SABIC unit awarded US$400 mln contracts for new storage, handling, shipping terminal at port in Jubail

Jubail Chemicals Storage and Services Company (JCSSC), a unit of Saudi Basic Industries Corporation (SABIC) has awarded contracts for a new storage, handling and shipping terminal at King Fahd Industrrial Port in Jubail, at an estimated investment of US$400 mln.




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Uniplas Petrochemicals mulls locations besides India for US$1 bln petrochemical project

UAE-based major polymer & petrochemical trading company- Uniplas Petrochemicals Ltd is exploring the option of setting up a greenfield petrochemical complex in the PCPIR’s located either in Gujarat, OOrissa or any other PCPIR, as indicated in a letter to the Department of Chemicals.




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Thailand’s IRPC to boost propylene output by 2015

IRPC, Thailand’s fourth-largest petrochemical company is planning to invest about US$ 1 billion to expand its production capacity and thereby double its earnings over the next three years.The new petrrochemical plant, when it goes operational in 2015, will increase IRPC’s propylene production by about 80%, as per fibretofashion.




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Initiation of Sunset Review of Anti-Dumping duty on imports PVC Suspension grade

Sunset Review of Anti-Dumping duty on imports PVC Suspension Grade Resin originating in or exported from Taiwan, People’s Republic of China, Indonesia, Japan, Korea RP, Malaysia, Thailand and USA has been initiated in India.




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18 companies to ink LOI to invest in Taichung, Kaohsiung, Keelung, Hualien Harbor

Eighteen companies, including China Petrochemical Development Corp. and Kuokuang Petrochemical, will sign a letter of intent for investments with Taiwan International Ports Corp. for investing in the four major ports of Taichung, Kaohsiung, Keelung, and Hualien.




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Haldia Petrochemicals announces polymer price revisions

With effect from 16 November 2012, Haldia Petrochemicals has announced the following price changes


HDPE - Rollover

LLDPE – Rollover

PP HP – Increased by Rs. 2000/ MT

PP CP - Increased by Rs. 1



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Rotomolding market expected to show growth for 2012 after three years of declining volume

A 3% drop in the number of rotational moulders listing in Applied Market Information Ltd.’s guide to the rotational moulding industry in Europe, highlights the effects of the global economic crisis onn the European plastics industry.




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Spot olefin prices lose ground in Europe

European olefin markets moved down owing to volatile energy prices and weak downstream markets over the past week, as per ChemOrbis. Spot propylene, ethylene and styrene prices posted weekly drops undder downward pressure from scant demand and comfortable supplies despite several recent cracker outages in the region.




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Shell plans to expand petrochemicals capacity in Singapore by 20%

Royal Dutch Shell plans to increase by more than 20% the production capacity of olefins and aromatics at its petrochemicals complex in Singapore, as per Reuters. The investment outlay has not been diisclosed.




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Mitsui Chemicals mulls investment in petrochem business in USA

Mitsui Chemicals Inc. is considering investing in the U.S. petrochemical business using cheap natural gas there as a feedstock. Talks are underway with several companies.




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Saudi Polymers suspends operations at Al-Jubail for about four weeks

Saudi Polymers has suspended operations at its facilities in Al-Jubail, Saudi Arabia over the weekend, with the shutdown expected to last around four weeks, as per its parent firm The National Petrochhemical Co (Petrochem) in ICIS.




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Lackluster demand, weaker feedstock costs pull down ABS prices in Asia

ABS prices in China and Southeast Asia softened over the past week as unspectacular demand and declining feedstock costs weighed down on sentiment, as per ChemOrbis. Most players predict that ABS priices will continue to lose ground in the coming weeks as buying interest is not expected to see any major change over the coming week.




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Middle Eastern producers reveal Nov PP, PE offers in global markets

Middle Eastern producers have revealed new PP and PE offers for November in Asia and Europe amid new price announcement to the Middle Eastern markets including Turkey, Egypt and UEA, where players werre in the sidelines due to the Eid holiday last week, as per ChemOrbis.




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Indian Oil Corp has announced polymer price revision with effect from Nov 1

Indian Oil Corp has announced the following polymer price revision with effect from Nov 1, 2012:


HDPE/LLDPE: Increase of Rs 1500/MT

LBM: Rollover

PP: Increase of Rs 2000/MT





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Asian naphtha cracks ease from 6 week highs

The Asian naphtha crack eased by US$2.57 a barrel from a 1-1/2 month high to US$140.23 on Wednesday but demand for December shipments continued to be seen strong as petrochemical makers were ready to pay high premiums in a tightly supplied market, as per Reuters.




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Two new PTA plants go operational in China, lead to increased PX imports

Two new purified terephthalic acid (PTA) plants have become operational in China, which has led to a rise in demand and consequently an increase in imports of paraxylene (PX) in September 2012, as perr fibretofashion.




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Thermoplastics enabling automotive innovation

Touted as America’s most fuel-efficient five-passenger vehicle, the all-electric Ford Focus relies on its high-voltage EV battery pack to achieve an extended driving range of 76 miles, fuel economy off 105 miles per gallon equivalent (MPGe) and a fast charge time.




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Oil rises as Sandy threatens to inflict more damage inland

Oil prices rose Wednesday after a superstorm Sandy, that caused havoc across the northeastern U.S. and was threatening to inflict more damage inland. As per Economictimes, concerns about oil supplies pushed benchmark crude for December delivery up to US$85.




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Asia propylene returns to premium over ethylene

After being in negative territory for most of H2-October, Asian propylene flipped back to a premium over ethylene Tuesday, as per Platts data. Propylene prices edged up against ethylene on Tuesday to be assessed at US$1357/mt CFR China, while ethylene was assessed at US$1355/mt CFR Northeast Asia.




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How will Petronas’ exit affect PVC supply in Malaysia?

Following Petronas’ announcement that the company will exit the vinyls business by the start of 2013, players in Malaysia’s PVC market have started to speculate about the likely impact on the country’’s PVC trade balance, as per ChemOrbis.




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