KEM ONE

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

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

PETROCHEMICAL MARKETS

Deadly explosion at Total's refinery in Antwerp / Two fatalities / Fina cracker operations not affected

REPSOL

Plans to invest EUR 120m in Tarragona and Puertollano through 2016 / Restructuring for high-grade materials EVA, PE metallocene grades and polyols / Days numbered for EPS site Monzon

TOTAL

Update: Plans to restructure Carling / More speciality resins in future / Cracker to be mothballed / Expansion of PE line included / Ineos to continue HDPE at Sarralbe site

TOTAL

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

TOTAL

Industrial grade added to “Supertough” family of mPE for films

BASF

Business slows in Q2 / Meeting 2013 earnings targets now more challenging, CEO says

TOTAL

Bimodal HDPE now available for chemicals packaging applications

BASF TOTAL PETROCHEMICALS

Port Arthur, steam cracker processes ethane from shale gas / Revamp allows use of cheaper feedstocks

TOTAL

Planned EUR 1 bn modernisation of Antwerp refinery and petchems site / Closure of uncompetitive PE unit by end-2014

INEOS

PVC joint venture with Solvay / Combined projected sales of EUR 4.3 bn / Potential to be in the global top three

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

KEM ONE

Arkema to take EUR 125m charge for former PVC business / Six-month search for new owner

TOTAL

Polystyrene production ends in UK / Stalybridge plant shut down

BELGIUM

Plastics and rubber products output falls 2.6% in 2012 / Negative business trend continues into 2013 / World's largest per capita plastics producer / Federplast survey

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

KEM ONE

Follow-up: PVC producer files for insolvency / Calls for aide from Arkema and Total / Arkema puts blame squarely on Klesch

TOTAL

Tough mPE film added to “Lumicene” range / Suitable for multilayer applications

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

POLYMER PRICES

Standard Thermoplastics in February 2013: Most notations show little change / PE largely rolls over / PP and PVC up slightly / PS and EPS slightly softer / Demand slack / Upturn likely in March

TER HELL PLASTIC

French distribution business developing nicely / Sales team strengthened

POLYMER PRICES

Standard Thermoplastics Trend January 2013: Slight margin improvement for polyolefin producers / No sharp order rise at month's begin / PVC and EPS still weak / PS moving in tandem with costs

STANDARD THERMOPLASTICS

Global capacities exceed 252m t/y / PET output spearheads expansions in 2012 / More than half of global output found in Asia / China will continue to extend its lead in the coming years / Sabic still slightly ahead of Sinopec