US
Jan 18th, 2011
Feds to Ban Toxic Chemical Additive to Plastic Childrens Products
OTTAWA — The federal government is making good on a promise to ban a toxic chemical additive in soft plastic toys and other children’s products.
The new regulations, to be implemented in June, take aim at six phthalates, a family a chemicals known to cause reproductive harm and commonly used to make vinyl plastic soft and...
Jun 15th, 2010
Uptrend is Outlined on the Global Phenol Market
Uptrend is outlined on the global Phenol market, in 2010 the market will generally see demand increase, major part of it attributed to Asia.
In 2008 production output shrank due to the recession and amounted 7.2 mln tons. In 2009 relative improvement of the market was estimated for major regions, apart from the USA where the...
May 26th, 2010
Europe Resists Shale-Gas ‘Bandwagon’
Environmental concerns hinder embrace of U.S. phenomenon
Shale gas, viewed as a game-changer in the U.S. natural gas market, is likely to have less of an impact in overcrowded Europe, companies attending the Reuters Global Energy Summit said.
The fuel — natural gas trapped in layered rock rather than porous reservoirs — accounts for a rising part...
May 4th, 2010
Duty-free quota boosts US beef in Europe
The European Unions recent opening of a new, zero-duty quota for high-quality beef has created expanded opportunities for U.S. beef producers and suppliers.
The quota, which came into force in August, allows for 20,000 metric tons of high-quality beef at an in-quota tariff of zero. This is in addition to the existing 11,500 metric ton quota...
Apr 2nd, 2010
Diamond prices expected to climb
Diamond prices are expected to climb higher in the short term as lower production runs up against increasing demand for the luxury stone, executives at Harry Winston Diamond Corp. told analysts.
"Prices have now rebounded to almost the previous highs as demand has continued to expand in emerging economies led by China and India," chairman...
Mar 23rd, 2010
New Gas Terminal in Europe Under Study
Qatar is studying a plan to build a new receiving terminal for liquefied natural gas in Europe “and Bulgaria is one of the countries on the list for this project”, Prime Minister and Foreign Minister HE Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jabor al-Thani said yesterday.
“This is under study and I don’t think anything would happen...
Mar 17th, 2010
EU Construction Falls 2.2% in January
Seasonally adjusted construction activities in January decreased 2.2% in euro area and 2.0% in the EU27 compared to a month ago. In December 2009, activities fell by 1.0% in the euro zone and in EU 27 area rose by 0.8%.
The following is an unedited transcript of the news release from the Eurostat, the Statistical Office...
Feb 19th, 2010
Arch Chemicals Sells Industrial Coatings Business to Sherwin-Williams
Arch Chemicals has signed a definitive agreement to sell its industrial coatings business to US firm The Sherwin-Williams Company for approximately €40m ($54m).
The agreement approved by the Boards of Directors of both companies includes the industrial coatings businesses located in Italy, the UK, Spain, North America and Singapore.
Key product lines include polyester-based, polyurethane-based and water-based...
Dec 21st, 2009
BASF increases Prices for Wet End Paper Chemicals
Effective January 1, 2010, or as contract terms allow, BASF will be increasing its sales prices for all Wet End Paper Chemicals up to 20% in Europe, the Middle East and Africa.
As a leading supplier BASF develops, produces and markets chemicals for the paper industry for the manufacture of paper and board. Wet-End Chemicals comprise...
Apr 17th, 2009
A New Research ‘Special Building Materials Market in USA: Business Report 2009’ was published by TD The Market Publishers, Ltd.
The Market Publishers, Ltd. has recently presented the comprehensive research of Special Building Materials market in USA, which offers business report on Special Building Materials market and purchase activity monitoring within the sector. Besides, the research is elaborated with detailed USA business profile.
‘Special Building Materials market in USA: Business Report 2009’. The distinguishing...
Feb 19th, 2009
The Highest Urea Demand Growth will be Demonstrated by Africa (4.8%), Western Asia (4.4%) And South Asia (4%)
The present economic situation influences world fertilizer market. The changes may occur in agricultural product consumption what will change fertilizers demand as well. But Nitrogen fertilizers should not be as greatly affected.
The highest growth in the demand for urea will be demonstrated by such regions as Africa (4.8%), Western Asia (4.4%), South Asia...
Feb 19th, 2009
Asia and Latin America Offer a Great Potential for Formaldehyde Market Growth
LONDON - According to the research ”Formaldehyde: 2009 World Market Outlook AND Forecast” ( mcgroup.co.uk/researches/F/08800///Formaldehyde) by Merchant Research & Consulting, world formaldehyde market will be growing around 3% a year with Asia Pacific and Latin America being the major consuming markets, while now the largest markets are Europe, North America and China.
In Western Europe, markets...
Feb 11th, 2009
Polycarbonate World Market will Recover from Current Downturn
According to the research «Polycarbonate: 2009 World Market Outlook AND Forecast» (mcgroup.co.uk/researches/P/08900/Polycarbonate.html) by Merchant Research & Consulting, the polycarbonate market has been in bad conditions in recent times. The market remained oversupplied. The optical media segment shrank as a result of lower demand for CDs and DVDs. Prices were stagnant.
A health concern raised over...
Feb 10th, 2009
Global Titanium Dioxide Capacity May Rich 7,5 mln tons/year by 2015
LONDON According to the research «Titanium Dioxide: 2009 World Market Outlook And Forecast» (mcgroup.co.uk/researches/T/03800/0/0/Titanium_Dioxide.html) by Merchant Research & Consulting, Titanium dioxide capacities totaled 5,6 mln tons in 2008 with average operating rates of 95%. With a considerable number of projects planned to be implemented world capacity will grow 30% by 2015 and 2/3 of titanium...
Feb 6th, 2009
Caustic Soda World Prices Keep on Growing in Europe, Stay Stable in USA and Fall in Asia in the begining of 2009
According to the research ‘Caustic soda: 2009 World Market Outlook and Forecast’ (http://mcgroup.co.uk/researches/C/068500/0/0/Caustic_Soda) by Merchant Research & Consulting, the prices for liquid and solid caustic soda were constantly growing during 2008 in Europe and North America. In Asia prices were climbing up until the middle of 2008 but than they began to fall.
Caustic soda market...
Dec 2nd, 2008
Price trends of oil, polymer feedstock and commodity polymers in Asia for t…
CRUDE OIL
Crude oil moved up by over 9% mid week, rising above US$54 on news of interest rate cut by China to stimulate the domestic economy. However, oil prices ended the week of December 1, 2008 at US$52 a barrel on news of a decision by OPEC to defer output reduction until December 17...
Dec 2nd, 2008
Commercial operations at OL2K ethylene unit set underway
The commercial operations at the 850,000 mtpa OL2K (Olefins II Kuwait Program) Ethylene Unit (EU2) have been set underway, EQUATE Petrochemical Company declared. The new unit is owned by The Kuwait Olefins Company (TKOC) and operated by EQUATE. Apart from the two companies, Petrochemical Industries Company (PIC) and The Dow Chemical Company are major stakeholders...
Dec 2nd, 2008
Butadiene growth in next five years expected to fastest in Asia; slow to fl…
The vast majority of butadiene is extracted from the crude C4 coproduct of ethylene. CMAI experts forecast the crude C4 market balance to tighten globally from 2008-2013. Global supply production will be enough to meet demand, but regional market differences will continue. In North America, crude C4 availability will limit butadiene production as a lightening...
Dec 1st, 2008
Pregis Launches Astro-Foam Renew™, Sheet Foam with up to 35% Recycled Content
Pregis Corp. is launching Astro-Foam Renew™, a new polyethylene foam sheet with up to 35% pre-consumer recycled content. The cost-effective, flexible, all purpose answer to a broad variety of packaging and nonpackaging applications is now available in a more sustainable alternative.
“We are committed to developing products that meet sustainability objectives while at the same time...
Dec 1st, 2008
Price of bioplastics expected to stabilize in 2015
Improvements to cost, performance and moisture barrier properties of bioplastics, along with more investment in sorting technology to prevent contamination of recycling waste streams will enable the industry to compete more effectively with conventional plastics, as per a report in Foodproductiondaily.
Christophe Doukhi de Boissoudy, president of the Club des Bioplastiques, told attendees at the conference...