Insights from ADI Chemical Market Resources

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FlexPO+, ADI Chemical Market Resources' annual conference, will return once the world moves past COVID-19. Until then, we bring you our new series of digital conversations with industry leaders.

Innovation and digitization in chemicals

Specialty polymers and engineered materials

Feedstock options for the chemical industry

Private equity investor perspectives on chemicals

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Key Chemical Industry Drivers

GDP growth across major economies has recovered and some economic indicators are showing signs of recovery
Global GDP growth contracted by 4.2% in 2020
Both auto sales and Purchasing Manager’s Index have witnessed growth at the end of the fourth quarter across most economies

Select Industry News Highlights

The U.S. sanctioned companies over sale of Iranian petrochemicals
The US Treasury Department announced sanctions on companies based in China, Donghai International Ship Management Ltd. and South East Limited and United Arab Emirates, Alpha Tech Trading FZE and Petroliance Trading FZE in December. The companies are accused of facilitating export of Iranian petrochemical products by Triliance Petroleum company, which was hit with sanctions earlier in 2020. Vietnam Gas and Chemicals Transportation Corporation that has significant transactions for the transport of petroleum products from Iran has also been targeted by sanctions. These sanctions may complicate President-elect Joe Biden's plans to renegotiate nuclear deal with Iran.

Canada-based Inter Pipeline selects Australia-based Worley for their Heartland Petrochemical Complex
The three year master site services and supply contract includes commissioning support, direct hire maintenance, small capital construction, turnaround, engineering, and consulting services at the newly constructed Complex located in Alberta, Canada. The Complex is an integrated propane dehydrogenation and polypropylene facility that will convert locally sourced propane into approximately 525,000 tpy of polypropylene.

Air Products has signed a long-term gas supply contract with Shandong Binhua New Material Co., Ltd.
U.S.-based Air Products will build, own, and operate several onsite gas production facilities in the Binzhou Port-centred Chemical Industry Park in Shandong Province, China for the company that is a subsidiary of Chinese petroleum and chemical enterprise, Befar Group. The facilities will also include an air separation unit (ASU) to meet their gaseous oxygen and nitrogen demand.

Aker BioMarine launches a new plastic recycling subsidiary called AION
The company will initially use Aker BioMarine's own streams of plastic and biological production residues will be recycled into new products. In the long-term, AION aims to manage production residues globally and receive other companies' plastic and biowaste streams.

Finnish oil refiner, Neste buys minority stake in Ohio-based recycling company Alterra Energy
Alterra Energy has developed a technology to recycle plastic waste via thermochemical liquefaction technology into a liquid similar to crude oil. The investment by Neste will aide Alterra in its plans to expand to Europe. Alterra currently operates an industrial-scale plant in Akron, Ohio and plans to develop and seek to license its technology globally with the help of Neste.

SIBUR and Sinopec create 60%-40% joint venture at Amur Gas Chemical Complex
Russia-based SIBUR and China-based Sinopec finalized the deal for joint venture after receiving approvals from regulators of both the countries. The budget for Amur GCC is expected to range from US$10 to US$11 billion with some adjustments expected as work progresses.

SIBUR selects LyondellBasell technology for Amur Gas Complex PP plant
LyondellBasell's Spheripol technology will be used for the 400 ktpa polypropylene unit. With this technology SIBUR plans to expand their mostly homopolymer-oriented portfolio with a few PP random copolymers.

INEOS completes $5 billion acquisition of BP's Aromatics and Acetyls business
The acquisition includes 15 sites worldwide (eight in Asia, five in the Americas, and two in Europe) as well as 10 joint ventures. INEOS Aromatics is already a global leader in purified terephthalic acid and paraxylene technologies and supplies its global polyester business. The acquisition will further extend their global reach and portfolio.

Indian Oil Corp. Ltd selects Italy-based Maire Tecnimont S.p.A. for acrylic acid and butyl acrylates unit EPCC
Maire Tecnimont' s Indian subsidiary Tecnimont Private Ltd has been awarded a US$255 million engineering, procurement, construction, and commissioning (EPCC) contract by Indian Oil Corporation for the implementation of new acrylic acid and butyl acrylate units in Gujarat.

Three naphtha crackers in South Korea to resume operations after months of inactivity
Three naphtha crackers in South Korea that had been inactive due to maintenance and outages are expected to resume operations by January. Petrochemical producers across Asia are increasing output due to strong margins and the naphtha crackers are recovering and returning to the market. The three crackers include Lotte chemical 1.1 mtpa cracker, LG Chem 1.2 mtpa cracker, and Yeochun NCC 0.9 mtpa cracker. The increased demand for naphtha has lifted prices in the region to the highest in months.

Unilever is collaborating with Alibaba on automatic plastic recycling machine
The automatic plastic recycling machine uses artificial intelligence to automatically sort plastic packaging and will encourage use by accepting Unilever coupons and Alipay rewards. The collaboration has already deployed 20 machines in community spaces in Shanghai and Hangzhou, China, and plan to introduce 500 more in 2021. The recycled granules will be collected to use in packaging for future Unilever products.

Multi-Client Reports from ADI Chemical Market Resources

ADI Chemical Market Resources offers 50+ reports and studies on a broad range of polymers, plastics, and chemicals. Browse our rich library and contact us at +1 (281) 506-8234 or info@adi-cmr.com for an existing or custom report.

Global EPR and EPDM

Global tie layer resins

Global linear alpha olefins (LAOs)

Global high melt strength PP

Polypropylene fibers global

China ethylene and polyethylene

Global m-POPs and m-POEs

Global vinyl acetate derivatives

Global POEs and POPs

Global PE catalysts market

Global styrene block copolymers

Global polyolefin foams

Global polyolefin catalysts

Global HDPE and MDPE

Global polyacetals (POMs)

Global MMAs and PMMAs

Global SBS and SEBS

Global POs in automotive

Global elastomeric POs

Polypropylene films global

Global high EVA copolymers

Global high-press. LDPE and EVAs

Acid copolymers and ionomers

Global high-pressure LDPE

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