ChemAnalyst

Plastic prices are expected to push even higher as the Hurricane Ida slams the US Gulf coast region which manufactures world’s 20% Ethylene. The hurricane is expected to pass through the Louisiana’s chemical prices corridor as it makes its way inland. If the chemical plants suffer damage from the hurricane, then the companies would find themselves struggling to gather replacement parts. The plant repairs from the winter storm Uri had earlier depleted the replacement parts stocks. Together with the parts replacements and logistical bottlenecks, the shipments are expected to get delayed. Several chemical companies have closed down operations of their chemical plants in the advance of Ida. BASF has shut down its plant in Geismar which manufactures Methylene Diphenyl Diisocyanate price (MDI), a chemical that is used in the manufacturing of Polyurethane foams. BASF has also shut down its Butanediol (BDO) plant in Geismar which is largest BDO plant in the US. BDO is a solvent which is ...

In an announcement made on Tuesday, Japan’s chemical major Sumitomo Chemical said that the company was expanding its production capacity for high-purity chemicals which is used in the manufacturing of semiconductors. As per the plan the company will be installing new production lines for the production of high-purity Sulfuric Acid. The capacity for high-purity Sulfuric Acid will be doubled at the company’s site in Ehime, Japan. Another production line will be installed for increasing the production capacity for high-purity Ammonia price . The capacity expansion for high-purity Ammonia market demand prices will be carried out at the company’s wholly owned subsidiary Dongwoo Fine-Chem Co’s site in Iksan, South Korea. High purity chemicals are used in the production of semiconductors. They mainly find application in precision cleaning. The expanded capacities are expected to come online and start commercial production by 2024 in Ehime and in the second half of the 2023 fiscal in ...

 Agilyx Corp. which is a major plastic recycling company in the United States, has announced a partnership with Kumho Petrochemical which is a manufacturer of synthetic rubber in South korea to develop and construct a chemical recycling facility in South Korea. The project will be using Agilyx’s unique and novel chemical recycling technology for the production of pure Styrene from post use Polystyrene price . The Styrene obtained from recycling will be used as virgin equivalent raw material to produce Solution Styrene Butadiene Rubber (SSBR) which is a major component for manufacturing tires. The project would include a new application for Agilyx’s  Polystyrene market demand price   depolymerization technology which is introduction of a new pathway for converting Polystyrene into SSBR. Agilyx is an early market leader in the advanced recycling of post use plastics which are difficult to recycle. Agilyx’s chemical recycling technology includes recycling of mixed plasti...

Japan’s Sumitomo Chemical has announced that the company will be building its first Polymethyl Methacrylate price (PMMA) recycling facility at Niihama in Ehime prefecture, Japan. The new facility is expected to initiate pilot tests in the second half of 2022 and will start providing samples in 2023. There was no disclosure about the plant’s capacity details. The company will be working to develop a recycling system for PMMA which will run parallel to the proposed project. The recycling system will be developed from collecting used acrylic resin to recycling and reprocessing the resin to products. The company is aiming for early commercialization of the recycled PMMA formed during the process. The raw material for the pilot plant which is the used acrylic resin will be sourced from Nippura Co which is a major player in producing large acrylic panels for aquariums. The company will also be beginning to study a suitable raw material procurement system which included collection of used ac...

OxyChem which is one of United States’ major producers of Chlor Alkali products including Chlorine, Caustic Sosa, and Hydrochloric Acid has announced the closure of its manufacturing facility in Niagara Falls, New York. The proposed move marks an end to more than hundred years of chemical manufacturing at the location. The decision comes amid unfavourable regional market conditions with weakened demand and recent hikes in rail transportation costs. The plant was suffering from negative economic fundamentals for the past year. The closure is expected to take place in the end of November this year. The Niagara Falls plant produces Chlorine, Hydrochloric Acid demand supply , Sodium Hypochlorite, and Caustic Soda at the facility. The Global Chlor Alkali industry is valued at around USD 100 Billion with the US having a market share of around 21%. The industry is expected to grow at a healthy growth rate of 5.4%. There are various applications for the major Chlor Alkali products includin...