Top

Mar 3rd, 2010

March Propylene Rises in Europe, Med PP Markets Begin March With Price Hikes

As an initial March propylene contract price was settled in the European market last week with an additional increase of €35/ton from the February contract settlement, price hikes have emerged in Italy’s spot PP market for the month of March, as per Chemorbis. Due to persistent supply worries stemming from unexpected propylene outages and the...

Feb 26th, 2010

Formaldehyde 2010 World Market Outlook and Forecast Been Recently Released by MarketPublishers.com

LONDON – Global economic downturn and crash in the US new automobile and home construction market pushed formaldehyde demand down by 35% over the past four years. Estimated North American capacity for formaldehyde derived from methanol reached about 1.9m tones in 2009, down from 2.7m tones in 2005. Forecasted formaldehyde demand in 2012 may only...

Feb 18th, 2010

Methanol: 2010 World Market Outlook and Forecast Been Recently Released by MarketPublishers.com

LONDON – Within Chemicals & Petrochemicals Reports Package 2010, a newly updated market report “Methanol: 2010 World Market Outlook And Forecast” has been recently issued by Market Publishers, Ltd. The report features important aspects of Methanol market, provides its full and thorough analysis, focusing on the regional, country and world markets. It is broken into...

Feb 17th, 2010

Polypropylene Prices Rise in Europe this Month, but Buying Remains Limited

Polypropylene (PP) prices in Europe have increased this month, but buying has been limited to essential purchases, as there are still widespread expectations of a price drop in 2010, as per ICIS. Buyers are very cautious and buying on a hand-to-mouth basis. PP prices had risen by a minimum of US$116/ton at most accounts in...

Feb 16th, 2010

Bisphenol A (BPA): 2010 World Market Outlook And Forecast Been Recently Released by MarketPublishers.com

LONDON – Bisphenol A (BPA) is expected to post a global growth of 0-3%/y from 2010 to 2015 with Asia, particularly China, accounting for the strongest performance at 5%/y. European growth is forecast to remain unchanged to 1%. BPA is primarily used in the manufacture of polycarbonate resins, with such application accounting for around 75%...

Feb 9th, 2010

Growth in EU Bioplastics Market Defies Recession

The market for bioplastics is defying the economic downturn as brand owners worldwide continue to invest in the technology, according to Andy Sweetman, chairman of the European Bioplastics board. Sweetman pointed to Coca-Cola, which has introduced a new PET PlastBottle, which contains 30% plant-based material, in certain countries. Sanmsung has introduced a mobile phone made...

Feb 5th, 2010

Polycarbonate 2010 World Market Outlook And Forecast Recently Added by MarketPublishers.com

LONDON - Global annual polycarbonate demand growth is forecast to slow to around 5% between 2009-2015, from historical growth rates of around 7-8%. Key optical data storage application will continue falling as it’s superseded by other data storage options, losing its leading position to the electronics/electrical sector. Sharp growth in demand from Blu-ray players...

Feb 4th, 2010

PET prices continue to be linked to input costs in Europe

PET prices in Europe have increased in January 2010 in line with rising input costs. As per Plastics Information Europe, feedstock MEG prices increased by €125/ton to levels of €785/ton as supply gets increasingly stringent. Interestingly, spot market notations of the more important feedstock paraxylene have eased in January. Some players expect the upward trend...

Feb 2nd, 2010

Dow Coating Materials Announces Price Increase for Hydroxyethyl Cellulose Based Products in Europe

Dow Coating Materials will implement a price increase in Europe, including central and eastern Europe, Russia and Middle East, for all products sold to the architectural and industrial coatings markets. The increase effective February 1, 2010, or as contracts allow, will affect all hydroxyethyl cellulose based polymers. The prices will increase by 10 percent. ...

Jan 25th, 2010

Crude Oil Dips to US$75 Levels

A Wall Street dropped for a third consecutive session, oil prices have fallen to US$74.5 on the Nymex, and to US$72.83 on the ICE Futures exchange in London. Oil prices are weakening amid ongoing concerns about weak energy demand and a third day of selloff in US stock markets. Thursday’s report by the Energy Information Administration...

Jan 22nd, 2010

Private Enterprise Becomes Interested in Europe’s Wind Industry

Government support for the offshore wind industry in Europe has been growing as the European renewable energy targets of 2020 come closer. The private sector has also taken up the challenge to new power sources with installed capacity continuing to grow and market share increasing. The offshore wind industry is expected to grow in relation to the...

Jan 21st, 2010

GM Europe to Close Belgian Opel Plant

BRUSSELS : General Motors Europe announced to unions on Thursday that it is to close its Opel auto production plant in Antwerp, in a blow that Belgian industry said would cost 5,000 jobs. The site will be closed over “the course of 2010,” an Opel statement said. A union representative immediately announced a blockade, saying...

Jan 20th, 2010

Reichhold Announces Price Increase on all Products for European Composites Industry

Reichhold announces a 150 EUR/MT price increase effective as of January 18, 2010 on all its Products sold in Europe. The main reason is the recent, sharp increase of styrene price caused by an increase in feedstocks (benzene) and capacity curtailment actions. Styrene supply in Europe continues to be disrupted by a combination of planned...

Jan 19th, 2010

Harmonised Classification & Labelling of Three Chemical Substances

The European Chemicals Agency has published on its website a public consultation on the proposal to harmonise the classification and labelling of three chemical substances. Comments are welcome on the proposal until 3 of March 2010. All comments will be taken into account in the subsequent decision-making process. White spirits (Denmark) Stoddard solvent (USA term for...

Jan 18th, 2010

First Direct “Chemical Fingerprint” of an Exoplanet orbiting a Sun-Like Star

Astronomers have obtained the first direct spectrum - a “chemical fingerprint” - of a planet orbiting a distant, Sun-like star, providing direct data about the composition of the planet’s atmosphere. Such “chemical fingerprinting” is a key technique in the search for habitable planets around other stars. As such, the result represents a milestone in the...

Jan 11th, 2010

Evonik Increases Price for VESTOWAX

Evonik Industries’ Coatings & Additives Business Unit announces a price increase for all Fischer-Tropsch and polyethylene waxes marketed under the trade name of VESTOWAX® in Europe and the Middle East. The price rise will take effect from February 1, 2010 and will be between 6 and 8%, depending on the VESTOWAX® grade. This increase does...

Dec 24th, 2009

Chemtura to Sell PVC Additives Business

Chemtura has reached a deal to sell its polyvinyl chloride (PVC) additives business to private equity firm SK Capital Partners (New York). Chemtura has filed a motion with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York to allow SK Capital to be the lead or “stalking horse” bidder in a court-approved auction...

Dec 22nd, 2009

Petrom to Withdraw from Chemical Operations

Romanian oil company Petrom has decided to completely withdraw from the chemical products market, with an aim to increase its integrated operations. By the end of 2010, Petrom is planning to finalise the deal to sell its petrochemical operations of Arpechim refinery to state-held plant Oltchim, according to zf.ro.com. Petrom has taken the decision as chemical and...

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...

Dec 17th, 2009

Carbon Hub Raise 1 Million Euros

The supplier of carbon management solutions closes a first financing round led by Seventure Partners. The Carbon Hub solution was recently highlighted in the Verdantix report for the relevance of its SaaS model which offers, in particular, some advanced collaborative and best practice-sharing functionalities. PARIS & LONDON–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Carbon Hub, the developer of carbon management web solutions...