ICIS - Search Articles by Date : March 19 2012 - March 25 2012

Brenntag Supplement: Drive for growth continues
Since its Frankfurt stock market listing in March 2010, Brenntag has continued to perform strongly in financial terms and to press ahead with its key.... more
(19 March 2012 00:00)

Brenntag Supplement: Customer service is paramount
Brenntag places a high emphasis on technical and operational excellence and close contact with its customers to deliver what they want more
(19 March 2012 00:00)

Brenntag Supplement: Five pillars ensure resilient business
Brenntag has built resilience into its business model, using five key pillars of diversity in geography, industries, product lines, suppliers and.... more
(19 March 2012 00:00)

This week's world news
EUROPE TOTAL, KPC SIGNS MOU FOR CHINA PETCHEM PROJECT French oil and gas major Total has signed a comprehensive memorandum of understanding.... more
(19 March 2012 00:00)

Market Intelligence: China's polyolefins rebound remains elusive
For those that believe a major bounce in the country's polyolefins markets is inevitable, a big disappointment could be in store. The government.... more
(19 March 2012 00:00)

Key chemical prices
Asia Europe US $/tonne Change $/tonne Change cents/lb Change Naphtha 1,098-1,100 CFR Japan .... more
(19 March 2012 00:00)

German chemical industry outlook brightens
After an awful fourth quarter of 2011, the industry is enjoying better conditions early this year, with confidence returning to many key end-use.... more
(19 March 2012 00:00)

2012 will be a critical point for Brazil's petrochemical sector
Coming off a challenging fourth quarter of 2011, where earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) fell 33% year on year.... more
(19 March 2012 00:00)

Chemical market trends: Rising costs, supply issues push up prices
There are expectations that China's domestic benzene prices may remain firm this month, given stretched availability. more
(19 March 2012 00:00)

Think tank: South Korea seeks to tap US polypropylene market
Long shipment times and logistics issues are widely seen to be the major hindrances in the polyolefins trade flow between South Korea and the US,.... more
(19 March 2012 00:00)

Germany pushes ahead with major TDI expansions despite an uncertain market
In 2014 Germany will be the home of two new world-scale toluene di-isocyanate (TDI) facilities of 300,000 tonnes/year each. Why Germany? Why TDI? more
(19 March 2012 00:00)

Asia chemical profile: MEG
Asia chemical profile becky zhang and ELAINE BURRIDGE first asia meg profile MEG Uses The main use for monoethylene glycol (MEG)... more
(19 March 2012 00:00)

Europe chemical profile: Butyl acetate
USES Four butyl acetates exist, but only normal butyl acetate (n-butyl acetate) and iso-butyl acetate are of commercial importance. The major.... more
(19 March 2012 00:00)

Polymers in brief
EUROPE PS PRICE HIKES MEET RESISTANCE European polystyrene (PS) producers are targeting higher prices in March, but are meeting strong resistance,.... more
(19 March 2012 00:00)

High feedstocks impact PET pricing
Costly feedstocks lead to price hikes for the popular polymer, but capacity expansions continue apace more
(19 March 2012 00:00)

Petrochemicals: Methanol prices do not reflect market fundamentals
Poor derivative demand led to destocking and conservative requirement estimates more
(19 March 2012 00:00)

Petrochemicals: Cheap ethane boosts the bottom line
The advantage US ethylene producers that use an ethane feedstock have over producers relying on heavier naphtha feedstock soared to record high.... more
(19 March 2012 00:00)

Petrochemicals: Cracker cuts likely as naphtha prices swell
With rising naphtha prices taking their toll on cracker operators' margins in Asia, many are considering reducing their operating rates in March. more
(19 March 2012 00:00)

Petrochemicals: Butadiene to prosper on BRIC potential
The olefin sees soaring prices and supply issues but the outlook is positive thanks to growing automotive sector more
(19 March 2012 00:00)

Intermediates news in brief
EU DMT REFERENCE PRICE UP ON PX European March dimethyl terephthalate (DMT) reference prices rose by €22/tonne ($29/tonne) to €1,080-1,121/tonne.... more
(19 March 2012 00:00)

Intermediates: Europe MMA prices set to leap
In Asia, tight MMA supply bars producers from open arbitrage window with US more
(19 March 2012 00:00)

BASF pushes petrochemicals growth in emerging markets
The chemical company's Petrochemicals division aims to provide more raw materials for use in Verbund sites throughout the world more
(19 March 2012 00:00)

ASEAN, the new workshop of the world
Bayer MaterialScience CEO Patrick Thomas sees future growth moving from China to the vibrant ASEAN region more
(19 March 2012 00:00)

Feedstocks news in brief
TECHNIP WINS PETRONAS CONTRACT French engineering firm Technip has been awarded a front-end engineering design contract by Malaysian oil and gas.... more
(19 March 2012 00:00)

High oil prices keep upwards pressure on naphtha
At least three US naphtha cargoes have been shipped to Asia Pacific in the past month more
(19 March 2012 00:00)

Chemical financing market to be challenging and volatile
The market has improved since the second half of 2011, especially on the high-yield financing front. But a continued recovery will depend on the.... more
(19 March 2012 00:00)

Inorganics:TiO2 buyers frustrated with new price hikes
Analysts say prices have risen by an average 35-40% on a year-on-year basis despite lower sales volumes of around 20% more
(19 March 2012 00:00)

Exports lead German recovery
Buoyed by slowly improving international sales and higher prices, the German chemical industry is forecast to show overall growth in 2012 more
(19 March 2012 00:00)

New projects and permanent plant shutdowns, March 5-12, 2012
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(19 March 2012 00:00)

India's Haldia Petrochemical to delay eight projects worth $800m
Company is suffering large losses and is facing a battle over ownership more
(19 March 2012 00:00)

Projects: Shaw wins contract for Thai refinery upgrade
US engineering contractor Shaw Group has been awarded a contract to provide a process design package and technology license for the addition of a.... more
(19 March 2012 00:00)

Projects news in brief
US DOW TO INCREASE BUTYL GLYCOL ETHERS Dow Chemical plans to debottleneck its Seadrift butyl glycol ethers plant in Texas to increase capacity by.... more
(19 March 2012 00:00)

GPCA supplement: TASNEE CEO Dr Moayyed al-Qurtas talks to ICIS editor John Baker
ICIS editor John Baker interviews Dr Moayyed al-Qurtas, vice chairman and CEO of Saudi Arabia's TASNEE, on his vision for an expanding downstream.... more
(19 March 2012 00:00)

GPCA supplement: GCC expands plastic options
The Third GPCA Plastics Summit will highlight the importance of the GCC conversion sector more
(19 March 2012 00:00)

GPCA supplement: New members listed
Abu Dhabi National Oil Company ( ADNOC ) (Full Member Category)/United Arab Emirates Qatar Fuel Additives Co Ltd ( QAFAC .... more
(19 March 2012 00:00)

GPCA supplement: Qapco launches plastics awareness campaign with forum in Doha
Qapco has launched an extensive plastics awareness campaign in Qatar to highlight the safety of plastic materials and their importance to public.... more
(19 March 2012 00:00)

GPCA supplement: Plastics vision is still active
Individuals both past and present have envisioned the extensive benefits and uses of plastics in our modern world more
(19 March 2012 00:00)

GPCA supplement: SABIC and Sinopec link
SABIC and China's state-owned refiner Sinopec will formally begin negotiations with Trinidad and Tobago on a proposed $5.3bn (€4.0bn) methanol.... more
(19 March 2012 00:00)

GPCA supplement: Borouge’s Abu Dhabi polyolefins expansion fully on stream mid-2014
Borouge expects the expansion of its polyolefins complex in Ruwais, Abu Dhabi, to be fully onstream in mid-2014. more
(19 March 2012 00:00)

GPCA supplement: Association welcomes Indian initiative on dumping duty
India's decision last year to impose antidumping duties on Saudi Arabian polypropylene was widely criticized more
(19 March 2012 00:00)

GPCA supplement: Valuable opportunities lie downstream
GPCA's Annual Forum showed yet again why it is the premier event in the Middle East more
(19 March 2012 00:00)

GPCA supplement: QP and Qapco to build $5.5bn Ras Laffan complex
State-owned Qatar Petroleum and Qatar Petrochemical Company (Qapco) are jointly to develop a new petrochemical complex at Ras Laffan Industrial City. more
(19 March 2012 00:00)

GPCA supplement: Middle East LDPE supply to increase by 30% in second half of 2012
Two new LDPE project start-ups are scheduled for later this year, in Saudi Arabia and Qatar more
(19 March 2012 00:00)

GPCA supplement: Middle East PE, PP supply to normalize; price pressures to ease
After some supply issues, polymers output from the Middle East is returning to normal more
(19 March 2012 00:00)

GPCA supplement: Global pirate activity surges in January
Piracy continues to be a large issue for shipping in the Gulf and Indian Ocean waters, but initiatives to tackle it are underway more
(19 March 2012 00:00)

GPCA supplement: Responsible Care grows deep roots
GPCA has made rapid progress in implementing Responsible Care across the GCC region more
(19 March 2012 00:00)

GPCA supplement: Benzene growth revives
Much of benzene's demand growth has come from sources other than styrene in recent years, notably cumene/phenol and nitrobenzene, due to the revival.... more
(19 March 2012 00:00)

GPCA supplement: SABIC signs polyurethane technology licence deal
SABIC has signed a technology licence agreement with Japanese producer Mitsui Chemicals for the production of toluene di-isocyanate (TDI) and methyl.... more
(19 March 2012 00:00)

GPCA supplement: Equate Petrochemical sees profits rise
Kuwait's Equate Petrochemical has posted a 19.3% year-on-year increase in its net profit to $1.05bn (€777m) in 2011, amid an increase in the prices.... more
(19 March 2012 00:00)

China inland petrochemicals boom winners and losers
In the first of a new monthly series looking at China, we examine the rise in demand in the west of the country and consider which producers are set.... more
(23 March 2012 13:43)