Borealis adjusts new Burghausen PP line

08 January 2008 12:57  [Source: ICIS news]

LONDON (ICIS news)--Borealis’s new 330,000 tonne/year polypropylene (PP) unit in Burghausen in Germany is down for technical adjustments after coming on stream as planned at the end of December, a company source reported on Tuesday.

“The plant started as planned and produced its first volumes, and is now down for some adjustments,” the source commented.

“Production will resume during the course of January.”

The plant had initially been due to start production at the end of November 2007 but was delayed to the end of December.

PP prices have been rising in January, although the exact extent of the increase was not yet clear as most business was still not settled.

Hikes of €40-50/tonne ($59-74/tonne) had been confirmed by buyers who had already bought product for January, however, leaving some homopolymer injection prices close to €1,300/tonne FD (free delivered) NWE (northwest Europe), according to global chemical market intelligence service ICIS pricing.

Producers were still trying to implement PP hikes which would fully cover the €57/tonne hike in first-quarter propylene, but this was looking less likely as the month progressed.

Some buyers reported that they had been advised of further hikes in February to cover the extra propylene cost.

PP producers in Europe include LyondellBasell, Total Petrochemicals, Repsol, SABIC, INEOS Polyolefins and Dow.

($1 = €0.68)

By: Linda Naylor
+44 20 8652 3214

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