Forward to a colleague | View as a webpage | Add us to your white list

Send RFQ’s | Find Chemical Suppliers Issue 3: 19th October 2009       Spot styrene numbers bounce back after national holidays in China, while polyvinyl chloride (PVC) prices in Europe continue to slide. US major Dow Chemical suffers technical problems at benzene unit. Meanwhile, things are looking up for the pulp and paper industry – which could be good news for some markets. News from ICIS European October dimethyl terephthalate (DMT) reference prices fall by €113/tonne ($166/tonne) from September because of lower paraxylene (PX) and methanol feedstock prices. Spot styrene prices in China rebound above the key $1,000/tonne mark, triggered by buoyant crude oil prices as the styrene market re-opens after the National Day holidays. Spot PVC numbers in Europe slip by another €50/tonne, as domestic sellers struggle to remain competitive against the influx of US imports. Dow Chemical has been running its benzene unit at Terneuzen, the Netherlands, at reduced rates because of technical problems. It expects to shut the plant in mid-October for repairs. A recovery appears to be underway in the pulp and paper production sector, potentially boosting demand for pulping and bleaching chemicals such as soda ash, chlorine and caustic soda as well as pigments such as titanium dioxide (TiO2). China plans to impose anti-dumping duties on polyamide 6,6 imports from the US, Italy, the UK, France and Taiwan for five years. Swine flu provides a huge opportunity for vaccine manufacturers, but brings many risks. Despite the automotive industry bearing the brunt of the global financial crisis, chemical producers are motoring ahead with innovative new products. In the media Bayer MaterialScience ends reduced working hours at German sites after it sees an improvement in orders. Dow Chemical’s new DOW POWERHOUSE Solar Shingle photovoltaic solar panels can be integrated into rooftops with standard asphalt shingle materials. It is expected to be available in limited quantities by mid-2010. UK-based INEOS has unveiled new technology that will significantly improve the global security of supply for acetonitrile. ICIS pricing margin reports ICIS pricing’s weekly Margin reports are designed to complement ICIS highly regarded pricing data. They give you a clear indication of the direction of business cash costs and cash margins by modelling raw material and key variable manufacturing costs, co-product credits and product yields, from feedstock naphtha and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) through to polyethylene. Find out more here   Join the Chemical Purchasing group in Linkedin     ICIS Conferences     The 7th ICIS World Oleochemicals Conference 20 - 21 October 2009   The 8th European Aromatics & Derivatives Conference 25 - 26 November 2009   The 3rd ICIS Bioresources Summit 25 - 26 November 2009   The 5th ICIS Pan-American Base Oils & Lubricants Conference 3 - 4 December 2009 More conferences

Manage Your Account: This email has been sent to #emailaddr# Add us to your safe senders list Receive your own copy of this email. Unsubscribe from future Chemical Purchasing monthly newsletters. Do not reply to this email as it is unmonitored. To send us your feedback, email us Disclaimer: This message is intended only for the use of the person(s) ("Intended Recipient") to whom it is addressed. It may contain information, which is privileged and confidential. Accordingly any dissemination, distribution, copying or other use of this message or any of its content by any person other than the Intended Recipient may constitute a breach of civil or criminal law and is strictly prohibited. If you are not the Intended Recipient, please contact the sender as soon as possible. Reed Business Information Limited. Registered Office: Quadrant House, The Quadrant, Sutton, Surrey, SM2 5AS.