DOW

Polymers boost group performance in Q2 / Revenue from plastics down but earnings up / Capacity upgrades on track / Chlor-alkali merger with Olin almost wrapped up

POLAND

Plastics industry sees dynamic growth / Processing rises by 7% in 2014 / 3.1m t polymer consumption / Dependent on feedstock imports / Few petrochemical projects / Large-scale investment in packaging

DOW

MDI-based range expanded through addition of four new products

OCC

New polycarbonate line in eastern China on stream / Phosgene-free processing technology from Germany's EPC Group

PACKAGING RECYCLING

“Reflex Project” makes inroads in recyclability of multi-layer packaging and NIR sorting systems / UK-based programme to set the groundwork for a circular economy for flexible packaging

UKRPLASTIC

EU-Ukraine association pact offers chances for plastics converters / Many need to catch up to western standards says packaging producer Ukrplastics's chair / Long-term cooperation with Dow

FEEDSTOCK MARKETS

Olefins: Repsol's Tarragona cracker resumes operations

MANALI PETROCHEMICALS

Indian group announces polyols capacity expansion / Proprietary technical process

PETROCHEMICAL MARKETS

Repsol declares FM for cracker in Tarragona / Polymer production affected

DOW

New “Pack Studio” innovation hub in Italy / Customers can tap company's adhesives expertise

DOW

Takeover of Univation Technologies complete / Leading technology licensor to global PE industry

DOW

Chlor-alkali merger with Olin to cost up to 1,750 Dow jobs / Annual savings of USD 330m expected

DOW

Polyether polyols plant starts up in Thailand / Up to 200,000 t of Asian capacity added

YUNNAN YUNTIANHUA PETROCHEMICAL

Building new PP production facility in Yunnan / “Unipol” license from W.R. Grace

DOWAKSA

Collaborating with Ford to develop cost-effective, high-volume carbon fibres for automotive applications

DOW

Performance Plastics and Materials businesses contribute to 28% growth in operating profit in Q1 / Tenth consecutive quarter of earnings and margin increases

POLYURETHANES

India imposes tariffs on polyols imports / Duties affect deliveries from Europe, Singapore and Australia

DOW

Merging chlor-alkali and downstream derivatives businesses with Olin / New industry leader is born

INTERNATIONAL PLASTICS INDUSTRY

Most producers see sales and earnings improvement in 2014 / Cautious optimism for 2015 / Falling raw materials prices and strengthening demand provide impetus / Currency shift will boost European companies

DOW

Israel Chemicals starts commercial-scale production of “FR-122P” polymeric flame retardant / European phase-out by 21 August

SADARA

Jubail polyeythelene mega-project on schedule / Large-scale cracker and PE lines to be commissioned this year

IMCD

Distributing Dow Europe's additives in select European countries

PETROCHEMICAL MARKETS

Sadara teams up with Bavarian chemical park management firm to promote investment at Saudi's PlasChem Park / Production at EUR 15 bn complex set to start up this year

DOW CHEMICAL

Ninth consecutive quarter of operating profit growth / Adjusted EBITDA reaches USD 9.3 bn in 2014 / Sales up 2% at USD 58.2 bn / Performance Plastics records highest growth

COMPOSITES RESEARCH

US sets up USD 260m IACMI composites research institute in Tennessee