PETROCHEMICAL MARKETS

LyondellBasell: Force majeure for HDPE from Plock facility

EVONIK

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

LYONDELLBASELL

VAM storage agreement with Belgian company signed

PEOPLE

BasellOrlen Polyolefins: CEO Steve Dwyer dead

LYONDELLBASELL

Shuttering of HDPE line in Wesseling / Customers to be supplied from other locations

PEOPLE

LyondellBasell gives CEO Gallogly new contract

LYONDELLBASELL

Price hike for polypropylene

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

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

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

POLYMER PRICES

Standard Thermoplastics July 2013: All products rise despite stagnating costs / Market tight due to poor supply and normal demand / Monomer-plus-margin strategy drives calls for hikes

PETROCHEMICAL MARKETS

LyondellBasell: Force majeure for LDPE at Aubette

LYONDELLBASELL

EBITDA down slightly in Q2 / Margins up on Q1 / Europe performs better than expected

PETROCHEMICAL MARKETS

South German ethylene pipeline dedicated in Munich

POLYMER PRICES

Standard Thermoplastics Trend July 2013: Moderate increases for most products / Sharp output cuts / Demand still sluggish / Rising crude oil notations support producer hike plans

LYONDELLBASELL

Spherizone technology picked for China plant / Fourth licence win from CNOOC

LYONDELLBASELL

European re-structuring includes German HDPE site / Under-performing production line to be mothballed late 2013

OMV

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

LYONDELLBASELL

Net profit up 50% in Q1 2013 / Europe continues “difficult” / More PE capacity planned

JIANGSU SAILBOAT PETROCHEMICAL

Chinese olefins, polyolefins units licence Honeywell and LyondellBasell processes

POLYMER PRICES

Standard Thermoplastics Trend April 2013: Producers hold onto half of cost reductions / Falling naphtha strengthens converters' waiting game / Intensity of demand revival will decide further developments

POLYMER PRICES

Standard Thermoplastics in March 2013: Producers find it hard to pass on costs / Cold weather, soft markets and reluctant buyers dash hike hopes / Cost reduction and rising demand jockey for position in April

NIZHNEKAMSKNEFTEKHIM

Licensing LyondellBasell technology for new PP plant

PEOPLE

Charles Graham becomes senior vice president Commercial of TPC Group

POLYMER PRICES

Standard Thermoplastics Trend March 2013: Falling costs upstream dash producers' hopes of triple-digit hikes / Polyolefins rise less than costs / Higher input prices added to PVC, PS and EPS / Supply in line with demand