ICIS - Search Articles by Date : July 25 2005 - July 31 2005

Alpek set to double PTA output
Mexico’s Alpek is set to increase its purified terephthalic acid (PTA) output by 450 000 tonne/year and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) resin.... more
(25 July 2005 16:58)

Chevron Phillips set to double PPS output in US
Chevron Phillips Chemical has announced plans to build a polyphenylene sulphide (PPS) plant in Borger, Texas, US. more
(25 July 2005 16:59)

Rmb revaluation hurts China’s PE bag makers
The revaluation of the renminbi has dealt a double blow to Chinese polyethylene (PE) bags manufacturers, which are already facing antidumping duties.... more
(30 July 2005 12:35)

Supreme likely to complete PS
India’s Supreme Petrochem Ltd (SPL) is likely to complete an expansion of its polystyrene (PS) capacity in the fourth quarter of this year, while a.... more
(30 July 2005 12:35)

LG Chem plans merger with Daesan subsidiary
LG Chem is merging operations with its wholly owned subsidiary LG Daesan Petrochemical to streamline its business, a spokesman from the South Korean.... more
(30 July 2005 12:35)

CPC drops No. 5 cracker expansion plan
Taiwan’s Chinese Petroleum Corp (CPC) has decided not to debottleneck its 500,000 metric-ton-per-year No. 5 cracker in Kaohsiung in 2006 as earlier.... more
(30 July 2005 12:35)

Innovene: Robust results posted ahead of IPO plans
Higher margins and volumes enabled BP to report a $290 million replacement-cost profit before interest and taxes in the second quarter for its.... more
(30 July 2005 12:35)

Sydsvenska results fall on margins
Lower margins on base products as a result of strong raw material price increases were blamed by Swedish specialty chemicals group Sydsvenska for a 3.... more
(30 July 2005 12:35)

Oils, fats & waxes in brief
bayer builds seed facility more
(30 July 2005 12:35)

Acrylonitrile
August 1–14 2005 more
(30 July 2005 12:35)

Jobs and People
CLIVE BENNETT more
(30 July 2005 12:35)

IN BRIEF Business
Chemtura works to optimize pricing with new software more
(30 July 2005 12:35)

Alberta upgrader to boost feedstocks
Canadian upstart energy company BA Energy has obtained regulatory approval for a C$720 million ($590 million) oil sands upgrader project in Alberta.... more
(30 July 2005 12:35)

Tate & Lyle expands US plants for $175M
UK-based food and industrial ingredients producer Tate and Lyle plans to expand capacity at its Loudon, Tenn., facility for £43 million ($75 million).... more
(30 July 2005 12:35)

LG adds acrylic acid plant in South Korea
LG Chem Ltd. plans to add a fourth acrylic acid plant in Yeosu, Korea, by the end of 2007. more
(30 July 2005 12:35)

IN Brief News Watch
Arkema expands hydrogen peroxide capacity more
(30 July 2005 12:35)

IN Brief Results roundup
Shell does well in the first half more
(30 July 2005 12:35)

Akzo Nobel boosts MCAA, SMCA
Akzo Nobel aims to further strengthen its position in monochloroacetic acid (MCAA) and sodium monochloroacetate (SMCA) through capacity expansions at.... more
(30 July 2005 12:35)

Norsk unable to divest
Norsk Hydro has been “unable to achieve reasonable terms” in attempting to divest its chemicals operations, according to chief financial officer John.... more
(30 July 2005 12:35)

IN BRIEF News Watch
Suzano Petro to get Polibrasil more
(30 July 2005 12:35)

IN Brief News Watch
Air Liquide to add plant in Houston more
(30 July 2005 12:35)

Lonza, DSM: Stellar 1H
Prospects for the European chemicals and life sciences companies Lonza Group and DSM appear to be improving. more
(30 July 2005 12:35)

Specialty profits rising; Lubrizol has huge quarter
Specialty chemical makers are coming in with mostly strong second-quarter results. more
(30 July 2005 12:35)

US trends: Margins still getting squeezed…
Conditions in the US ethylene market continued to deteriorate in June, but are expected to stabilise in July. However, weakness is expected to last.... more
(25 July 2005 08:44)

Market trends: Sentiment up as supply turns tight
Naphtha strengthens despite crude slide; C3 rises, but buyers begin to resist high offers; butadiene is stable as demand balances supply; limited.... more
(25 July 2005 08:44)

Coal makes comeback in China
It’s back to fundamentals as coal makes a comeback in China’s petrochemicals industry. more
(25 July 2005 16:57)

Styrene collapse unleashes anxiety
The jubilant mood that had overtaken Asian styrene players earlier this month has been replaced by one of intense anxiety following the US$200/tonne.... more
(25 July 2005 16:56)

How severe is drought in Thailand?
Mixed messages were emerging from Thailand last week over the severity of the drought that was afflicting the eastern seaboard, where the Mab Ta Phut.... more
(25 July 2005 16:57)

Market trends: Aromatics markets in bearish mood
Declining crude, oversupply, and weak demand led to a fall in prices across the board. PX markets saw the strange phenomenon of August contracts.... more
(25 July 2005 08:31)

New projects summary
REPORTED IN ACN 15-22 JULY 2005 more
(28 July 2005 18:22)

A turn for the worse
Substantial capacity increases between now and 2009 mean that the industry cannot escape yet another slide in prices and margins, writes Mark Lazell more
(28 July 2005 18:22)

LG Daesan trims expansion
South Korean cracker operator LG Daesan Petrochemical is to invest US$200m on expanding its 450 000 tonne/year cracker by 200 000 tonne/year by May.... more
(28 July 2005 18:22)

Reliance: Time for new petrochemical projects
Now that the Ambani brothers have settled their dispute over the ownership and control of Reliance Industries, it is time for the company to move.... more
(28 July 2005 18:22)

TDI margins to recover by Sept?
ASIAN TOLUENE di-isocyanate (TDI) players were optimistic that their margins would improve in 2H August or early September, as TDI consumption and.... more
(28 July 2005 18:22)

Global breakthrough for Sinopec
CHINESE petrochemicals major Sinopec has turned its attention to the global engineering scene. more
(29 July 2005 12:48)

Market Trends: Dull demand slows aromatics trade
Benzene climbs initially on the back of crude but offers fall later; weak demand leads to a wide price gap in toluene, MX, and OX markets; spot PX.... more
(28 July 2005 18:22)

Market Trends: Olefins markets study mixed signals
Naphtha slides despite rise in crude; ethylene up, but oversupply concerns remain; methanol steadies as Thai water shortage eases; MTBE and ammonia.... more
(28 July 2005 18:22)

Renminbi: Uncertainty’s the word
JUST IN case you’ve been holidaying on the moon, the People’s Bank of China (PBOC) announced on 21 July that the renminbi was to be revalued and set.... more
(28 July 2005 18:22)

A tale of two companies
Now I could get into a lot of trouble here, and so let me tell you a fairy tale. more
(28 July 2005 18:22)

Global roundup
BASF ends coatings joint venture with Spain’s Naber 22 July. BASF said it had ended its joint venture with Spain’s Naber to allow its Spanish.... more
(28 July 2005 18:22)

ROUNDUP New projects
Technip wins Kazanorgsintez C2 contract 22 July. Technip said it had won a contract from Russia’s Kazanorgsintez to upgrade and expand its three.... more
(28 July 2005 18:22)

ROUNDUP Markets
Sanyo Petchem to raise Mizushima benzene capacity by 20ktpa in '06 22 July. Sanyo Petrochemical will increase its benzene capacity in Mizushima,.... more
(28 July 2005 18:22)

Asian PE, PP markets in a muddle
Asian polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP) markets were in a muddle last week, with margins remaining under severe pressure. more
(29 July 2005 12:47)

China ethylene glut in H1 hit S Korean petchems
A STRANGE twist to the plot occurred in the first half of this year. more
(28 July 2005 18:22)

Reprieve for Mab Ta Phut petchems
THAILAND’S petrochemical operations were handed a reprieve last week, with light rains slowing down the falling rate of water levels at reservoirs in.... more
(29 July 2005 12:48)

Innovene loses Secco
BP’s olefins and derivatives business Innovene will be divested without a production foothold in China, it was announced last week. more
(25 July 2005 17:01)

France generates consortium
France’s chemicals industry will be allowed to form a consortium to gain more favourable electricity prices than are available singly from suppliers,.... more
(25 July 2005 17:00)

Is time right for olefins?
Echoing that well-known sporting quote ‘its déjà-vu, all over again’, the spectre of monthly olefins contracts has once again raised its head in.... more
(25 July 2005 17:02)

PA sellers confident of a stronger third quarter
Despite fairly flat demand, sellers suggest that maintenance turnarounds and the consequent tightening of supplies over the coming months could help.... more
(25 July 2005 17:02)

Simply the best
ECN reveals the top ten entries in this year’s Innovation Awards – and there are a few surprises more
(29 July 2005 15:40)