ICIS - Search Articles by Date : May 12 2003 - May 18 2003

A grip on volatility
Volatile markets and management changes have prompted a shift in what producers require from distribution and marketing companies. Monica Bianchi.... more
(16 May 2003 17:22)

Going global but staying local
North America and Europe have traditionally used distinctly different distribution methods. The impact of globalisation - in terms of concepts such.... more
(16 May 2003 17:22)

Specialties Pricing
Albemarle Corp. is raising the global prices of Saytex and NcendX P-30 flame retardants, effective June 15 or as contracts allow. Saytex's price more
(16 May 2003 21:26)

IT In Brief
Manugistics in Release Manugistics, a provider of supply chain management and pricing optimization solutions, has released Manugistics 7.1, the more
(16 May 2003 21:26)

Mixed signals on chaebol reform
The fallout from the SK Corp and SK Global scandals has extended beyond the SK Group more
(16 May 2003 13:12)

Low crude: Little joy in Japan
The recent fall in crude oil and spot naphtha prices has had a mixed effect on Japanese petrochemical companies more
(16 May 2003 13:12)

Beginning of the end?
European industries will be so hamstrung by the EC's proposed chemicals policy that they will be unable to operate effectively, reports Hilfra Tandy more
(16 May 2003 13:12)

Reliance, IPCL ponder tolling plan
Reliance Industries and Indian Petrochemicals Corp Ltd (IPCL) are evaluating whether to enter into a tolling arrangement more
(16 May 2003 13:12)

Drivers end strike at Busan port
Lorry drivers at South Korea's main port of Busan have agreed to end a week-long strike more
(16 May 2003 13:12)

A step backwards for reform
The rollercoaster saga of TPI's debt restructuring has far reaching implications for Thailand, writes Chris Myrick of ACN's sister service Chemical.... more
(16 May 2003 13:12)

Handle with special care
Speciality grades of PPoffer the lure of high prices, strong growth rates and less competition, observes Malini Hariharan. But there are drawbacks.... more
(16 May 2003 13:12)

Global roundup
Thousands of lorry drivers went on strike at two of South Korea's major ports, the World Health Organization pronounced the Sars virus more.... more
(16 May 2003 13:12)

Facing trouble at the double
The synthetic-fibres chain is confronting two crises: one of its own making and one that is completely beyond its control - Sars more
(16 May 2003 13:12)

Shipping report: Liquid rates drop
Freight rates in Asia are firm for gases, despite a fall in bunker charges. Adding relief is the lifting of war-risk premiums more
(16 May 2003 13:12)

PVC China selling ideas rise after import duties are imposed
PVC selling ideas in China rose Rmb300/tonne last week to Rmb6300/tonne ex-factory for June cargoes more
(16 May 2003 13:12)

Butadiene exports
Haldia Petrochemicals Ltd (HPL) is expected to start butadiene exports from Haldia port on the east coast of India in June more
(16 May 2003 13:12)

Olefins ideas rise, lldPE increases too
Asian olefin buying and selling ideas rose last week and there was a slight improvement in lldPE prices more
(16 May 2003 13:12)

Mitsui ups phenol, acetone purchases
Mitsui Chemicals last week increased its phenol and acetone spot purchases and Shanghai Gaoqiao Petrochemical entered the spot markets more
(16 May 2003 13:12)

PX producers seek $500-520 for May
Asian paraxylene (PX) producers were last week asking for US$500-520/tonne cfr Asia for May and June contract prices more
(16 May 2003 13:12)

Market trends: China phenol plunges
Benzene and styrene experience a slight recovery, but for the most part aromatics markets are quiet more
(16 May 2003 13:12)

Market trends: C2 buying ideas rise
Naphtha prices and propylene ideas strengthen but markets for butadiene, methanol and MTBE are quiet. Ammonia falls on weak demand more
(16 May 2003 13:12)

Technip-Coflexip for Daqing cracker
Daqing Petrochemical has selected Technip-Coflexip as the ethylene licensor for the expansion of its cracker in Daqing, Heilongjiang, China more
(16 May 2003 13:12)

FET likely to use Japanese PTA tech
Far Eastern Textile (FET) is likely to employ Japanese technology at its 500000 tonne/year purified terephthalic acid (PTA) project in Pudong more
(16 May 2003 13:12)

New projects summary
As reported in ACN 12-18 May 2003 Company Product Capacity Process Contractor Cost Startup Status .... more
(16 May 2003 13:12)

Tetda seeks Tianjin cracker investors
Tianjin Economic Technological Development Area (Tetda) plans to invite investors to construct an integrated 20m tonne/year refinery, cracker and.... more
(16 May 2003 13:12)

Cangzhou talks with VCM-PVC investors
Cangzhou Chemicals Industry (Group) is holding discussions with potential investors for its VCM-PVC project in Cangzhou, Hebei, China more
(16 May 2003 13:12)

Sars outbreak delays TAF China plant study
Thai Acrylic Fibre (TAF) has delayed completion of a feasibility study on building an acrylic-fibre plant in China until September more
(16 May 2003 13:12)

Acrylic fibre - Vardhman mulling a plant in India
Vardhman Acrylics is considering building an acrylic-fibre plant in India, a senior company official told ACN more
(16 May 2003 13:12)

Mapping the supply chain
Assessment of the key costs in the supply chain can show where significant improvements on margins can be achieved. Mark Whitfield speaks to Paul.... more
(16 May 2003 17:22)

Product profile: Nylon
Nylon fibres will continue to decline slowly, although the fall is mitigated by their ability to find new uses. The engineering plastics sector is.... more
(16 May 2003 17:22)

Shell extends risk management
Shell Chemical Risk Management (SCRiM) is expanding financial risk management services to the plastics and petrochemical industries in Europe more
(16 May 2003 17:22)

Gases market set to expand
The global market for industrial gases, which is currently estimated at $36bn, is expected to grow at an average rate of 7.5%/year up to 2008,.... more
(16 May 2003 17:22)

People on the move
Dow Chemical Stockholders have re-elected five members to the company's board of directors. Elected to serve three-year terms were: Michael.... more
(16 May 2003 17:22)

20 years ago
ECN 23 May 1983 more
(16 May 2003 17:22)

Central players need to look east
After 45 years of socialist state control, the chemical industry of central Europe has had to adjust to the market economy more
(16 May 2003 17:22)

Buying on the cards
France's Produits Chimiques auxiliaires et de Synthese (PCAS) is planning to renew its external growth policy this year more
(16 May 2003 17:22)

Asia monitor: Prices slide, tracking crude oil
The rapid military campaign in Iraq, additional Saudi Arabian supplies and renewed output from Venezuela led to a steep decline in crude oil prices.... more
(16 May 2003 17:22)

News in brief
Atofina fires up Atofina has resumed operations at its 390 000 tonne/year styrene unit in Gonfreville, France, and lifted the force majeure.... more
(16 May 2003 17:22)

News in brief
Members' insurance The UK's Chemical Industries Association says by June it should know whether to proceed with a collective insurance scheme.... more
(16 May 2003 17:22)

News in brief
Emissions progress Germany's environment agency has published a detailed assessment of how to begin to get the world to agree on medium- to.... more
(16 May 2003 17:22)

News in brief
Sasol at the helm Sasol has signed the joint venture agreement with Iran's National Petrochemical Company (NPC) to own and operate the.... more
(16 May 2003 17:22)

News in brief
Binap goes on sale Rhodia's phosphorus and performance derivatives unit has announced commercial availability of the Binap ligand. This can.... more
(16 May 2003 17:22)

News in brief
Basell adds to Z-N Succinate catalysts, a new Ziegler-Natta catalyst family from Basell that expands polypropylene's property envelope,.... more
(16 May 2003 17:22)

Campaign: View from within
European chemical industry associations realise that the young are key to the sector's future but acknowledge the shortcomings of industry in failing.... more
(16 May 2003 17:22)

The way forward
Chemical distributors in Europe have been adopting a variety of innovative approaches to secure their future. John Baker analyses three leading.... more
(16 May 2003 17:22)

Styrene contracts set to weaken
There are signs that US styrene markets are weakening, even though US spot numbers have been and remain higher than those in Europe or Asia more
(16 May 2003 17:22)

Ciba jv increases Saudi unit
Ciba Specialty Chemicals will team up with Astra Polymers to build an extension to Astra's polymer compounding plant in Saudi Arabia more
(16 May 2003 17:22)

Prices up, but margins waver
Nylon polymer producers in Europe managed to raise prices in quarter two more
(16 May 2003 17:22)

Italian player to invest E3m in polymer plant expansion
ICAP-SIRA is planning a E3m expansion of a polymerisation plant it recently received as part of its acquisition of Stahl's pressure sensitive.... more
(16 May 2003 17:22)

Availability set to ease in quarter three
The squeeze in phenol availability, which has dogged the market during the first half of 2003, looks set to ease in the second half more
(16 May 2003 17:22)