology, the shredded fuel tanks are placed in pressurized vessels and diffused with carbon dioxide gas. At a specific pressure and temperature, the gas acts as a highly efficient solvent, extracting the fuel that has infiltrated the plastic. The gas is then pumped round a circuit, and the pressure is reduced releasing the fuel. The extraction process can be combined with extrusion in which the operation is performed on the remelted bulk plastic shortly before it is shaped.
Comments: HDPE fuel tanks have long been attractive to the automotive industry because of their light weight. The poor barrier properties of HDPE have always presented a problem. The automotive HDPE fuel tank was developed based on a sandwich structure of EVOH as the core layer to provide better barrier properties. Hence recycling to base PE is not an option.
However the technique will have extensive applications in degassing the used polymers of any hydrocarbon residues.
Sabic considers polyolefin expansion plan
Sabic EuroPetrochemicals plans to make a final decision within a few months on a major cracker extension at its Geleen site to serve as a feedstock for further polyolefin expansions. The cracker option selected would cost E500 million and increase about 550,000 MT/year of ethylene capacity through the addition of four furnaces.
According to the company, new derivative plants could include an LDPE plant at Geleen and PP at Geleen or Gelsenkirchen, and that completion of the project could take as long as five years.
Comments: The recent announcement to expand its Geleen cracker facility seems to be in line with its strategy to increase its presence outside of the Middle East. From almost nowhere, SABIC has climbed the ranks to become the 3rd and 4th largest global supplier of polyethylene and polypropylene, respectively.
Last year the acquisition of DSM’s petrochemicals division, including DSM’s polyolefins businesses and related process technologies undoubtedly strengthened SABIC’s position in the polyolefins industry. Since the acquisition, SABIC has been working diligently to integrate the new component and to further strengthen its European position. As part of this effort, it has already commissioned the opening of a new PP plant in Europe, the PPF6 polypropylene plant of SABIC Europe in Geleen, the Netherlands.
SABIC has also acquired Owens Corning’s 50% share in StaMax BV, a producer of long glass fiber polypropylene composite material. To manage all its European activities in a seamless manner, SABIC has moved its European headquarters from London, UK to Sittard, The Netherlands. The new headquarters is responsible for all of SABIC’s chemicals and polymers businessin Europe. SABIC has been making great strides in the world of polyolefins in recent years and shows no signs of slowing down.
Pliant Corporation to hire new CEO
Mr. Jack Knott, the CEO of Pliant Corp. (Schaumburg, IL) is leaving the organization. The company’s board member Edward Lapekas will take over till a new CEO is found.
Knott, who had been the CEO since its formation in 2002, stepped down due to the company’s poor performance. According to Lapekas, his role is to “steady the ship” while the board finds a permanent leader. Pliant is one of North America’s leading manufacturers of value-added films and flexible packaging for food, personal care, medical, agricultural and industrial applications.
Comments: Jack Knott has an excellent reputation in the polyolefins industry. Mr. Knott was the president of Rexene Corporation and its subsidiary CT Films, till both the organizations were acquired by Huntsman Packaging. Jack Knott served as the president of Huntsman Packaging till 2002. In 2002 he was appointed the CEO of Pliant Corporation (A private investment group that acquired the Huntsman Packaging).
The state of the current economy, increasing competition from China and the Far East, and increasing costs have all took their toll on Pliant Corporation’s current problems. As is common in the industry, the Buck stops with the CEO and CEO takes the credit and faces the consequences.
Fire at ExxonMobil’s Baton Rouge refinery
Pipes carrying gasoline components at the ExxonMobil refinery at Baton Rouge, LA caught fire on September 2, 2003. According to the company, it did not affect production.
The fire was extinguished an hour later, and there were no injuries and the cause of the fire is under investigation. Production at Baton Rouge includes olefins, polyolefins, aromatics, alcohols, and ethylene propylene diene monomer rubber.
Comments: The fire had no impact on the polyolefins supply/demand balance.
W.R. Grace receives another extension for reorganization by six months
W. R. Grace received approval from US bankruptcy court in Wilmington, DE to extend the “exclusive period” for its Chapter 11 reorganization by six more months. The reorganization period has been extended to February 1, 2004.
The company has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in April 2001, and it has received five extensions so far including this one.
Comments: The Company had filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy due to the losses related to asbestos litigation. WR Grace declared the first bankruptcy in circa April 2001. The creditors have been waiting since then to get paid. WR Grace essentially classified its creditors based on the criticality to their operations and made independent arrangements with the critical creditors.
All the others have left to fend themselves. The business, unrelated to Asbestos operations had very little impact on a day to day basis, except paying the outstanding loans.
China imposes more dumping duties
The Ministry of Commerce in China has decided to take anti-dumping action against Russian, South Korean and Japanese styrene butadiene rubber producers. According to the ministry, the importers of SB rubber from the three nations will have to pay anti-dumping duties to Chinese customs agents, effective immediately. The dumping margins reach levels as high as 38 per cent.
The Chinese government has also warned the Japan Chemical Industry Association that it is considering an investigation into possible dumping of polypropylene and styrene in China by Japanese suppliers.
Comments: This is a significant move on the part of China. China has been the country of focus for dumping by most major countries including North America. China’s entry into WTO recently should change some of the activities.
Ticona’s Celstran & Riteflex thermoplastic elastomers improve small engine gas cap properties
Thermotech, the producer of gas caps for small engines switched to Celstran® PP-GF40 long fiber-reinforced thermoplastic (LFRT) in order to meet the increased impact strength requirements. Celstran® LFRT, which is made by Ticona, the technical polymers business of Celanese AG exhibited the best combination of strength, fuel resistance, appearance and economics versus the other resins evaluated
Thermotech also changed the material used in the gasket from melt-processable rubber to Riteflex® 655 thermoplastic polyester elastomer (TPE), a Ticona material with a Shore hardness of 55, to limit swelling resulting from repeated exposure to gasoline. If the gasket expands too much, it can restrict the flow of air into the tank as fuel is drawn into the engine.
According to Thermotech, Celstran® LFRT grade having a polypropylene matrix reinforced with 40 percent long glass fibers has several advantages such as impact strength, lower price (at least 25% below that of most impact-modified engineering resins), an uniform, somewhat-textured black surface, and good dimensional stability.
Bayer to introduce new technologies for the colorful design of thermoplastic parts
Bayer Polymers has announced its plan to market a range of a range of new technologies under the name Fantasia for the design of thermoplastic parts. According to the company, Fantasia will open up opportunities for designers to add color into plastics. The different technologies under Fantasia include: (1) Aura, (2) Imagio, (3) Faria, (4) Milena, and (5) Leda.
Aura is a dip-dye process in which colorless plastic parts can be colored by briefly dipping them in a warm solution of dye, regardless of whether the parts are transparent, translucent or opaque. The dye penetrates into the plastic so that the part keeps its color even if it gets scratched, and the dye solution can be changed quickly and inexpensively during production, making the process ideal for producing small runs with very individual coloring.
Imagio is a coating technology that would yield painted finishes along with look-and-feel effects like soft-touch. Faria is a coloring process based on technology of film insert molding, which enables the decorative surface to be changed from one component to the next, quickly and at low cost. The visible surface of the part is a plastic film printed from the back, which is formed and then reinforced with a plastic backing. Faria allows designers to add a soft touch feel to their products, and also allow them to generate a fabric feel, with effects such as denim, red velvet, and chrome. Milena is a palette of specialty dyes that are added to the plastic before extrusion or injection molding. Their main field of application to date is optical data storage media.
Finally, the Leda label covers compounded plastic granules with a variety of color and special effects (metallic, metal flakes, fluorescence, edge glow etc.).
Iran based Sazeh and German firm Uhde to construct PVC complex in Iran
German’s Uhde and the Iranian company Sazeh have signed an agreement for the construction of a PVC complex. National Petrochemical Company (NPC) will construct the PVC complex in Bandar Imam Special Economic Zone.
The plant is expected to produce 570,000 MT/year of chlorine annually from which 160,000 MT/year will be used to feed Ghadir, Khuzestan and Karoun petrochemical units and the remaining 410,000 MT/year will be used as EDC/VCM input.
The plant will produce 300,000 MT/year suspension PVC, 40,000 MT/year emulsion PVC, 267,300 MT/year ethylene dichloride and 643,000 MT/year caustic soda. The project is schedule to start in 3 years with an investment of €458 million.
Comments: Japanese firm Toyo Engineering and South Korean company LG Corporation had placed their bids including Uhde for the construction of the PVC plant in Iran.
Degussa to build superabsorbent polymers (SAP) plant in Brazil
Degussa AG has announced that it will begin construction of a new superabsorbent polymers (SAP) plant in Brazil in mid-2004. The construction will cost Degussa $60 million and the production capacity is expected to be enough to cater to the South American demand.
Comments: Super Absorbent Polymers (SAPs) are crosslinked polyacrylate powdered granules that are capable of absorbing large amounts of solution (30-50 times its own weight). This property makes them ideally suited for end use applications that include: (1) baby diapers, (2) adult incontinence products (3) feminine care products, (4) medical and miscellaneous applications. SAPs have shown healthy global growth rates close to 8%.
These higher growth rate are attributed to two main reasons namely (1) significant growth in the baby diaper markets in most developing countries and (2) increased trend in making thinner lightweight products which increases the amount of SAPs used in a diaper. Adult and feminine care products have shown steady moderate growth in these regions. Stockhausen (subsidiary of Degussa), BASF, Dow and Nippon are the leading suppliers of SAP globally.
Formosa had recently announced its plans to construct SAP plant in China. In order to capture the growing market, Degussa also has announced its plan to construct SAP plant in South America.
StoHaas Monomer, a joint venture between the Degussa Hüls AG subsidiary Stockhausen GmbH & Co. and the Rohm and Haas Company is planning to construct an acrylic acid plant in Brazil which would provide a secure source of raw materials for the manufacture of superabsorbent polymers.
Kureha develops new gas-barrier biodegradable resin
Kureha Chemical has announced that it is developing the biodegradable polymer polyglycolic acid (PGA) as a gas-barrier resin in polyethylene terephthalate bottles.
According to the company, PGA is currently at the final stage of development, and it has already set up a pilot plant with a production capacity of 10 tons/month since Sept. 2002. Kureha is developing a multilayer structure with PGA as the middle layer. If the plans are successful, the company plans to spend about ¥10 billion ($85 million) to build a 10,000 MT/year PGA plant for startup in 2006.
Comments: Kureha has adopted “selection and concentration strategy” and decided to focus on global business expansion of high-barrier packaging materials. Under this project, the company is focusing on products including: (1) Krehalon® (poly-vinylidene chloride), (2) Besela® (acrylic-coat film), (3) ML series film (ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer based high-barrier shrinkable multi-layer film), and (4) PGA (polyglycolic acid resin).
The company claims that the developmental polyglycolic acid (PGA) resin provides 10-fold greater oxygen barrier than MXD6 amorphous nylon. PGA is produced from glycolic acid which is the first member of the alpha hydroxyl acid family of carboxylic acids. Lactic acid is also another alpha hydroxyl acid which is used to manufacture polylactic acid based biodegradable polymers.
British Vita acquires compounding business of French company Polytex SAS
British Vita has announced the acquisition of the thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) compounding business of Polytex SAS, based near Bordeaux, France. The cost of the transaction was €0.7 million and was financed from existing facilities.
In 2002 Polytex had sales of €2.5m with the business primarily focused on “clean-room” compounds for the medical device market.
Comments: British Vita Plc has three main divisions: (1) Cellular Foams, (2) Industrial Polymers, and (3) Nonwovens. This acquisition is a part of its industrial division which includes compounding operations for different applications including automotive high-performance materials, marine and undersea pipeline applications, specialist stationery and packaging solutions, and others. This acquisition is the result of the company’s strategy to focus on TPEs. Within the TPE sector, Vita views thermoplastic vulcanizates (TPVs) as a key target area.
The company is growing very fast through acquisitions and capacity expansions. In April this year, the company acquired Synco SpA, a color and additive masterbatch producer in Campi Bisenzio, Italy, for $2.1 million in cash. The company also started its first liquid compound production facility in Wroclaw, Poland, that produces PVC plastisols, adhesive products and latex compounds for the lamination, wall covering and automotive markets.
British Vita also commissioned a new compounding facility in Malaysia for the compounding of polypropylene, ABS, polycarbonate and polyamide compounds. In 2002, the company acquired Swedish compounder Nolato Elastoteknik AB, which has three lines producing TPE compounds primarily for injection molded components for the medical, electronics and automotive sectors.
Pechiney accepts new Alcan offer to takeover
Alcan’s takeover of Pechiney forged ahead following Pechiney’s decision to accept a revised offer. Alcan’s new offer is a cash/share offer up to €48.5, consisting of €47.5 a share plus a €1 a share supplement if the tender results reach at least 95%.
The deal is still yet to be approved from competition authorities in Europe and the US before it can be completed. Even though the merger will create one of the largest global packaging groups, the authorities are more likely to be concerned with the two companies’ considerable aluminum interests.
Alcan Packaging has annual revenues of around $2.8 billion, 41% of which comes from paper and plastics packaging. Pechiney’s Plastic Packaging division operates 28 flexible and bottle plants in the Americas, Europe and Australasia, employing 4,000 people. Packaging contributed €129 million to Pechiney’s results in 2002.
Comments:The negotiations between Alcan & Pechiney have been going on since last two-three months. In July, Pechiney had rejected Alcan’s €3.4 billion take-over offer saying it was undervalued. Finally Pechiney accepted Alcan’s €4 billion offer after it was raised.
Alcan’s takeover of Pechiney would create the world’s largest aluminum company in terms of revenue, with some €20.6 billion (US$22.9 billion) in annual sales, surpassing US-based Alcoa, which had revenues of about €18 billion (US$20 billion) in 2002. In 2000, a three-way merger between Alcan, Pechiney and Alusuisse was scrapped just before it was due to be rejected by the EU executive.
Pechiney’s main operating companies include: (1) Pechiney Plastic Packaging, (2) Pechiney Flexibles Europe, (3) Soplaril, (4) Cebak, and (5) Techpak International. Alcan Packaging includes the former Lawson Mardon and Wheaton, and it recently acquired VAW FlexPac.
Investment projects in China make steady progress
Several multinational chemical companies continue to invest heavily into China.
Shell Chemicals and China National Offshore Oil Corp. (CNOOC) broke ground earlier this year on its Nanhai project to construct an 800,000 MT/year ethylene plant and downstream units, at Daya Bay near Huizhou.
The Chinese government approved for Sinopec, ExxonMobil Chemical, and Saudi Aramco to launch a feasibility study for a 50-25-25 joint venture to build an 800,000 MT/year ethylene plant and downstream units at Hui An. The companies also plan to expand Sinopec’s refinery at nearby Quangang.
LG Chem is constructing a chlor-alkali and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) complex that will be integrated with the Hui An cracker, as part of a plan to increase LG’s PVC capacity in China from 340,000 MT/year to 1.1 million MT/year, by 2010.
Construction has started on Sinopec’s separate petrochemical joint ventures with BASF at Nanjing and BP at the Shanghai Chemical Industry Park (Caojing). The BASF-Sinopec complex will be based on a 600,000-m.t./year ethylene plant, and the BP-Sinopec complex on a 900,000-m.t./year ethylene unit.
The companies are also considering construction of grassroots plant. BP is considering building another grassroots ethylene plant for completion in about 2012. Dow Chemical is awaiting approval from the government to begin the feasibility study of a complex based on a 900,000 MT/year ethylene plant.
European Commission urged to lift phthalates ban
The phthalates industry group, The European Council for Plasticizers and Intermediates (ECPI) has asked the European Commission to lift a European Union (EU) ban on the use of six phthalate based plasticizers in soft polyvinyl chloride (PVC) toys.
The commission has imposed 15 consecutive three-month bans on the phthalates in such toys since 1999. According to ECPI, there is no longer any reason to ban phthalates on health grounds. It cites a recent draft risk assessment by the EU Consumer Product Safety Commission, which found that diisononyl phthalate (DINP) used in soft PVC toys poses “no demonstrated health risk” to children.
Comments: The six phthalates that are banned by the EU include: (1) di-isononyl phthalate (DINP), (2) di-2-ethyl hexyl phthalate (DEHP), (3) di-n-octyl phthalate (DNOP), (4) diisodecyl phthalate (DIDP), (5) butylbenzyl phthalate (BBP) and (6) di-butyl phthalate (DBP).
In December 1999, the European Commission introduced an emergency banprohibiting the sale of soft PVC toys and childcare articles designed to be sucked by children under three years old and contain more than 0.1% by weight of one or more of the six phthalates.
Based in Brussels, Belgium, ECPI is an organization of European manufacturers of plasticizers, alcohols and acids, consisting of 11 member companies.
EU is currently undergoing an assessment study of five phthalates, commonly used as plasticizers in PVC, to determine whether they pose any risk to human health or the environment. It recently completed the technical assessments on three of the five phthalates, according to which DINP and DIDP show no risks to human health or the environment for any current use. DBP shows some potential risk to plants in the vicinity of processing sites and possibly to workers through inhalation. However, in both cases, simple measures can be implemented wherever they do not already exist.
The risk assessments for DEHP and BBP remain open as scientific data is still being considered by EU.
The concept was that once used they could be flushed down the drain with water. However, due to low bulk density, polystyrene foam peanut replacement is complicated by logistics issues– too expensive to ship.
The other attempts to manufacture disposable spoons and forks resulted in breakage and potential child/simple-minded adult endangerment due to accidental swallowing – the same problem currently faced by most biodegradable plastics.
California imposes ban on brominated flame retardants
California Governor, Gray Davis signed the legislation to ban two polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) flame retardants by 2008.
The ban would start on January 1, 2008, a compromise date set by the chemical industry and California state legislators. California is the first U.S. state to ban the products, penta-BDE and octa-BDE; Massachusetts legislators will consider a similar ban later this month.
California is following the lead of the European Union, which imposed a similar ban this year, prompted by a Swedish study that reported the levels of the chemicals in breast milk in Sweden had increased fortyfold from 1972 to 1997. China and South Korea are considering bans.
The chemicals, developed in the 1960s, are found in the plastics and foams used in furniture and electronic equipment.
Comments: There are different types of brominated flame-retardants including: (1) polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), (2) polybrominated biphenyls, (3) tetrabromobisphenol A products, (4) hexabromocyclododecane, (5) tetrabromophthalic anhydride products, and (6) brominated styrene products
PBDEs include: (1) decabromodiphenyl ether (deca-BDE), (2) octabromodiphenyl ether (octa-BDE), and (3) pentabromodiphenyl ether (penta-BDE).
Brominated flame retardants are widely used in several applications including: (1) printed circuit boards, (2) TV and computer casings, (3) transportation, (4) construction, (5) textile, (6) polyurethane foam and others.
There has been a constant environmental pressure on brominated flame retardants, and many end users have been working to replace them. In the last few years, the flame retardant producers have increased their product portfolio to incorporate different types of flame retardants, especially non-halogenated flame retardants. California is the first US state to ban the brominated flame retardants.
FlexPO2003 – First Impressions
Chemical Market Resources, Inc. successfully completed the FlexPO2003 – eighth international conference on polyolefins and elastomers held on Sept 17-19th at Galveston/Houston, TX.
The conference attendance was well over 25% compared to 2002. With a variety of presentations, table top exhibits and in-depth discussions, the conference provided a much needed platform for the polyolefins and elastomer industry.
The keynote presentations by Ms. Diane Sexton of Dow Chemical Company and Mr. Rick Fontenot of Equistar Chemical Company brought the conference to the focus on: (1) the need for continuing innovation in polyolefins and (2) the new directions for Polypropylene.
Mr. Lane Sloan, the ex-CEO of Shell Chemical Company elaborated the philosophical differences between the chemical companies with oil company parentage versus non-oil company parentage.
The panel discussion moderated by Mr. Frank Esposito on the role of compounders was well received by the audience as well as the panel members including: (1) Dr. Satchit Srinivasan – Solvay Engineered Polymers, (2) Dr. Deen Chundury, Ferro Corporation, (3) Mr. Anthony Bernardo, Alloy Polymers and (4) Mr. Mark Bruner, MB Consulting.
The session on the new directions for polypropylene to polystyrene markets was especially well presented by Mr. Joe Schardl of AtoFina. His illustration of how Dustin Hoffman’s statement “Plastics!” in the 1967 Graduate movie was originally “Polystyrene” was presented with the old film cuts. The newer version of the same scene was presented with “Polypropylene!” to illustrate the new direction of Polypropylene.
The highlight of the afternoon session was the presentation from Dr. Deepak Parikh on his personal experiences in market development for polyolefins and elastomers in the Far East.
The SB copolymer session brought together most of the Global SB copolymer producers in one place. The potential sale of Kraton Polymers was discussed at length.
The catalyst session presented the most recent developments in catalyst technology and markets.
All of the attendees of the FlexPO2003 conference enjoyed the intellectual interactions. For further information on the CD version of the proceedings, please call us at 281-333-3313.
Look forward to seeing you at the FlexPO2004 to be held Sept 15-17, 2004 – Mark Your Calendars.
Contact us at ADI Chemical Market Resources to learn how we can help.