DOW

Plans to increase polyether polyols capacity in Thailand / Additional output in Texas due to debottlenecking

COMPOSITES MARKET

European GRP market stagnates at 1m t / Open processes will not match pre-2009 levels / Focus on automation and continuous closed processes / 26% increase of visitors at "Composites Europe" fair in Stuttgart

DOW

Plastics additives division off the selling block / Epoxy unit a likely candidate for divestment

SHALE GAS

Argentina: Next steps in exploration / Agreements reached between YPF and US companies given green light

DOW

European production of "Affinity GA" polyolefin elastomers to begin in 2014

PETROCHEMICAL MARKETS

Fiery flare-offs at Versalis LDPE plant in Ferrara / Production shut down for a week

POLYMER PRICES

Standard Thermoplastics August 2013: Notations rise on a broad front and exceed costs / Demand in summer holiday season driven by pre-buying / Substantial increases likely in September

DOW EUROPE

Considerable price increase for PE products

DOW

Sites selected in Texas and Louisiana for US plastics projects / Louisiana projects to be completed end-2016

DOW / MONUMENT

Price increase for polyols in North America / European price adjustment almost certain

POLYMER PRICES

Polyurethane feedstocks August 2013: Bottoming out of prices for TDI and polyols / Polymeric MDI in rollover / Short supply of pure MDI drives notations / Demand remains weak / Cost increases foreseeable

PEOPLE

PolyOne names Michael Garratt to succeed Robert Rosenau

POLYMER PRICES

Standard Thermoplastics Trend August 2013: Hikes overcompensate cost rise / Supply limited by production cuts and outages / Demand strong for a summer month / Prices could climb further

DOW

Price increases for all PE grades

DOW

Performance plastics business leads in operating profit gains / Sales remain static / K-Dow award applied to debt reduction

POLYMER PRICES

Polyurethane feedstocks July 2013: Rebates predominate / Only pure MDI stable / Poor seasonal demand leads to stock-building / Hike plans with little chance of acceptance

ORIENTAL ENERGY

Selects Ineos licence for PP process for Ningbo site / Part of expansion programme to become major player

CNOOC

Purchase of PE licence from Ineos for Huizhou petrochemicals site

SHANXI COKING

Licence agreement for Dow's "Unipol" technology / PP plant to be ready by 2015

QATAR PETROLEUM

Unipol technology for PE projects at Ras Laffan / Polymer output to total 2.2m t/y

PEOPLE

Songwon: Cord Manegold new global business manager

DOW

Polyethylene price adjustment

POLYMER PRICES

Polyurethane feedstocks June 2013: MDI stable despite slack building activity / TDI and polyols crumble further / Clear trend to oversupply / Weak demand from automotive / Price pressure persists

DOW

Polyethylene prices go up

ORPIC

USD 3.6 bn investment in integrated olefins project / Annual capacity of 1m tonnes / Country's first polyethylene production site