Industry: Refining & fuels

Polymer-Chemie launches expansion of Russian plant German plastics compounder Polymer-Chemie has formally launched the first expansion phase of the compounding plant of Tula Polymer, its Russian production subsidiary in Russia’s Tula region. Stage one of the project was formally inaugurated in the presence of top company, regional and municipal officials on 8 April. The compounder […]

ExxonMobil, Sabic choose new JV site Saudi Basic Industries Corp. (Sabic) and ExxonMobil Chemical Co. have selected Al-Jubail, Saudi Arabia, as the location of a new joint venture plant that will include plastic production. In a March 1 news release, officials with Riyadh, Saudi Arabia-based Sabic and ExxonMobil of Houston said they selected the site […]

Honam Petrochemical Corp to establish PP manufacturing facility in Auburn Honam Petrochemical Corporation is to establish a manufacturing facility for polypropylene resin materials in Auburn, its first US manufacturing operation. HPM Alabama Corporation will initially invest an estimated US$9.25 million dollars and create 30 jobs by next year. HPM will also collaborate with Auburn University […]

Today the Wall Street Journal published a great piece on efforts by leading automakers such as Honda, Nissan, and General Motors to develop cheap cars for China’s millions.  These auto industry leaders are all collaborating with local, often state-owned Chinese companies to develop and produce cheap, small cars costing anywhere from $4,000 to $14,000.  While pessimists […]

AMERICAS Nova selling its stake in Ineos Nova joint venture Nova Chemical Corporation has sold its 50 percent stake in the Ineos-Nova polystyrene joint venture to its partner Ineos Group for an undisclosed price. Nova confirmed the sale on November 12 in its third-quarter earnings report. Nova and Ineos already had a similar JV in […]

AMERICAS DAK Americas buying Eastman’s PET business for USD 600 million Eastman Chemical Co. has agreed to sell its integrated PTA and PET resin business to DAK Americas LLC, owned by Alpek, a division of Mexican conglomerate Alfa SAB de CV, for USD 600 million in cash. The transaction is expected to be completed in […]

AMERICAS LyondellBasell approved for NYSE listing LyondellBasell’s shares of its common stock are expected to begin trading on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) on October 14. Class A ordinary shares will trade under the symbol LYB and Class B ordinary shares under the LYB.B symbol. The company was de-listed from the NYSE after the […]

COAL Sinopec to build coal-based MTO project in China China Petroleum and Chemical Corporation (Sinopec), the second largest oil and natural gas producer in China entered an agreement with the government of Hebi city in China’s central Henan province to jointly develop a 1.8 million ton per year coal-based methanol to olefin (MTO) project. Sinopec […]

AMERICAS Dow to test plastic waste as a fuel source Dow Chemical Co. will run a one-day pilot test to analyze if plastic waste can be used as fuel in its operations. The trial will take place by the end of July at Dow’s headquarters site. Plastics of all shapes, sizes, and resin types will […]

AMERICAS BP oil leak in Gulf of Mexico – Updates After a series of unsuccessful efforts, BP has made some headway in containing the oil spilling out of a well at a depth of 5,000 feet in the Gulf of Mexico. Following the failed “top kill” operation, BP deployed the lower-marine-riser-package (LMRP) cap containment system, […]

AMERICAS PolyOne and Kautex introduce multilayer TPE technology PolyOne Corp. has introduced technology that allows extrusion blow molders to make co-extruded high-density polyethylene bottles layered with thermoplastic elastomers (TPE). PolyOne’s GLS Thermoplastic Elastomers unit unveiled the technology, which it co-developed with Kautex Maschinenbau GmbH. The new process can be used with traditional or recycled HDPE, […]

AMERICAS U.S plastic bag update U.S. to levy fees on bags from Vietnam, Taiwan, Indonesia The U.S. government plans to impose final duties of up to nearly 96 percent on plastic shopping bags from Indonesia, Vietnam, and Taiwan. The rulings from the Department of Commerce impose specific penalties on 18 companies from Vietnam, two from […]