CARLSBERG

Danish brewery teams up with global packaging producers to encourage cradle-to-cradle product design / European partners include Arkema, Rexam, RKW and Petainer

ARKEMA

Poor market conditions in Europe hit profits and sales in 2013 / Growth strategy aim at boosting sales

RUSSIA

Engineering thermoplastics consumption recovers slightly in 2013 / Gains driven by ABS and PMMA / Import volumes of PC, PA and SAN down / Asian producers increasingly step into the fold / Low local capacity utilisation rates / Plastinfo report

ARKEMA

Price increase for EVA copolymers

KEM ONE

Joint takeover by industrialist and private equity / No indication of planned closures

KEM ONE

OpenGate leading in the stretch / Unions present project "Phoenix" / Further potential delays to final decision

ARKEMA

Prices to go up for polymer catalysts

YEAR IN REVIEW 2013

Part 1 – General overview: US shale gas boom has European plastics players worried / Commodity sectors dogged by overcapacity, insolvencies / Italy goes all out for biopolymers / Mixed picture for European converters

KEM ONE

OpenGate and Alain de Krassny seen as top bidders for insolvent PVC maker

BIOPLASTICS

Politics of biodegradable plastics misleading? / Compostability only deemed necessary for fruit nets and root balls / Drop-in solutions for better ecological efficiency / Production remains expensive

ARKEMA / ADDIPLAST

New toll compounding pact for high-end PA / Bio-sourced and conventional products

ARKEMA

First R&D centre in China / Ambitious growth plans for Asia

ARKEMA

Closing of plasticiser facility in Chauny planned for 2014

ARKEMA

Another price hike for EVA copolymers in place

JAYANT AGRO

Bio-polyols joint venture with Mitsui Chemicals

TOTAL

French management prepared to close naphtha cracker / Fate of Carling site and polymer plant uncertain

EUROPEAN CHEMICAL INDUSTRY

Production declines by 2% EU-wide in the first five months of 2013 / Growth engine revving in fits and starts / Company chieftains now more cautious about full-year outlook / Cefic trend report

ARKEMA

EVA copolymer more expensive in August

POLYMER PRICES

Composites/GRP July 2013: Ortho resins lose a little more ground, despite producers' hike plans / Stability expected in August / Glass fibre unchanged / First Egyptian direct roving shipments delayed

POLYMER PRICES

Engineering Thermoplastics July 2013: Smooth Q3 transition / Most prices roll over / Slight drops in ABS and PP / No ordering slump / Despite declining feedstock costs, binding Q3 contracts dictate landscape

ARKEMA

Poor market conditions in Europe hit operating profit and sales in Q2 2013 / High performance materials see improving performance over first two quarters

ARKEMA

PEKK grades available for use in aerospace, oil exploration and electronics

ARKEMA

French company presents lightweight “Rilsan” medical PA grade

KEM ONE

Buyers showing interest in ailing PVC producer / Production returning to normal at most sites / Insolvency process still on schedule

ARKEMA

European slowdown hits sales and profits / US automotive sector provides boost to Altuglas / Earnings fall in high-performance materials