AMERICAS Kraton Performance Polymers to merge with SB copolymers unit of LCY Chemical Corp Kraton Performance Polymers Inc. is merging with the styrenic block copolymers business of LCY Chemical Corp to create a new materials firm, which will have annual sales of over USD 2 billion. LCY is the third largest SBC producer with plants…
AMERICAS Axiall partners with Lotte for a cracker Axiall and Lotte Chemical have signed a preliminary agreement for a 50/50 joint venture for the construction of a 1,000 KTA ethane cracker in Louisiana. The cracker, which would be fed by shale gas, could begin operations in 2018, subject to the project approval by…
AMERICAS Dow to build R&D facility in Texas Dow Chemical plans to build a new R&D facility at Lake Jackson, TX, near its largest manufacturing site at Freeport, TX. The Texas Innovation Center will house laboratory facilities and technical expertise centers to enable ongoing innovation that supports the commercialization of solutions across high-growth end-use markets…
AMERICAS Dow Chemical moving ahead with polyethylene projects Dow Chemical is moving ahead with plans to add capacity for polyethylene and related feedstock in the U.S. Gulf Coast and Saudi Arabia. The first units of Sadara, Dow’s joint venture with Saudi Aramco in Jubail, are expected to be on-stream in 2015. Sadara will…
AMERICAS Repsol licenses CPChem metallocene technology Repsol has licensed the technology for producing metallocene polyethylene from Chevron Phillips Chemical. The technology will be implemented at Repsol’s site in Tarragona, Spain. At Tarragona, Repsol currently can produce 150 KTA of HDPE and 130 KTA of LDPE. Comments: The move by Repsol to be the…
AMERICAS Shintech seeks permit for ethylene plant Shintech has applied for a permit from the Louisiana Department of Environment Quality for the construction of a 500 KT ethylene plant. A site for the plant has not been chosen yet. Comments: Shintech, the U.S. subsidiary of Shin-Etsu Chemical has recently focused on a strategy…
AMERICAS Westlake to place ethylene assets in limited partnership Westlake Chemical plans to place its ethylene assets into a separately traded limited partnership. Westlake Chemical Partners LP, will own two ethylene facilities at Lake Charles, LA, one ethylene unit at Calvert City, KY and an ethylene pipeline that runs from Mont Belvieu, TX…
AMERICAS Synthos to build Nd-PBR plant Synthos will be investing in a USD 170 million synthetic rubber plant at Triunfo, Brazil. The plant will produce neodiyum catalyzed polybutadiene (Nd-PBR) rubber based on Michelin’s technology. The raw material for the plant will be supplied by Braskem. The plant will have a capacity of 80…
AMERICAS CPChem begins construction of PE plants Chevron Phillips Chemical has broken ground for the construction of 500 KTA PE plant in Old Ocean, TX. This is a part of Chevron Phillips Chemical’s USD 6 billion US Gulf Coast Petrochemicals Project which includes a 1,500 KTA ethane cracker at Cedar Bayou, Baytown, TX.…
AMERICAS Sasol and Ineos to move forward with HDPE JV Sasol and Ineos will be proceeding with a 50-50 JV for the manufacture of bimodal HDPE at Ineos’ manufacturing site in LaPorte, TX. The JV will construct a 470 KTA HDPE plant which is expected to begin operations in 2016. The plant will…