Taiwan’s CPC to restart Chiayi solvent oil plant on 31 October

27 October 2011 11:14  [Source: ICIS news]

SINGAPORE (ICIS)--Taiwan’s CPC Corp plans to restart its 50,000 tonne/year aromatic solvent oil plant at Chiayi on 31 October following an annual maintenance shutdown that took 30 days, a company source said on Thursday.

CPC Corp may supply only the domestic market in Taiwan in November without exporting any of its output because of tight supply, the source added.

The company produces two types of aromatic solvent oil, S100 and S150.

A South Korea-based producer said a shortage of the feedstock, heavy reforming aromatics, has caused many producers to suspend the production of solvent oils in the fourth quarter, resulting in a supply gap and the prices of solvent oils to rise in Asia.

Asia solvent oil prices have gone up by $20-30/tonne (€14-22/tonne) since early October to around $1,120/tonne FOB (free on board) Korea for S100 and $1,100/tonne FOB Korea for S150.

However, most Chinese buyers are adopting a wait-and-see stance as they deem prices to be too high amid weak demand, traders said.   

($1 = €0.72)

For more information on aromatics, visit ICIS chemical intelligence

By: Kim Lu
+65 6780 4359

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