Plastic petrochemicals recycling polymers 12-11-2018 - Arhive
-Asia petrochemicals outlook, w/c Nov 12
The Asian petrochemicals market continues to be impacted by US-China trade tensions this week after paraxylene, purified terephthalic acid and polyethylene posted price declines last week while butadiene and ethylene posted modest gains ahead of seasonal spot buying in December.
Sentiment in the Asian ethylene market was expected to turn bearish this week after prices rebounded $20-$25/mt day on day Friday as additional spot cargoes were expected to be offered for December business. The operating rates of naphtha-fed steam crackers in Asia were expected to remain high, while the price spread between ethylene and naphtha has started to widen.
The ethylene-naphtha price spread rose $33.75/mt day on day to be calculated at $396.63/mt last Friday, remaining above the typical breakeven spread of $350/mt, S&P Global Platts data showed.
-Crude Oil Prices Trend
-Polymers PET Nylon Petrochemicals Prices
-Now Plastics Introduces 60 to 90% Post-Consumer Recycled (PCR) PET Films
Groundbreaking New Product Offers Reduced Environmental Impact and Lower Costs
Now Plastics, one of the largest suppliers of films and aluminum foil, is now offering post-consumer recycled (PCR) PET films made from 60 to 90% PCR PET resin, it was announced today.
This groundbreaking line of products uses an extremely high content of recycled PET materials which have been fully sanitized and reconfigured into film grade resin, making it environmentally sensitive and 100% compliant with sustainability requirements.
-Benzene 2019 onwards – growth in key derivatives to provide some outlet for additional supply
Investment and new capacity in paraxylene (PX) will result in more supply of by-product benzene, but that extra volume will have additional outlets in some key derivative sectors.
Speaking at the 17th World Aromatics and Derivatives Conference in Amsterdam this week,Rob Peacock, Consultant at ICIS,said growth downstream would help absorb some of the additional benzene and that indeed extra benzene was needed.
– Over 600,000 tonnes of surplus benzene could come onstream by 2022
– MDI and CX markets show fast growth levels
– Growing population contributing to ongoing strength in PX demand
Peacock said that from 2019 onwards there would be investments in aromatics and new supply in BTX (benzene, toluene, xylene) from new refineries and refinery upgrades, as well as additional naphtha crackers.
-Saudis Study Potential OPEC Collapse
Saudi Arabia is studying the theoretical dissolution of OPEC, the Wall Street Journal reports, citing sources from government think-tank King Abdullah Petroleum Studies and Research Center, which is in charge of the study.
The cartel has gone through a turbulent couple of years after the 2014 price collapse, when its pump-to-the-max strategy failed to bring down U.S. shale producers and only caused a glut that hurt OPEC members themselves.
-APLA ’18: Braskem Idesa ethane contract with Mexico’s Pemex ‘robust’ – Idesa CEO
Braskem Idesa’s supply contract with Mexico’s Pemex is solid and not likely to be changed, the CEO of Grupo Idesa said on Sunday.
“The government likes the investment we made[in Braskem Idesa]. The contract is very robust. There is no signal at all from the government or from Pemex questioning it. They realise this is a huge investment with all the benefits for Mexico,” said Jose Luis Uriegas,CEO of Grupo Idesa.
Uriegas spoke to ICIS on the sidelines of the annual meeting of the Latin American Petrochemical Association (APLA).
One major benefit to Mexico is that $1.2bn-$1.4 bn of annual polyethylene (PE)imports have been substituted by local product produced by Braskem Idesa in Coatzacoalcos,Mexico, he added.
In previous media reports, officials in the coming new administration in Mexico had indicated it would review the ethane supply contract with Braskem Idesa.
-The UK’s largest packaging event unveils plans for 2019 event
James Drake-Brockman, Divisional Director of Easyfairs’ Packaging Portfolio, offers a first look at Packaging Innovations, Empack and Label&Print 2019 and discusses why it is a must-attend for all packaging professionals when it returns to Birmingham’s NEC on 27 & 28 February 2019.
Why should Packaging Innovations be marked in all packaging professionals’ calendar?
The Packaging Innovations, Empack and Label&Print shows have always served two main purposes. Firstly, we want to provide a place for suppliers and the procurement community to meet, network and do business.
-LANXESS Increases Prices for Engineering Plastics
LANXESS is raising its prices due to the increasing raw material costs with immediate effect for its engineering plastics of the brands Durethan A (polyamide 6.6) and Pocan (polybutylene terephthalate PBT, blends).
LANXESS is raising its prices due to the increasing raw material costs with immediate effect for its engineering plastics of the brands Durethan A (polyamide 6.6) and Pocan (polybutylene terephthalate PBT, blends).
-Global Geopolitical Series: U.S. initiates investigations on polyester yarns from China and India
In a continuation of the toughened stance against trade practices, even after the Mid-term outcome, the U.S. Commerce Department has initiated investigations on imports certain Chinese and Indian goods.
Yesterday, the Commerce Department announced that it is looking into imports of polyester textured yarn from China &India, as a petition was filed by a group of companies; Unifi Manufacturing, Inc. and Nan Ya Plastics Corp. America.
-PEF compliance for Radigreen® synthetic turf yarn study
Environmental impact study validated by Certiquality
Certiquality has recently issued a Product Environmental Footprint (PEF) Statement of Compliance to Tessiture Pietro Radici for its Radigreen® MFL PE, a yarn ideal for the manufacture of synthetic turf. In line with the RadiciGroup sustainability strategy (the first Group PEF certification dates back to 2013), Tessiture Pietro Radici, a Group company engaged in the production of artificial grass yarn, decided to pursue the approach of voluntary environmental impact measurement of its products.
The PEF Statement of Compliance refers to a study of the entire yarn production process – from the extraction of crude oil to the production of polyethylene polymer (used as raw material for the process), down to the manufacture of yarn ready for delivery to customers.
-Cleantech startup programs bacteria to turn table waste into bioplastics
Genecis Bioindustries contributes to a greener economy by making PHAs a feasible alternative to conventional plastics
‘We program bacteria to convert low-value waste into high-value materials,’ says Luna Yu ,CEO and founder of Genecis Bioindustries Inc. in Toronto.
Soon your table scraps could turn from trash to plastic bottles, medical equipment or 3D-printing filament. One Canadian small business is using clean technology to turn carbon-packed food waste into biodegradable plastic.
Founded in 2016, Genecis Bioindustries Inc. is a biotechnology company that uses “recipes of bacteria” to turn food waste into polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs), a high-quality bioplastic.
-PPRCE 2018: Asia’s uncertain future
Panelists examine the future of paper and plastics scrap trade with Asia.
The volume of China’s recovered fiber and plastic scrap imports have changed dramatically within the last year.
Speakers during the session An Uncertain Future in Asia at the Paper & Plastics Recycling Conference Europe shared the impact of these changes on their businesses as well as their forecasts for scrap trade with Asia going forward.
“I don’t need to tell you that it’s been a turbulent year and a year of change,” said Lydia Burchnall, purchasing manager for the Cycle Link UK subsidiary of Hong Kong-based Cycle Link International Holdings Ltd., the buying arm for Chinese paper manufacturer Shanying International Holdings Co. Ltd.
-Kenya eyes law to promote recycling of plastics bottles
Kenya is developing a legal framework to promote recycling of PET bottles.
Ministry of Environment and Forestry cabinet secretary Keriako Tobiko said his ministry is in the process of finalizing the Waste Management Bill and Policy.
Speaking at an environmental forum in Nairobi, Tobiko said the plan is to encourage as many manufactures as possible to partner with the government to improve disposal and recycling of plastic bottles.
-Hanoi strives to reduce plastic use
Hanoi – Hanoi aims to reduce the use of plastic bags in the traditional markets, supermarkets and trade centres to protect the environment as well as ensure the sustainability of the ecosystem.
This is the action plan of the Hanoi People’s Committee that aims to implement the sustainable production and consumption programme
-Tekni-Plex acquires Belgian PE packaging manufacturer Beyers Plastics
Packaging materials manufacturer Tekni-Plex has completed the acquisition of Belgium-based extruder and converter of polyethylene (PE) film Beyers Plastics from investment company Famo.
Established in 1970, Beyers Plastics provides flexible packaging solutions to pharmaceutical companies and other blue-chip companies in various industries. by 2020.
-Third quarter brings plastic exports strife
Containers stacked at the Kwai Tsing port in Hong Kong.Southeast Asian countries continue to place restrictions on scrap plastic imports, affecting movement from U.S. ports.
The U.S. Census Bureau released September trade figures last week. Here, Plastics Recycling Update presents some of the top importing countries of U.S. recyclables during the third quarter of the year.
Plastics Recycling Update previously reported on the top second-quarter export destinations for plastics.
-Why are people afraid of waste-to-energy technology?
Given that plastic has a much greater British thermal unit (BTU) value than coal pound-for-pound, it would seem that waste-to-energy (WTE) would be a viable method for ridding the world of plastic waste.
You would think that it’s ultimately more environmentally friendly than collecting, transporting, sorting, cleaning, baling, more transporting, grinding and reprocessing plastic waste
-New LaserProFusion additive manufacturing technology claims to rival injection molding
Industrial 3D-printing systems maker EOS (Krailling, Germany) announced today that it will introduce a “revolutionary technology for polymer additive manufacturing” at formnext 2018.
The company claims that the process can replace injection molding in a number of applications. Formnext comes to Frankfurt, Germany, on Nov. 13 to 16.
EOS’ new LaserProFusion technology employs nearly one million diode lasers to melt the material and additively build parts instead of having a single CO2 laser move back and forth, as is customary in laser sintering.
-National Graphene Assn. partners with Graphene Engineering Innovation Centre
The purpose of the GEIC is to foster the commercialization of graphene by providing a cutting edge international research and technology facility.
The chemicals industry cannot simply carry on using toxic materials in its products, however safely it manages them
It is readily apparent, to people who take the time to think about it, that the way in which the global chemistry enterprise operates is completely unsustainable.
From the use of fossil carbon in the form of petroleum and natural gas, to the routine use of extremely rare elements for catalysis, electronics and other applications, the industry will be existing on borrowed time if it continues to carry on with a ‘business as usual’ mentality.
-Scientists design fabrics that can store charge for smart clothes
The method uses a micro-supercapacitor and combines vapour-coated conductive threads with a polymer film
Scientists have developed a method that can allow fabrics to store charge, paving the way for self-powered smart garments that can monitor health in real time.
-Arab producers pushing for unachievable targets – Lack of investments a drawback
Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) last week announced its objective to increase its crude oil production to four million barrels by the end of 2020, and to five million barrels by 2030 at a cost of $130 billion.
With its current production level being close to three million barrels, it means ADNOC must produce an additional one million barrels in the coming two years.
Kamel Al-Harami
-Major oil producers to consider cuts after price slide Crude oil producers price slide
Oil prices shed a fifth of their value in just one month after surging to a four-year high in early October
Energy ministers of top producers Russia and Saudi Arabia will join other OPEC and non-OPEC officials for the meeting of the Joint Ministerial Monitoring Committee, which oversees production levels
DUBAI: Major oil producers meet in Abu Dhabi on Sunday to consider reverting to output cuts after a sharp slide in crude prices revived fears of a 2014-style crash.
-Octal highlights importance of competitiveness in logistics
Octal, the world’s largest PET sheet producer and leading integrated packaging company, participated in the IRU World Congress 2018, a global event for road transport, mobility and logistics, held in Oman and the Middle East for the first time, to debate the challenges within the logistics industry.
-Swiss-based Sika acquires Propex Holding’s Concrete Fibers business
Switzerland’s specialty chemical company, Sika Corp. has recently acquired Propex Holding’s Tennessee-based Concrete Fibers business, which includes a U.S. plant that manufactures synthetic fiber used in concrete reinforcement.
According to Sika spokesperson, the acquired business would be a perfect addition to the company’s concrete systems for value-added solutions required in the construction of multi-story buildings and challenging infrastructure projects.
-US Trinseo expects Europe autos, China demand to improve in’19
Trinseo expects Europeanautomobile production and Chinese demand torecover in 2019, which should benefit thecompany’s polycarbonate (PC) and acrylonitrilebutadiene styrene (ABS) businesses, the CEOsaid on Friday.
Both had fallen at the end of the thirdquarter, causing Trinseo to lower run rates atits PC operations in Germany and for Asian ABSproducers to idle capacity by 20%, said ChrisPappas, CEO. He made his statement during anearnings conference call.
-APLA ’18: US-China trade war spurs demand concerns for basicchemicals – Oxiquim
While direct impacts from the US-China trade battle have been minimal to Oxiquim, there is concern about the wider impact on basic chemicals demand, a company official said on Sunday.
Chile-based Oxiquim is a chemicals production,distribution and logistics company.
“We have not seen specific impacts on our business but our concern is whether the tariffs reduce demand and thus prices for basic raw materials and chemicals,” said Edmundo Puentes,general manager of Oxiquim.
-APLA ’18: US PVC set for growth in 2019 despite tariff headwinds
Demand growth for US polyvinyl chloride (PVC) will continue into 2019 in tandem with organic US economic growth and construction activity despite the tariff threats that have worried market participants,a plastics consultant said on Sunday.
The US economy shows no signs of slowing and construction activity is running strong, Bob Bauman of Polymer Consulting International saidon the sidelines of the annual meeting of the Latin American Petrochemical Association (APLA).
Additionally, the tariffs imposed and threatened between the US and China are of such small portions of global supply and demand as to be insignificant and the tariffs will be bypassed by the establishment of alternative trade routes, Bauman said.
