Japan July C2 output rises by 1.3% - JPCA

24 August 2007 10:55  [Source: ICIS news]

TOKYO (ICIS news)--Japan’s output of ethylene (C2) in July increased 1.3% compared with the previous month, industry figures showed on Friday.

 

The country produced 616,500 tonnes of C2 in July, an increase of 8,200 tonnes a month earlier, the Japan Petrochemical Industry Association (JPCA) said in a statement.

 

This was a 9.2% decrease from the same time a year ago.

 

The operating rate of the ethylene plants in July was 97.5%, down 1.4% month-on-month, the JPCA said.

 

Three plants operated by three companies were shut for turnarounds in July, while two units run by two companies underwent turnarounds in June.

 

No plants were shut for turnarounds in July 2006.

 

Japan’s exports of three of the four polymers including polystyrene (PS), polypropylene (PP) and low-density polyethylene (LDPE) in July increased compared with the year-ago period.

 

PS achieved the greatest year-on-year increase by 56% to 3,100 tonnes. This was a 5% decrease from the previous month.

 

Exports of PP also rose 24% to 29,800 tonnes in July from the same month a year ago. This was a 4% increase from June.

 

However, high-density polyethylene (HDPE) had lower exports in July compared with July 2006 at 9,200 tonnes, down 17%. This was a 12% rise from the previous month.

 

The association also reports the country’s output of other petrochemical products.

 

Production of chemicals such as vinyl chloride monomer (VCM), methyl methacrylate (MMA) monomer, styrene butadiene rubber (SBR), benzene and toluene rose in July month on month partly because the plants operated for an increased number of days than in June.

 

On year-on-year comparison, polyvinyl chloride (PVC), MMA monomer, ethylene glycol (EG), toluene and other products had lower output.

 

Japan petrochemicals output in July

 

Product	Output	%change month-on-month	%change year-on-year
ethylene	616.5	1	-9
LDPE	149	0	-6
HDPE	97.3	9	5
PP	226.1	-4	-15
PS	78.9	18	-1
styrene monomer	324.7	9	4
PVC	170.2	4	-3
vinyl chloride monomer	273.8	17	-4
MMA monomer	43.6	8	-13
ethylene oxide	59.7	-24	-31
ethylene glycol	41	-30	-34
acetaldehyde	32.2	1	-6
ACN	66.3	1	0
SBR (solid)	40.2	17	-6
butadiene rubber (solid)	17	11	4
benzene	434	16	7
toluene	133.9	14	-9
xylene	518.8	26	9

 

All figures are in thousands of tonnes and percentage.

All the percentages are rounded off after the decimal point.

 

Japan polymer exports in July ('000 tonnes)

 

Product	%change on month	%change on year	Exports	Quantity
LDPE	-20	20	19.5	19.5
HDPE	12	-17	9.2	9.2
PP	4	24	29.8	29.8
PS	-5	56	3.1	3.1

 

 

 

 

By: Tomomi Yokomura
+65 6780 4359

< previous article(ICIS Podcast: Chemical News Central 2 November 2009)

For the latest chemical news, data and analysis that directly impacts your business sign up for a free trial to ICIS news - the breaking online news service for the global chemical industry.

Get the facts and analysis behind the headlines from our market leading weekly magazine: sign up to a free trial to ICIS Chemical Business.

Printer Friendly