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Polymers

Global oversupply of polyethylene, polypropylene challenges margins

The excess capacity will help North American converters be more competitive due to the increased competition associated with PE capacity expansions. However, on the producer side, economics will be challenged as global capacity expansions exceed demand growth.

Mitsubishi Plastics selects Jacobs as engineer on US plant expansion

Under the terms of the agreement, Jacobs is providing engineering services for the $100 million investment, which includes installation of a polyester film production line.

WR Grace to acquire global polyolefin catalyts business from BASF

BASF’s polyolefin catalysts business includes its LYNX high-activity PE catalyst technologies that are utilized commercially in slurry processes for the production of high-density PE resins.

India’s JBF secures paraxylene supply from ONGC

JBF Petrochemicals is in the process of commissioning a PTA plant with 1.25 MMtpy of capacity, using technology from BP, at Mangalore. The paraxylene will be supplied by OMPL.

Fairfax India to invest $300MM in petrochemicals producer Sanmar

Chennai-based Sanmar, a family-owned firm chaired by N Sankar, is one of India's largest producers of polyvinyl chloride (PVC). The firm owns manufacturing facilities in India and Egypt.

LyondellBasell acquires Indian polypropylene compounding assets

LyondellBasell entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Zylog's polypropylene (PP) compounding assets in November 2015, and the deal was formally completed on Thursday.

Strategic assessment of the Iranian petrochemical industry

Nexant: Spiers, A.
Nexant Energy and Chemicals Advisory: FaÍsca, N.

The recent agreement between Iran and the international community represents clear opportunities and challenges for petrochemical producers.

Central American nations beef up import infrastructure, fuel production amid demand shift

Contributing Writer: Nogarin, M.
Hydrocarbon Processing Staff: Rhodes, Mike

   Methanex’s methanol facility in Trinidad.

Honeywell, M. Holland expand nylon partnership

Under this partnership, M. Holland and Honeywell will be expanding their nylon distribution to include flexible packaging applications. M. Holland and Honeywell have been partners in distributing nylon for the past several years, primarily in the compounding markets.

BASF awards EPCM work to Fluor for revamp of Texas chemicals plant

Fluor previously completed FEED for the project under its North America partnership agreement with BASF and is executing the EPCM under the recent global engineering services agreement.