Shin-Etsu to shut Kashima PVC plant for turnaround

13 May 2010 10:53  [Source: ICIS news]

SINGAPORE (ICIS news)--Japan’s Shin-Etsu Chemical will shut down its 550,000 tonne/year polyvinyl chloride (PVC) plant in Kashima, Japan, from 20 May to 20 June, a source closed to the company said on Thursday.

The shutdown would also include a 600,000 tonne/year vinyl chloride monomer (VCM) plant at the same facility, the source added.

As a result of the shutdown exports to China - estimated at 20,000-45,000 tonnes - might be affected, traders said.

However, the production of VCM at the facility was largely for captive uses to make PVC, and only small amounts were exported.

The turnaround comes at a time when demand for PVC was bearish with most market players expecting the prices for June-arrival cargoes to either remain unchanged or lower by $10-20/tonne (€8-16/tonne).

Prices were last assessed on 7 May at $970-1,010/tonne CFR China Main Port (CMP) according to global chemical intelligence service ICIS pricing.

($1 = €0.79)

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By: Aaron Cheong

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