- Email: [email protected]
European Chemical Industry experiences strong growth
October 2000
Filtration Industry Analyst
I.UL”I”
EUROPEAN CHEMICAL INDUSTRY EXPERIENCES STRONG GROWTH The European Chemical Industry Council (Cefic) has released figures which show that the chemical industry in Europe will grow at 4.5% in 2000, outpacing the 3.5% growth in 1999. Cefic’s ‘economic outlook survey’ suggests that positive prospects for world trade and economic activity, and the dynamic recovery of most Asian economies are the main drivers behind the growth. It says that the industry is set to outperform the general economy in Europe, which has a forecast growth of 2.8%. The chemical industry in Europe contributes substantially as an exporter and to the internal economy, claims Cefic. World chemicals production in 1999 was estimated at 81280 billion (&820 billion), of which about 33% was produced in Western Europe. Cefic’s forecasts are supported by business surveys that indicate that both domestic and foreign order books for chemicals are above normal, while inventories are below average. Confidence within the industry has risen since the last quarter of 1999, and Cetic also says that consumer confidence is “relatively favourable, reflecting a new positive attitude towards major purchases”.
CELANESE OPENS PLANT IN SINGAPORE German company Celanese AG has officially inaugurated its acetic acid plant in Singapore. The facility, which is rated at 500 000 metric tonnes per
plex on Jurong Island, an industrial park in the South of Singapore. The facility also houses a 1 170 000 metric tonnes per year vinyl acetate monomer plant, opened during July 1997, and a 100 000 metric tonnes year acetate ester unit which started production at the beginning of 2000. The new plant, which took two years to build, uses the same patented acid optimisation methanol carbonylation technology implemented by the company’s unit which is based in Clear Lake, Texas, USA. Celanese says that the new plant will significantly expand its presence in Asia. The region accounted for 15% of company consolidated and unconsolidated sales during 1999.
CARGILL DOW RECEIVES DOE RESEARCH FUND In the USA, Cargill Dow says that it has been awarded more than US$2 million by the US Department of Energy (DOE) for continued research and development of its fermentation process use of makes which resources that are renewable on a yearly basis. The funding was awarded as part of two competitive tinancial assistance programmes run by the DOE in support of President Clinton’s executive order to triple the use of biobased products and bio-energy in the USA by 2010. Cargill Dow says that the results of this project will help fuel the continued advancement of its NatureWorks PLA, as well as help set the stage for other bio-based products. By focusing on the fermentation process, companies can use annually renewable resources, such as corn, wheat, or sugar beets, to create a variety of end-use products.
,,“II.Y
I
yL.
-.,
.---
--__-
pany’s first product offering. It comprises a family of polymers derived entirely from annually renewable resources, with applications in the tibres 1 and packaging markets.
RUSSIA’S GAZPROM BUYS STAKE IN BORSODCHEM According to the Hungarian news agency MTI, one of the world’s largest companies, has Gazprom, Russia’s bought almost 25% of the shares of Hungary’s second biggest petrochemical company, BorsodChem Rt. Gazprom bought 24.58% of the shares of the Hungarian company through an Irish offshore company called Milford Holdings, which previously owned only 0.66% of BorsodChem’s shares. The purchase price was not disclosed. With the move, Gazprom also acquired a major say in Hungary’s largest chemicals company Tiszai Vegyi Kombinat Rt, because BorsodChem owns 29.9% of its shares.
AIR PRODUCTS TO SELL POLYVINYL ALCOHOL BUSINESS US-based Air Products and Chemicals Inc has announced that it has signed a letter of intent to sell its polyvinyl alcohol business to Celanese AG of Kronberg, Germany, for US%326 million. The deal, which is expected to close this month, is subject to government approvals and, according to Air Products, is in line with goal of optimising its business portfolio. Air Products says that while it has developed a strong position in polyvinyl alcohol in the USA, and worldwide, the business’s competitive landscape and periodic raw material cost pressures, such as those
Filtration Industry Analyst
I.UL”I”
EUROPEAN CHEMICAL INDUSTRY EXPERIENCES STRONG GROWTH The European Chemical Industry Council (Cefic) has released figures which show that the chemical industry in Europe will grow at 4.5% in 2000, outpacing the 3.5% growth in 1999. Cefic’s ‘economic outlook survey’ suggests that positive prospects for world trade and economic activity, and the dynamic recovery of most Asian economies are the main drivers behind the growth. It says that the industry is set to outperform the general economy in Europe, which has a forecast growth of 2.8%. The chemical industry in Europe contributes substantially as an exporter and to the internal economy, claims Cefic. World chemicals production in 1999 was estimated at 81280 billion (&820 billion), of which about 33% was produced in Western Europe. Cefic’s forecasts are supported by business surveys that indicate that both domestic and foreign order books for chemicals are above normal, while inventories are below average. Confidence within the industry has risen since the last quarter of 1999, and Cetic also says that consumer confidence is “relatively favourable, reflecting a new positive attitude towards major purchases”.
CELANESE OPENS PLANT IN SINGAPORE German company Celanese AG has officially inaugurated its acetic acid plant in Singapore. The facility, which is rated at 500 000 metric tonnes per
plex on Jurong Island, an industrial park in the South of Singapore. The facility also houses a 1 170 000 metric tonnes per year vinyl acetate monomer plant, opened during July 1997, and a 100 000 metric tonnes year acetate ester unit which started production at the beginning of 2000. The new plant, which took two years to build, uses the same patented acid optimisation methanol carbonylation technology implemented by the company’s unit which is based in Clear Lake, Texas, USA. Celanese says that the new plant will significantly expand its presence in Asia. The region accounted for 15% of company consolidated and unconsolidated sales during 1999.
CARGILL DOW RECEIVES DOE RESEARCH FUND In the USA, Cargill Dow says that it has been awarded more than US$2 million by the US Department of Energy (DOE) for continued research and development of its fermentation process use of makes which resources that are renewable on a yearly basis. The funding was awarded as part of two competitive tinancial assistance programmes run by the DOE in support of President Clinton’s executive order to triple the use of biobased products and bio-energy in the USA by 2010. Cargill Dow says that the results of this project will help fuel the continued advancement of its NatureWorks PLA, as well as help set the stage for other bio-based products. By focusing on the fermentation process, companies can use annually renewable resources, such as corn, wheat, or sugar beets, to create a variety of end-use products.
,,“II.Y
I
yL.
-.,
.---
--__-
pany’s first product offering. It comprises a family of polymers derived entirely from annually renewable resources, with applications in the tibres 1 and packaging markets.
RUSSIA’S GAZPROM BUYS STAKE IN BORSODCHEM According to the Hungarian news agency MTI, one of the world’s largest companies, has Gazprom, Russia’s bought almost 25% of the shares of Hungary’s second biggest petrochemical company, BorsodChem Rt. Gazprom bought 24.58% of the shares of the Hungarian company through an Irish offshore company called Milford Holdings, which previously owned only 0.66% of BorsodChem’s shares. The purchase price was not disclosed. With the move, Gazprom also acquired a major say in Hungary’s largest chemicals company Tiszai Vegyi Kombinat Rt, because BorsodChem owns 29.9% of its shares.
AIR PRODUCTS TO SELL POLYVINYL ALCOHOL BUSINESS US-based Air Products and Chemicals Inc has announced that it has signed a letter of intent to sell its polyvinyl alcohol business to Celanese AG of Kronberg, Germany, for US%326 million. The deal, which is expected to close this month, is subject to government approvals and, according to Air Products, is in line with goal of optimising its business portfolio. Air Products says that while it has developed a strong position in polyvinyl alcohol in the USA, and worldwide, the business’s competitive landscape and periodic raw material cost pressures, such as those