EVONIK

New plant for structural foam started up at Darmstadt / 50% capacity increase

CHINAPLAS 2014

Sustainability as key theme at this year's plastics mega-event in Shanghai / Organisers expect almost 3,000 exhibitors / “Green Forum” co-organised by PIE / Last call for registrations for exclusive readers' trip to China

INVISTA

Dutch expansion of PA 6.6 capacity planned / European market high priority / Increased sustainability through more efficient production processes

EVONIK

New super absorbers plant on track to start up in Q4 / Mechanical certification completed

POLYCASA

Rebranding the former Quinn Plastics / Broad portfolio of transparent and translucent sheet / Margins suffer following price decline for semi-finished products

OMAN OIL

Purchase of Oxea from Advent International / Plans to build integrated chemical platform in Oman

EVONIK

Specialty materials earnings down 47% in Q2 / Forecast for 2013 revised downward

EVONIK

Non-phthalate plasticisers unit starts up in Marl

CHINAPLAS

Growing number of international visitors and exhibitors in Guangzhou / Focus on sustainability and production efficiency

OMV

Austrian giant invests EUR 230m in butadiene production / Targets Burghausen refinery / Upgrades Schwechat plant

BRENNTAG

Agreement with Evonik to expand European cooperation / Italy still not part of distribution

EVONIK

IPO through alternate route / Shares launched in Frankfurt and Luxembourg

RUSSIA

Engineering thermoplastics market contracts slightly in 2012 / Imports from Europe and Asia on the rise / Russian production still too low / Western European quality often not matched / Plastinfo report

BASF / SINOPEC

New isononanol plant in China / German partner shifts plans for plasticiser feedstocks after quitting Petronas project

EVONIK

Phthalate-free PVC plasticiser range to be introduced in mid-2013 / 40,000 t/y plant in Marl

YEAR IN REVIEW

Life is a roller coaster ride, the European plastics industry finds again in 2012 / Forces majeures and consolidation / North-South profitability gap grows as the shadow of Middle East and China shrinks

EVENTS

“Seventh Pagev Turkish Plastics Industry Congress” ahead of “Plast Eurasia 2012” in Istanbul

PLASTICS AND CLIMATE

CO2 utilisation making strides but barely dents emissions growth / Nova-Institute conference

EVONIK

New PPA compounds on display at “Fakuma” / Focus on automotive applications

EVONIK

Raising 1-butene output in Marl / Capacity expansion due on stream in 2015

EVONIK

New eco-efficient 120,000 t/y MMA plant to be located on the Gulf of Mexico / Start-up in 2015

POLYMER PRICES

Engineering thermoplastics in August 2012: Commodity ABS and PP compounds react to higher feedstock prices / Higher-grade materials mostly roll over / Costs continue to rise / Hopes that new VW Golf 7 will stimulate demand

UPDATE - PETROCHEMICAL MARKETS

US hurricane season kicks off / “Isaac” threatens plants across Louisiana in particular / Numerous oil platforms in the Gulf of Mexico have been evacuated / Reminiscent of “Katrina” and “Rita”

EVONIK

“Plexiglas” showroom in Turkey / Celebrating 25 years in the country

POLYMER PRICES

Engineering Thermoplastics in July 2012: ABS, PA and PP feel the effect of June's feedstock slide / PC, PBT and POM stable / PMMA up slightly / Back pressure generated by reversal of feedstock notations / August still stable