Asahi Kasei has decided to discontinue its business for the styrenic resins SAN (Styrene-acrylonitrile resin), ABS (Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene), and ACS. According to the company, the operations of SAN plant at Kawasaki Works will be closed in March 2021. The business to be discontinued began with the 1962 start-up of the SAN plant in Kawasaki, … Read more
Austria’s OMV is in talks with Abu Dhabi’s Mubadala Investment Company to acquire a controlling stake worth $4.68 billion in Borealis. The deal— which would increase OMV’s current shareholding in Borealis from 36% to 75%— is said to be potentially record-breaking and would shift OMV’s focus to petrochemicals. “The potential transaction would expand the value … Read more
Sadara Chemical Company, a joint venture (JV) between Saudi Aramco and Dow, reported a huge loss in full-year of 2019 due to lower product prices and the costs of asset maintenance which reached SAR9.2 billion ($2.45 billion). Net loss was SAR14.486 billion ($3.86 billion), up from 2018’s SAR3.86 billion ($1.03 billion). Operating loss was at … Read more
LyondellBasell, the world’s largest licensor of polyolefin technologies, announced that Hyosung Vina Chemicals Co., Ltd. will use the LyondellBasell Spheripol technology for a new facility. The process technology will be used for a 300,000 ton per year polypropylene plant to be built in Cai Mep Industrial Zone, Vung Tau Province, Vietnam. “This additional award for … Read more
Brenntag AG, a global chemical and ingredients distribution company announced on Wednesday that its profit grew by 1.6% for full-year 2019. Profit before tax grew 1.6% from last year to EUR633.4 million. Operating EBITDA reached EUR1 billion, a year-on-year increase of 11.3%. The earnings were benefited by the initial application of IFRS 16, despite difficult … Read more
Lotte Chemical of South Korea shut down its ethylene cracker in Daesan after an explosion that injured at least 31 people. It also announced an indefinite force majeure on supplies. The explosion occurred on March 4, about 3 am South Korea time from a fire at a compressor unit within the naphtha cracker. The fire … Read more
Indorama Ventures Limited (IVL) reported a net loss despite rise in volume growth in the fiscal year 2019. The sales volume grew by 18%, driven reportedly by inorganic expansion. Industry-wide spreads declined to historical lows in 2019, leading to 20% reduction in IVL’s core EBITDA, as company stated. Operating cash flow increased 33% to $1.3 … Read more
SABIC (Saudi Basic Industries Corporation) said on Tuesday that it had raised its stake in specialty chemicals maker Clariant. The state-owned company now owns 31.5% in Clariant, up from 24.99% previously, it said in a filing. The increase in stake holding was just short of the one-third ownership that would trigger a mandatory offer for … Read more
Toray Industries, Inc. announced that its German subsidiary, Greenerity GmbH, held a groundbreaking ceremony a day earlier for its second plant. Located in industrial area of Alzenau, Bavaria, the plant will develop, manufacture, and sell components for hydrogen fuel cells. The new facility is scheduled to go online in November 2021. The new facility will … Read more
ExxonMobil Chemical has announced the restart of its Fife ethylene plant at Mossmorran, Scotland. The ethylene plant has been closed for maintenance since August when two out of the three boilers failed. The plant is one of Europe’s largest petrochemical cracker facilities with an ethylene production capacity of 830,000 metric tones per year. “In re-starting … Read more
Reliance Industries announced on 29th Feb that it has acquired a controlling stake in textile manufacturer Alok Industries Ltd for Rs 250 crore ($34.3 million). Alongside JM Financial Asset Rehabilitation Co Ltd, Reliance had a bid to buy Alok Industries which had been auctioned by lenders under the insolvency and bankruptcy law to recover their … Read more
Arkema reported fall in adjusted net income and sales in 2019 due to a challenging macro environment. In the fourth quarter, sales fell 7% on year to EUR2.05 billion ($2.26 billion). The company’s adjusted net income for the full year came in at EUR625 million ($678.8 million) from EUR725 million ($800.6 million) in 2018. Sales … Read more
Pidilite Industries, an Indian manufacturer of adhesives, construction chemicals and specialty chemicals on Thursday announced acquiring majority stake in the Indian subsidiary of Italian firm Tenax SPA. Pidilite has entered into a definitive agreement with Tenax SPA for acquiring 70 per cent of the share capital of Tenax India Stone Products for cash consideration of … Read more