Another step towards metallocene freedom

September 26, 2001 - Basell and ExxonMobil Chemicals have signed an agreement licensing each other's patents on metallocene-catalysed polypropylene, and thereby taken another step towards wider availability of this technology. The improvements to polypropylene - and polyethylene - production brought by single-site, and therefore more controllable, catalyst behaviour during polymerisation have been to some extent limited by patents awarded to competing companies which could effectively shut off lines of research by their competitors.
     Over recent years this legal restriction on research has been recognised by the companies concerned, as well as by the European Commission, and there has been a gradual liberalisation of the use of intellectual property.
     In 1999 Dow, Exxon and Univation halted litigation and agreed cross-party licensing of metallocene catalysis of polyolefins; in March last year the European Commission sought to persuade Targor not to restrict licenses for its patents; in May it imposed similar demands on Dow and Union Carbide over their metallocene polyethylene patents; early this year the negative effects of the polyolefin mergers on BP's use of metallocene catalysts was straightened out; and in May Borealis and Univation agreed use of each other's patents.

Distrupol buys Irish distributor

September 26, 2001 - Following the recent integration of Nordic polymer distributor MBS and Distrupol, Distrupol has now bought Irish distributor Extrapol.
     Extrapol, based in Blanchardstown, Co Dublin, was set up two years ago by ex-Shell Chemicals employees to fill the gap when Shell Chemicals closed its Dublin office. The company represents Shell Chemicals' polyurethane business, and also sells Shin Etsu PVC, Nova Chemical EPS, AlphaGary TPEs and Basell polyolefins - the latter already distributed by Distrupol in the UK.
     As a result of the takeover Distrupol is merging its Irish team with that of Extrapol and moving in to Extrapol's offices. Distrupol was already sole Irish distributor for DuPont Engineering Polymers, and the takeover simplifies Basell's UK/Ireland coverage.

Heywood Williams rationalises

September 26, 2001 - Heywood Williams Group has merged its HW Plastics and HW Building Products subsidiaries into a single company, operating as HW Plastics. Joint turnover is nearly £100 million, making it the biggest company in the UK window and cellular PVC markets.
     The board of HW Plastics is: Mike Guerin (chairman); Steve Sutherland (managing director); Barry Stone (sales & marketing - building products); Mike Dunleavy (sales & marketing - window systems); Phil Oldfield (finance); Peter Allbutt (operations); and Colin Jackson (business development).

Price increase for antimony trioxide additives

September 26, 2001 - The price of Great Lakes Chemical additives containing antimony trioxide as flame retardants, synergists and polymerisation catalysts has been increased by $500/tonne in Europe and Asia/Pacific and $0·22/lb in the Americas. Brands affected include TMS, Timonox, Trutint and Microfine.

Can Apax afford to buy MPM?

September 22, 2001 - The takeover of Mannesmann Plastics Machinery by London-based investment group Apax has hit troubled waters, according to news sources in Germany and London. The sale was agreed in July, but now Siemens, which is selling the group as one of the last repercussions of Vodafone's purchase of Mannesmann is saying that Apax is having trouble financing the deal. According to German newspaper Handelsblatt a recent downturn in MPM's business has combined with the difficult situation on the financial markets, possibly leading to Apax trying to push down the price from the level agreed in July.
     Apax has not commented on the suggestions. A Siemens spokesman said on Thursday that his company still expected the deal to come off, and a final declaration would be issued over the next few days.

Herfurth ties up diode laser welding

September 22, 2001 - Laser welding specialist Herfurth Laser Technology reckons to have sewn up the diode array welding business in the UK with an exclusive agreement with the world's only manufacturer of diode array lasers for the 250 - 750 W power range.
     Diode array welding differs from other forms of laser welding essentially in the welding beam which can be produced. Conventional laser welding technology for plastics uses fibre optics, which restrict the beam width to around 1 mm, and also impose limits on the power which can be transmitted. This makes the welding of large components a somewhat tortuous business.
     A diode array, however, can generate a beam up to 20 mm wide and deliver sufficient energy to achieve the weld required.
     www.herfurth-laser.com.

EVOH plant for Britain

September 22, 2001 - Nippon Synthetic Chemical Industry Co is to build a $95 million plant for its Soarnol EVOH in the UK. The plant will have a capacity of 15,000 tonnes and construction will start at the BP plant at Saltend near Hull in November. It will be owned and operated by Nippon Gohsei UK.
     NSCI currently makes EVOH in Japan (10,000 tonnes) and the USA (20,000 tonnes). The UK plant is intended to help meet the 15 per cent annual increase in European demand. Earlier this year the world's other EVOH major Kuraray also announced plans for a European and US expansion of EVOH production.
     Apart from its long standing role as a barrier layer in packaging films, EVOH is being used increasingly in vehicle fuel tanks. NSCI predicts a world demand for EVOH of 81,260 tonnes in 2005. With the UK expansion it will be able to supply 45,000 tonnes while Kuraray will have on-stream 57,000 and possibly as much as 81,000 tonnes.
     www.nichigo.co.jp.

Environmental Polymers preparing for growth

September 22, 2001 - Biodegradable materials manufacturer Environmental Polymers Group is gearing up for commercial manufacturing with an agreement with a Polish company to produce film from EPG's Depart polyvinyl alcohol. Anwil of Wloclawek will make biodegradable film, bags and heavy duty sacks. Trials on existing equipment have shown a need for small modifications and a second series of trials is due to start next week. On satisfactory completion EPG and Anwil will set up a joint venture.
     Anwil is part of the PKN Orlen refining and petrochemicals group and has annual sales of $280 million, set to rise with a planned five year investment programme.
     EPG also says it is on the verge of signing a sales and distribution contract for Depart products across North America, including film produced at its Irlam plant in the UK. Israeli-based joint ventures have yet to begin commercial operation, and sales of hospital bags to the Middle East should begin before the end of the year.
     The company bought a commercial scale compounding extruder in June which is at its final commissioning stage and expects to have commercial quantities of Depart pellets available by the end of the year.

Chair rotates at Borealis

September 22, 2001 - New chairman of the board of Borealis is Gerhard Roiss, a member of the board of OMV. He was vice chairman, and becomes chairman for the next three years rotating responsibility with Statoil executive board member Erling Øverland, who has been chairman of Borealis since July 2000 and now becomes vice chairman.

Icon expands with Northern Rubber buy

September 22, 2001 - The Icon Group has bought Northern Rubber Company from Tomkins. Last year Icon bought rubber moulder William Warne as the first step in a five year growth-by-acquisition plan. Combining Northern Rubber with Warne brings a turnover of around £20 million, which Icon sees as the critical mass needed 'to succeed in a tough economic climate'.

Basell to shut PP plants

September 19, 2001 - The world's biggest polypropylene producer, Basell, is to close polymerisation and compounding plants in the UK and Spain because of European over capacity. The plants will come off-line in the middle of next year.
     At Wilton in the UK two Novolen homopolymer lines with a total capacity of 180,000 tonnes will be mothballed and a 32,000 tonnes compounding facility will be closed. Around 160 employees will be affected, most of whom will lose their jobs.
     In Spain a 90,000 tonnes slurry plant will be closed at the Tarragona West site and a 60,000 tonnes Novolen homopolymer plant at Tarragona East will be mothballed. Two other plants at Tarragona are unaffected. Basell is building a 225,000 tonnes Novolen plant at Tarragona East which will be commissioned in mid 2002, so the impact of closures on employees is expected to be minimal.

Distrupol becomes Nordic number one

September 19, 2001 - Vopak Chemical Distribution is to consolidate its MBS Plastics business with Distrupol - the polymer distributor it acquired with its takeover of Ellis & Everard earlier this year - under the name Distrupol AB. The integration will link Distrupol's position in the engineering polymers sector, where it represents DuPont, LNP, Solvay, Toray and Ineos Acrylics, with MBS Plastics' commodity materials distributorships, including those for Basell and LG Chemicals. The merger takes place on October 1, the day Distrupol's company-wide ERP system and new e-commerce package come into action.
     Vopak says that Distrupol will become the number one polymer distributor in the region which embraces Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden. Previously Distrupol and MBS Plastics were in second and third positions.
     Managing the new company will be Petri Karhu as managing director and Thomas Andersson as sales director from Distrupol, and Mats Terborn from MBS as commercial director.

BP to sell Arjobex stake

September 19, 2001 - BP is selling its 51 per cent interest in French synthetic paper-maker Arjobex to its partner in the joint venture, Arjo Wiggins Appleton. BP's stake is part of its plastic fabrications business which it put up for sale at the start of this year.
     Arjobex has production sites in Clacton-on-Sea, UK; Rives, France; and Charlotte, North Carolina, USA, and employs 170 staff. It makes Polyart synthetic paper from polyethylene, providing the printing properties of real paper and the increased durability and weatherability of a plastic film.

Paint can wins Horners Award

September 19, 2001 - The 2001 Horners Award for Plastics has been won by the single-piece lever-lid PET paint can invented by Jonathan Britton and made exclusively by RPC Containers.
     The cans have been introduced in a 750 ml size with a range of other sizes between 15 ml and 4 litres becoming available. They are air tight on resealing, which has been a major problem in the performance of plastic paint cans until now. In addition the cans are stackable and recyclable, and their transparency allows consumers to see the colour of the paint.
     The Highly Commended award went to Marley Plumbing and Drainage for its Equator cross-linked polyethylene hot and cold plumbing system said to be the first in the world to have fittings moulded from this material.
     www.canopet.com
     www.equator.co.uk

Top changes at PlastxWorld

September 19, 2001 - PlastxWorld, the compounding company formed out of the US and European plastics operations of Japan's Daicel Chemical Industries, has a new managing director. Former MD, and MD of the PlastxWorld's holding company Clayfield Management, Keith Carrington has taken up the position of chairman and CEO with global responsibilities, and Guy Hawkins has joined as UK managing director. He has been group managing director of the industrial business of Amersham International and recently president of AEA Technology in the USA.
     In the USA Tom Cunningham joins PlastxWorld as director of operations.

Hi-Tech names Irish agent

September 19, 2001 - Hi-Tech Automation has appointed Cooper Technology Irish agent responsible for sales of Sytrama robots, Index sprue pickers, Moditec granulators, MSM materials handling equipment and the ASS modular gripper system.
     neil@coopertech.com

Bayer businesses to become independent as Schneider moves upwards

September 17, 2001 - Bayer has started restructuring its business groups with the setting up of independent companies - but still within the group - to provide the flexibility for growth in alliance with other companies identified as necessary at its last shareholders meeting.
     The two new companies planned so far are the group's health care and agricultural businesses. Despite the recent set backs with its cholesterol-lowering drug, health care is still seen as a core group activity. Formation of a separate corporate unit within the group would 'achieve greater flexibility for necessary strategic partnerships.'
     Bayer is buying Aventis CropScience which will be integrated with its own crop protection activities into a newly established company that will be a separate legal entity within the Bayer Group.
     No structural changes are currently seen as necessary for the polymers business segment because of Bayer's healthy competitive position in this area, but the chemicals business needs 'action to strengthen the business for the future'.
     The cost-containment measures which Bayer has already put into practice are to be speeded up so that savings of hundreds of millions of Euro can be achieved in the current year. This figure will increase to nearly Eur 1 billion in 2002 and reach up to Eur 1·8 billion a year from 2005.
      Chairman of Bayer's management board Dr Manfred Schneider is to leave the board at the end of next year's stockholders meeting (April 26) and stand for election as chairman of the group's supervisory board. He will be succeeded by Werner Wenning, who is currently chief financial officer of Bayer AG.

Schmalbach to increase PET recycling

September 17, 2001 - PET bottle giant Schmalbach-Lubeca has improved the cost/performance of its Supercycle PET reclaim process and is planning to more than treble its Beaune, France, recycling capacity.
     Schmalbach developed the two-stage Supercycle process in 1990 and has been incorporating 25 - 50 per cent reclaimed PET in some carbonated soft drinks, beer and mineral water bottles since 1994. But recyclate has been too expensive to use more widely.
     Now the company has revamped Supercycle using Bühler's bottle-to-bottle technology and developed a continuous process of extrusion and polycondensation, and is spending DM 10 m on increasing the Beaune plant capacity from 6,000 to 20,000 tonnes/year.
     www.schmalbach.com.

Korean polycarbonate plant on line

September 17, 2001 - LG Dow Polycarbonate has started up its Yosu, Korea polycarbonate plant. The company is a 50/50 joint venture between the Dow Chemical Company and LG Chem Investment. Expansion in output at LG Dow was announced last year as part of a polycarbonate expansion by Dow. In July this year LG Dow Polycarbonate took over Dow's polycarbonate market franchise in the Pacific, with the exception of Japan.
     The new plant is starting at 65,000 tonnes and is expected to ramp up quickly to an annual capacity of 130,000 tonnes.

Vantico tries to prise Cibatool out of 3D

September 17, 2001 - Vantico is attempting to end 3D Systems' exclusive distribution of Cibatool SL photopolymers for stereolithography and to sell them itself directly to customers. 3D has a research and distribution agreement dating back to 1990, and has put in a claim to the International Chamber of Commerce to prevent Vantico from selling its Cibatool SL resins until February 2005. But Vantico is attempting to terminate this agreement to bring it 'in closer touch with the SL resins marketplace' and hopes to be able to sell Cibatool SL direct from February 18 next year.

New CEO for Mann + Hummel

September 17, 2001 - The new chief executive officer of Mann + Hummel Holding and Filterwerk Mann + Hummel, succeeding Dr Roland Kankowsky who left the company at the end of 2000, is to be Dr Dieter Seipler. For the past three years he has been chairman of the board of management of Kolbenschmidt-Pierburg, and a member of the board of management of Rheinmetall.

BP expands sulphone polymers

September 17, 2001 - BP has started an expansion of its sulphone polymers facilities in the USA ahead of their transfer to Solvay in the exchange deal agreed in December 2000.
     The Marietta, Ohio, expansion will increase the plant's Radel R polyphenyl sulphone and Radel A polyether sulphone production capacity by 40 per cent. The Augusta, Georgia, expansion will increase the capacity of sulphone monomer by 15 per cent. Work should be complete by the end of the year.
     In addition to the capacity expansions BP has increased product development and marketing resources and has introduced a new grade of optical quality Udel polysulphone for fibre optics and a new line of Acudel polyphenyl sulphone blends.
     Last month BASF announced increases in sulphone polymer capacity.

Muñoz to quit Ticona

September 8, 2001 - Ed Muñoz, chief executive of Ticona Technical Polymers, is leaving the company at the end of the year to join an investment and consulting firm run by his brother George. On his departure there will be a change in structure with Stefan Sommer, currently chief operating officer of Ticona, running Ticona from January 1 and reporting to David Weidman who becomes chief operating officer of Celanese, responsible for Celanese Chemicals and Ticona Technical Polymers.

Eastman upgrades polyester output

September 8, 2001 - Eastman Chemical has increased capacity for its DuraStar polyester and Easter copolyester by 10 per cent by converting production capacity at its Kingsport, Tennessee, USA plant from commodity polyesters.
     www.eastman.com.

Azdel to expand production

September 8, 2001 - The Azdel thermoplastic composites joint venture between General Electric and PPG Industries is increasing capacity in the USA and Europe.
     Capacity for SuperLite - a lightweight composite used in automotive interiors - will more than double at the Lynchburg, Virginia, site and there are plans to make SuperLite in Europe. The expansion will also increase the maximum product width up to 2 m and improve product consistency.
     Chopped strand GMT lines to be installed at Shelby, New Carolina will, says Azdel, be the only chopped strand GMT lines in North America. New lines wil also be installed at Bergen Op Zoom in the Netherlands.
     The SuperLite expansion at Lynchburg is expected to be complete by the first quarter of next year and the chopped strand GMT should be available for sampling by the fourth quarter of this year, with commercially availability a year later.
     www.azdel.com.

Extrusion investment by plastics recycler

September 8, 2001 - Plastics recycler Delleve has invested more than £375,000 in an extrusion line to make pipe from 100 per cent recycled materials. Much of the equipment was supplied by Corma of Canada, and the technology for processing the recycled material is Delleve's own, developed in association with Aston University.
     The line is making four sizes of single wall drainage pipe and ducting products and is part of a continuing larger investment to completely re-equip the factory.
     Delleve intends to reach an annual production of 10,000 tonnes of pipe, and is seeding the market by selling it at 'very competitive prices'.
     www.delleve.co.uk.

Ex-Nextrom business resurrects Maillefer name

September 8, 2001 - Nextrom has sold its metallic cable and pipe operations to a management buy-out, which has acquired the Maillefer name to trade under. The product lines sold are extrusion systems for copper telecommunications cables, energy cables and pipes - mainly composites with metals. Included in the sale is the Ecublens, Switzerland site which becomes Maillefer's headquarters, and an engineering and service centre in Vantaa, Finland.
     www.maillefer.com.

UPM links with Irish distributor

September 8, 2001 - UPM Machinery Sales has joined forces with TEC Plastics Equipment in Dublin. TEC, which sells Fanuc injection moulding machines and a range of water circuit products, silos and automation equipment, will now also sell UPM's material handling systems, temperature controllers, and conveyors. It will also sell the CMG granulator range for which UPM is now UK agent. Coincidentally TEC has previous experience of Cumberland granulators, many of which were built by CMG.
     www.upm.co.uk.