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RAW MATERIALS Shell considers US linear alpha-olefin expansion Shell Chemicals is currently looking into the possibility of building a world-scale (350,000 tonnes/y) linear alpha-olefins unit, which would be based on proprietary technology, at its petrochemicals site in Geismar, LA, USA. No details of the schedule or investment have been disclosed. At present Shell Chemicals has 92,000 tonnes/y of capacity for linear alpha-olefins at Geismar, in three different units. The new project would be able to take advantage of cheap ethane resulting from shale gas production. It would also enhance Shell Chemicals’ ability to respond to demand for linear alpha- olefins from producers of high- technology lubricants and additives, surfactants, polyethylene copolymers and offshore drilling fluids. In addition to its capacities in Geismar, Shell Chemicals also makes linear alpha-olefins in Stanlow, UK, and has plans for a 300,000 tonnes/y unit at its new petrochemicals complex in Qatar (a joint project with Qatar Petroleum). Original Source: Chimie Pharma Hebdo, 25 Feb 2013, (624), (Website: http://www.industrie.com/chimie/) (in French) © ETAI Information 2013. Original Source: ICIS Chemical Business, 18 Feb 2013 (Website: http://www.icis.com) © Reed Business Information Limited 2013 Reverdia begins succinic acid production in Italy Reverdia, a joint venture of DSM and Roquette Freres, has begun producing succinic acid at a new 10,000 tonnes/y plant in Cassano Spinola, Italy [see also Focus on Surfactants, Jan 2013]. This is the first large-scale commercial succinic acid plant. Succinity, a joint venture of BASF and Purac/CSM, hopes to start production operations in Spain during 2013. Original Source: Chemie Magazine (Nederlandse Chemische Industrie), 23 Jan 2013, (1), 47 (Vereniging van de Nederlandse Chemische Industrie (VNCI), the Netherlands, email: [email protected], website: http://www.vnci.nl) (in Dutch) © De Vereniging van de Nederlandse Chemische Industrie (VNCI) 2013 SURFACTANTS AkzoNobel plans further investment in China AkzoNobel has announced its intention to invest a further 65 M in China. The investment will be used to boost capacity and significantly improve operational excellence at AkzoNobel’s Surface Chemistry manufacturing sites in Boxing and Ningbo. More than half the money is being invested in the company’s facility in Shandong province, which was taken over as part of the acquisition of Boxing Oleochemicals in Jan 2012 [Focus on Surfactants, Mar 2012]. As well as building a multipurpose reactor to expand local production capacity for amines, significant funds are also being made available to align HSE practices at the site with the rest of AkzoNobel. In Ningbo, a new alkoxylation unit will be built, bringing the total investment at the multi-site close to the 400 M mark. ‘There is increasing demand for our speciality surfactant products across Asia and investing in Shandong province will ensure that we provide a strong local manufacturing operation in order to support our customers as they themselves continue to grow,’ says AkzoNobel spokesman Werner Fuhrmann. ‘Ningbo also remains fundamental to our growth ambitions in the region and has a crucial role to play as we continue to expand.’ As part of the investment decision, AkzoNobel will exit the merchant fatty acid business in Boxing, closing down two out of three fatty acid plants at the site, affecting about 200 employees. AkzoNobel currently employs more than 7000 people in China, with 2012 revenue totalling 1.7 bn, the majority being generated from local demand. Original Source: AkzoNobel, website: http://www.akzonobel.com (19 Mar 2013) © AkzoNobel NV 2013 Lubrizol invests $11 M to expand surfactants capacity at Bowling Green plant The Lubrizol Corp has broken ground for its new building at the company’s Bowling Green facility in Ohio, USA. The Bowling Green plant expansion will support the company’s surfactants manufacturing technology for its personal and home care business. The estimated investment in the new building is $11 M, and it will add 60,000 sq ft to the facility. Designed to include new process equipment for surfactants as well as four finished goods storage tanks, the new building also will have space to accommodate two additional finished goods storage tanks for future expansion needs. Original Source: Lubrizol, 2013. Found on SpecialChem Cosmetics and Personal Care Innovation and Solutions, 5 Mar 2013, (Website: http://www.specialchem4cosmetics.com) Stepan increases surfactant prices Effective 1 Mar 2013, Stepan Co is raising list and off-list pricing for a number of its surfactant products. Increases range from $0.02/lb to $0.10/lb for alkoxylates, high-active synthetic alkyl ether sulfates, olefin sulfonates, phosphate esters and hydrotropes in its Bio-Soft, Makon, Neutronyx, Merpol, Toximul, Steol, Polystep, Bio-Terge, Stepfac, Petrostep, Cedephos, Zelec and Stepanate branded ranges. Prices for blends and derivatives of these products will increase accordingly. The company says these price rises reflect the recent increases in petroleum-based raw materials. Original Source: Stepan Co, 22, West Frontage Road, Northfield, IL 60093, USA, tel: +1 847 446 7500, fax: +1 847 501 2100, website: http://www.stepan.com (7 Feb 2013) © Stepan Company 2013 ASSOCIATED PRODUCTS Solvay boosts output of guar derivatives Solvay is increasing production capacity for guar derivatives by 40% with the expansion of its plants in Vernon, TX, USA and Zhangjiagang, China. The company also produces the plant-derived materials in Melle, France. Guar derivatives find applications in agrochemicals as an antidrift agent, in hair care products as a conditioner, and in oil and gas drilling as a gelling additive. The increased capacity at the Vernon unit will supply the N American oil and 2 MAY 2013 FOCUS ON SURFACTANTS

AkzoNobel plans further investment in China

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RAWMATERIALS

Shell considers US linear alpha-olefinexpansion

Shell Chemicals is currently lookinginto the possibility of building aworld-scale (350,000 tonnes/y) linearalpha-olefins unit, which would bebased on proprietary technology, atits petrochemicals site in Geismar,LA, USA. No details of the scheduleor investment have been disclosed.At present Shell Chemicals has92,000 tonnes/y of capacity for linearalpha-olefins at Geismar, in threedifferent units. The new projectwould be able to take advantage ofcheap ethane resulting from shalegas production. It would alsoenhance Shell Chemicals’ ability torespond to demand for linear alpha-olefins from producers of high-technology lubricants and additives,surfactants, polyethylene copolymersand offshore drilling fluids. Inaddition to its capacities in Geismar,Shell Chemicals also makes linearalpha-olefins in Stanlow, UK, andhas plans for a 300,000 tonnes/y unitat its new petrochemicals complex inQatar (a joint project with QatarPetroleum).

Original Source: Chimie Pharma Hebdo, 25 Feb 2013,(624), (Website: http://www.industrie.com/chimie/)(in French) © ETAI Information 2013. Original Source:ICIS Chemical Business, 18 Feb 2013 (Website:http://www.icis.com) © Reed Business InformationLimited 2013

Reverdia begins succinic acidproduction in Italy

Reverdia, a joint venture of DSM andRoquette Freres, has begunproducing succinic acid at a new10,000 tonnes/y plant in CassanoSpinola, Italy [see also Focus onSurfactants, Jan 2013]. This is thefirst large-scale commercial succinicacid plant. Succinity, a joint venture ofBASF and Purac/CSM, hopes to startproduction operations in Spain during2013.

Original Source: Chemie Magazine (NederlandseChemische Industrie), 23 Jan 2013, (1), 47(Vereniging van de Nederlandse Chemische Industrie(VNCI), the Netherlands, email: [email protected],website: http://www.vnci.nl) (in Dutch) © DeVereniging van de Nederlandse Chemische Industrie(VNCI) 2013

SURFACTANTSAkzoNobel plans further investment inChina

AkzoNobel has announced itsintention to invest a further €65 M inChina. The investment will be used toboost capacity and significantlyimprove operational excellence atAkzoNobel’s Surface Chemistrymanufacturing sites in Boxing andNingbo. More than half the money isbeing invested in the company’sfacility in Shandong province, whichwas taken over as part of theacquisition of Boxing Oleochemicalsin Jan 2012 [Focus on Surfactants,Mar 2012]. As well as building amultipurpose reactor to expand localproduction capacity for amines,significant funds are also being madeavailable to align HSE practices at thesite with the rest of AkzoNobel. InNingbo, a new alkoxylation unit will bebuilt, bringing the total investment atthe multi-site close to the €400 Mmark. ‘There is increasing demand forour speciality surfactant productsacross Asia and investing inShandong province will ensure thatwe provide a strong localmanufacturing operation in order tosupport our customers as theythemselves continue to grow,’ saysAkzoNobel spokesman WernerFuhrmann. ‘Ningbo also remainsfundamental to our growth ambitionsin the region and has a crucial role toplay as we continue to expand.’ Aspart of the investment decision,AkzoNobel will exit the merchant fattyacid business in Boxing, closing downtwo out of three fatty acid plants atthe site, affecting about 200employees. AkzoNobel currentlyemploys more than 7000 people inChina, with 2012 revenue totalling€1.7 bn, the majority being generatedfrom local demand.

Original Source: AkzoNobel, website:http://www.akzonobel.com (19 Mar 2013) © AkzoNobel NV 2013

Lubrizol invests $11 M to expandsurfactants capacity at Bowling Greenplant

The Lubrizol Corp has broken groundfor its new building at the company’sBowling Green facility in Ohio, USA.The Bowling Green plant expansion

will support the company’s surfactantsmanufacturing technology for itspersonal and home care business.The estimated investment in the newbuilding is $11 M, and it will add60,000 sq ft to the facility. Designed toinclude new process equipment forsurfactants as well as four finishedgoods storage tanks, the new buildingalso will have space to accommodatetwo additional finished goods storagetanks for future expansion needs.

Original Source: Lubrizol, 2013. Found onSpecialChem Cosmetics and Personal Care Innovationand Solutions, 5 Mar 2013, (Website:http://www.specialchem4cosmetics.com)

Stepan increases surfactant prices

Effective 1 Mar 2013, Stepan Co israising list and off-list pricing for anumber of its surfactant products.Increases range from $0.02/lb to$0.10/lb for alkoxylates, high-activesynthetic alkyl ether sulfates, olefinsulfonates, phosphate esters andhydrotropes in its Bio-Soft, Makon,Neutronyx, Merpol, Toximul, Steol,Polystep, Bio-Terge, Stepfac,Petrostep, Cedephos, Zelec andStepanate branded ranges. Prices forblends and derivatives of theseproducts will increase accordingly.The company says these price risesreflect the recent increases inpetroleum-based raw materials.

Original Source: Stepan Co, 22, West Frontage Road,Northfield, IL 60093, USA, tel: +1 847 446 7500, fax:+1 847 501 2100, website: http://www.stepan.com (7 Feb 2013) © Stepan Company 2013

ASSOCIATEDPRODUCTS

Solvay boosts output of guarderivatives

Solvay is increasing productioncapacity for guar derivatives by 40%with the expansion of its plants inVernon, TX, USA and Zhangjiagang,China. The company also producesthe plant-derived materials in Melle,France. Guar derivatives findapplications in agrochemicals as anantidrift agent, in hair care productsas a conditioner, and in oil and gasdrilling as a gelling additive. Theincreased capacity at the Vernon unitwill supply the N American oil and

2 MAY 2013

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