GENOMATICA

Biobased processes for nylon intermediates under development / Feasibility validated / Plans to licence technology to major players in PA value chain

ENI / VERSALIS

Reprieve for Porto Marghera and Gela sites / National roundtable on restructuring in September / Conversion to renewables hub confirmed

ENI / VERSALIS

Italy braces for another strike over envisaged refinery closures / Nationwide demonstration planned in Rome for 29 July

VERSALIS / ENI

Update: Four Italian refinery and petrochemical sites threatened with closure / Eni informs unions / Protests planned

VERSALIS

Unions strike to protest delayed restart of Porto Marghera cracker / Conversion to renewables hub also in doubt

BASF

German chemical giant opposes prolonged use of HBCD flame retardants in EPS/XPS foams

MATRICA

First biochemical plant begins operations in Porto Torres / Additional downstream facilities set to start up in near future

PETROCHEMICAL MARKETS

Versalis lifts FM for EVA from Oberhausen

BASF

Spanish XPS plant now switched to PolyFR flame retardant / All plants to be converted by year's end / ECHA opens consultation on petition for exceptions from the 2015 HBCD phase-out

PETROCHEMICAL MARKETS

LyondellBasell declares force majeure for PP from Brindisi / C3 increasingly tight as Versalis' cracker appears to be off stream too

EPS INSULATION

Syndicate plans to lobby EU to prolong use of HBCD as flame retardant / Decision expected by year's end / Ban already enforced in Switzerland / German association members plan to follow in mid-2014

POLYMER PRICES

Standard Thermoplastics Trend February 2014: Price movements largely follow costs / PE producers achieve small margin gains / PVC manufacturers refuse to budge / Styrenics tending weaker

VERSALIS

Major revamp at Porto Marghera to cost EUR 200m / Six-month shutdown / Unions agree

VERSALIS

MoU with Elevance to develop metathesis technology for vegetable oil-based bio-chemicals / Plans for world-scale facility in Porto Marghera

BRASKEM

Agreement with Genomatica to develop bio-based butadiene process / Genomatica butadiene programme extended into the Americas

POLYMER PRICES

Standard Thermoplastics Trend November 2013: PE and PP producers pass on lower costs / Signs point to stabilisation / PVC stands its ground / Styrenics fall in line with monomer

VERSALIS

Styrene rubber site in Hythe to close / New elastomer joint venture with Lotte in South Korea

VERSALIS

Partnership with LG Chem for mLLDPE

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

POLYMER PRICES

Standard Thermoplastics Trend September 2013: Polyolefin rise held to cost increase / PVC and styrenics with slightly more momentum / No across-the-board easing / Only PE tending weaker

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

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

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

VERSALIS

Plans to produce hydrocarbon resins at Priolo site / Agreement with Neville Venture