ICIS - Search Articles by Date : July 07 2003 - July 13 2003

Product profile: Ammonium nitrate
Demand forecast for Europe is lacklustre, with industry rationalisation needed to pull the sector back from the doldrums more
(11 July 2003 17:15)

Contract dynamics
NWE petrochemical markets are evaluating the feasibility and success of monthly bulk chemical contracts against the traditional quarterly system..... more
(11 July 2003 17:15)

Battle for Hercules Heats Up As Critical Annual Meeting Looms
Sam Heyman reveals earlier $9 LBO offer. Joseph Chang reports. more
(11 July 2003 20:15)

Ammonium Nitrate Market Balanced Following Price Volatility
Although the global and North American ammonium nitrate (AN) market is balanced, pricing has been highly variable over the past six months, with more
(11 July 2003 20:15)

Methyl Bromide Date Criticized
Asserting that the continued availability of methyl bromide is critical for many US farmers, the nation's largest farm organization is calling on more
(11 July 2003 20:15)

Cefic and VCI Slash Their Growth Projections
In a midyear forecast, the European Chemical Industry Council (Cefic) has sharply reduced its projected growth for chemicals output this year more
(11 July 2003 20:15)

NJ Chemical Firms Sign Electrical Contract
With electricity deregulation scheduled to begin August 1 in New Jersey, chemical manufacturers, distributors and related companies in that state more
(11 July 2003 20:15)

Weak MTBE Demand Crimps Methanol
Poor demand from methyl tertiary-butyl ether (MTBE), the leading end use for methanol, has knocked July methanol contracts down by almost a nickel more
(11 July 2003 20:15)

Profiting from Continous Differentiation
For years, chemical companies have searched high and low to differentiate themselves and increase profits in an industry that too often reverts to more
(11 July 2003 20:15)

How Sweet It Is: Tagatose Enters the Low-Calorie Sweeteners Market
Like high-intensity sweeteners, sugar alcohols account for a small, but growing portion of the sweeteners market. Tagatose, a new low-calorie more
(11 July 2003 20:15)

TRI Reports 13-Year Downward Trend In Toxic Releases
The amount of toxic chemicals released into the environment by the nation's chemical manufacturing facilities declined by 14.5 percent in 2001, more
(11 July 2003 20:15)

Carbon Black Industry Impacted by Oil and Natural Gas
The market for carbon black remains under pressure from prolonged high costs for oil and natural gas. Producers raised prices dramatically in more
(11 July 2003 20:15)

F&F Corner
CRUDE SULFATE TURPENTINE (CST)'s prices have increased by 15 c. at the end of the second quarter to 80 c. per gallon. Sources say demand has more
(11 July 2003 20:15)

India chems want out of FTA
India's chemicals manufacturers are asking their government to exclude chemicals from a proposed free trade agreement (FTA) with Singapore more
(11 July 2003 08:59)

Singapore and the Philippines agree to settle row
Singapore and the Philippines have agreed to 'settle amicably' their much-publicised dispute over the latter's decision to extend the period of.... more
(11 July 2003 10:46)

Ube's capro sales recover in June, post-Sars
Ube Industries' caprolactam sales, which had been hit by the Sars outbreak in April and May, rose in June more
(11 July 2003 10:46)

Meti prefers to see SMPO stay
Ministry would like to see the Sumitomo-MItsui jv continue more
(11 July 2003 10:46)

Mitsub Pharma eyes tie-ups for business in West
Mitsubishi Pharmaceutical is considering alliances with companies that do business in the US and Western Europe more
(11 July 2003 10:46)

Polymer trends: Waiting for direction
PE and PP markets wait to see the strength of the post-Sars demand recovery as ABS rebounds on the delayed Christmas toy-manufacturing season more
(11 July 2003 10:46)

PVC traders expect prices to fall in August
PVC traders and producers were last week expecting a slight softening in prices in August on lower feedstock costs and weaker demand more
(11 July 2003 10:46)

Tight supply lifts benzene prices
Benzene prices in Asia strengthened last week, buoyed by tight supply more
(11 July 2003 10:46)

PA producers resist OX price-hike attempts to salvage margins
Attempts by Asian orthoxylene (OX) players to further raise prices were facing stiff resistance last week from phthalic anhydride (PA) producers more
(11 July 2003 10:46)

US-Asia butadiene prospects start to dwindle
The immediate prospect of further butadiene shipments from the US receded last week, with no fixtures from Europe even though arbitrage existed more
(11 July 2003 10:46)

Market trends: Benzene picks up
Benzene prices rebound to $400/tonne after LG-Caltex Oil's 50% production cutback at its Yeochun complex. Also, toluene edges up by $15-20/tonne on.... more
(11 July 2003 10:46)

New projects summary
As reported in ACN 7-13 July 2003 more
(11 July 2003 10:46)

Dalian Petchem likely to delay PP startup
Dalian Petrochemical expects to delay the startup of its PP project in Dalian, Liaoning, China, to Q2 2005 more
(11 July 2003 10:46)

Guofeng for BOPP
Anhui Guofeng Group aims to produce at least 100 000 tonne/year of biaxially oriented PP(BOPP) film in Hefei, Anhui, China, by 2005, a company source.... more
(11 July 2003 10:46)

TPE hdPE expansion
Thai Polyethylene (TPE) plans to debottleneck its third hdPE line in Mab Ta Phut, Thailand, during a turnaround, possibly in November, a TPE source.... more
(11 July 2003 10:46)

NCIP ups proposed methanol to 400 000 tonne/year
The Nanjing Chemical Industry Park (NCIP) has doubled the capacity of its methanol project to 400 000 tonne/year to meet the feedstock requirements.... more
(11 July 2003 10:46)

Zhongyuan for 800 000 tonne/year methanol
Henan Zhongyuan Gasification Co aims to produce 800 000 tonne/year of methanol by 2005. That would make Zhongyuan the largest methanol producer in.... more
(11 July 2003 10:46)

FET in talks on Shanghai PTA
Far Eastern Textile (FET) is holding discussions with several companies on technology licensing and equity investment in its PTA projects in Shanghai more
(11 July 2003 10:46)

IOC, ONGC Videsh to bid jointly for SGI's CV1
Indian Oil Corp (IOC) and ONGC Videsh plan to bid jointly for the development of the Saudi Gas Initiative's (SGI) Core Venture 1 (CV1) in Saudi Arabia more
(11 July 2003 10:46)

US trends: C2 margins to decline
US ethylene markets remain unsettled, with buyers pushing for lower prices amid weak demand and producers trimming nominal operating rates to the.... more
(11 July 2003 10:46)

Wacker mulls investment opportunities in China
Wacker is considering investments in China, in speciality chemicals for the construction industry, in silicones and in the semiconductor sector more
(11 July 2003 10:46)

Company continues to boost Asia sales, investments
Wacker is firm about its commitment to Asia. And with good reason more
(11 July 2003 10:46)

Foreign stakes in SK Corp go up
A steady rise in foreign shareholding of SK Corp has added to speculation that the company may be a takeover target or that a major shareholder may.... more
(11 July 2003 10:46)

Life is never that easy
In a special analysis of China’s PVC and caustic-soda sectors, John Richardson discovers that strong demand growth does not automatically equal.... more
(11 July 2003 11:09)

Global roundup
From stories supplied by the CNI and ACN teams more
(11 July 2003 10:46)

Aramco in talks on Rabigh C2 complex
Saudi Aramco is in discussions with potential partners on developing a petrochemical complex that will be integrated with the state-owned company’s.... more
(11 July 2003 10:46)

Engro shortlists turnkey contractors for NH3, urea units
Engro Chemical Pakistan has shortlisted potential turnkey contractors for an ammonia plant that is to be relocated to Sohar, Oman, from the.... more
(11 July 2003 10:46)

Yangzi plans to start up Nanjing hdPE line
Yangzi Petrochemical plans to bring onstream a 70 000 tonne/year hdPE line in Nanjing, Jiangsu, China, at the end of this year or in early 2004,.... more
(11 July 2003 10:46)

Chem-wire Express Japan
Chem-wire Express Japan: Edition of 4 July Basic and Fine Chemicals Toyobo plans to establish a wholly-owned subsidiary in China by.... more
(07 July 2003 05:15)

Chem-wire Express Japan
Chem-wire Express Japan: Edition of 7 July Basic and Fine Chemicals The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) has revealed.... more
(08 July 2003 06:43)

Chem-wire Express Japan
Chem-wire Express Japan: Edition of 8 July Basic and Fine Chemicals Taiyo Oil is to embark on a programme which will see it actively.... more
(09 July 2003 04:30)

Chem-wire Express Japan
Chem-wire Express Japan: Edition of 9 July Basic and Fine Chemicals Stella Chemifa Singapore is scheduled to double its production.... more
(10 July 2003 04:31)

Chem-wire Express Japan
Chem-wire Express Japan: Edition of 10 July  Basic and Fine Chemicals Nichimen and Nissho Iwai are scheduled to inaugurate NN.... more
(11 July 2003 06:09)

High energy
Petrochemical markets are in line for a shake-up as futures prices indicate a change in the relationship between oil and gas prices. Kevin Boyle.... more
(11 July 2003 17:15)

Solvents monitor: Solvents markets under pressure
Acetone felt the effects of a drop in propylene Q3 contracts as did MEK and butyl acetate. The softening of some markets saw hikes, achieved in the.... more
(11 July 2003 17:15)

A better system is within Reach
ECN makes no apology for returning again to the European Commission's controversial proposals for a new chemicals policy as the subject of its.... more
(11 July 2003 17:15)

Ducking and diving
Olefins players use hedging as an insurance policy for heavy losses. When the going gets tough hedging mechanisms can provide a balance in troubled.... more
(11 July 2003 17:15)