Xyron™ PV Grades – Modified polyphenylene ether (mPPE) for solar panel components. Compliant for UL and IEC requirement with non-halogenated flame retardants. These grades carry UL’s 5VA and V-0 certifications. One of the PV series achieved 5 VA at 2mm.
Leona™ LG – PA66 and PA 66/6I with long glass fibers for applications requiring high performance, i.e. superior fatigue and creep resistance, modulus greater than 20GPa with good surface finish, or flame retardant grades with excellent impact strength.
Tenac Z-Series – Low formaldehyde emission acetal grades. It has exceeded even the most stringent of global OEM standards for volatile organic compound emissions.
Thermylene® P9 – Short glass fiber polypropylene with higher temperature resistance for Nylon alternative. Applications include air intake manifolds and other automotive under the hood automotive components. This material facilitates weight reduction strategies of 15 percent or higher.
Thermylene® P 8 –Glass reinforced grades with advanced coupling technology as an alternative to long glass fiber polypropylene. This grade is commonly used in door modules, motor housings, sunroof frames, shifter bases, etc.
Thermylene® PR – Polypropylene compound with post-consumer recycled content for environmental sustainability. 
Thermylene® P4 – Non-Decabrome based flame retardant polypropylene to satisfy the new environmental regulations. UL yellow card certifications are available.  Product offerings include glass filled, talc filled, mineral filled and unfilled grades.
Asahi Kasei Plastics invites customers to bring new applications for discussion to their exhibit and offers free NPE passes and an opportunity to win an iPad® 2 via www.akplastics.com.

Their booth will also feature a unique 3D experience where customers can see new ideas take shape.  "We’re looking forward to showing our customers the difference that smarter people, stronger polymers and an agile company can make," added Joel Wiese, Asahi Kasei Plastics marketing coordinator.  

Asahi Kasei Plastics provides customized resin solutions worldwide to multiple markets.  Their brands, including LEONA™ and THERMYLON® nylons, THERMYLENE® polypropylenes, TENAC™ acetals and XYRON™ modified polyphenylene ether (mPPE) and more are specially formulated to solve complex engineering problems.  Their markets include automotive, commercial transportation, furniture, pool and spa, water treatment, electronics, lawn and garden, and power generation including performance polymers for electric vehicle batteries, solar panels and wind energy applications.

With 200,000 square feet, almost 200 employees and 280 million pounds of annual compounding capacity, Asahi Kasei Plastics ranks as one of North America’s largest compounders. The firm has annual sales over $200 million with more than half of that in the automotive market.  The Michigan based company is one of the largest Asahi Kasei facilities outside of Japan and is expanding sales globally, inCanada, Mexico, Brazil, China, India and Europe. "Today, we have a unique product mix, between our engineering resins and glass filled polypropylenes, that no other compounder in the world has," said John Moyer, president Asahi Kasei Plastics.  Go to www.asahikaseiplastics.com. For latest news and updates, follow Twitter www.twitter.com/asahi_kasei_inc.

Asahi Kasei Plastics is a wholly owned subsidiary of Asahi Kasei Chemicals Corporation (AKCC).  AKCC is a leading producer of high performance engineered thermoplastics, petrochemicals and monomers and performance chemicals.  Their product portfolio serves a diverse range of markets including energy, consumer products, home construction & materials, health care and many others.  Internationally, Asahi Kasei has over $19 billion in annual sales and nearly 30,000 employees.

Asahi Kasei Plastics North America, Inc., 900 E. Van Riper, Fowlerville, MI 48836 USA, 517.223.5221

Thermylene®, and Thermylon® are registered trademarks of Asahi Kasei Plastics North America, Inc.

Leona™, Tenac™, and Xyron™ are trademarks of Asahi Kasei Plastics North America, Inc.

iPad® is a registered trademark of Apple Inc. registered in the U.S. and other countries.

SOURCE Asahi Kasei Plastics

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“We have invested in a new production plant to further strengthen our competitive position in the fast-growing market for biodiesel in South America. This start-up su pports our strategic initiative to work as closely as possible with our customers and to serve them even better by providing a local and stable supply of sodium methylate,” said Stefano Pigozzi, President of BASF’s Inorganic Chemicals. “This plant is also one building block in our strategy to further expand our leading position in South America.”

“This investment in the new plant responds to the growing market opportunity for biodiesel in the region. As announced last year, we are planning to build a second plant in South America in order to accompany South America’s intended growth for biodiesel,” said Dr. Alfred Hackenberger, BASF President for South America.

Sodium methylate is an efficient and reliable catalyst for the production of biodiesel, which has developed into an important and increasing alternative for diesel fuels in the past years. Biodiesel meets the requirements of engine manufacturers for high-quality fuels.

Legislation in Brazil requires fuel to contain 5 percent biodiesel. In Argentina, biodiesel makes up 7 percent of fuel. Other South American countries have similar legislation.

Source: BASF

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Recently the company announced the opening of a state of the art modern rubber and industrial phenolic resin application laboratory at its Songjiang plant.  The overall investments in this modern lab total an approximate $1,5 million. The facility stands as the global standard for research and development of resin products and further enhances SI Group’s position as an industry technology and innovation leader.  Also at its Songjiang location, SI Group invested $3 million for a cutting-edge waste water treatment plant.  The construction of the new resin facility in Nanjing and the company’s plan to further expand resin production capacity in 2012 are in step with SI Group’s accelerating growth strategy for the China market. 

About SI Group
SI Group is a family-owned company founded in 1906 and headquartered in Schenectady, New York.  A leading global developer and manufacturer of phenolic resins, alkylphenolic resins, alkylated phenols and other chemical intermediates, SI Group operates 20 facilities in 12 countries around the world.  For more information about SI Group, visit www.siigroup.com.

SOURCE SI Group

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“Producers in Russia have undertaken significant investments to upgrade their refineries for the production of cleaner fuels”

“Producers in Russia have undertaken significant investments to upgrade their refineries for the production of cleaner fuels,” said Daniel M. McCarthy, President, Lummus Technology. “We are pleased to have been selected to provide these important process heaters. CB&I has a long history of supporting the Russian energy industry through licensing, heat transfer equipment and energy infrastructure projects.”

Source: Business Wire

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The Foster Wheeler contract value was not disclosed and will be included in the company’s fourth-quarter 2011 bookings.

ARMO intends to modernize the existing refineries at Ballsh and Fier to restore production to the original design capacity and produce transportation fuels in line with current European Union regulations. The study is expected to be completed by mid-2012.

ARMO, a former state-owned company privatized since 2008, owns these two refineries which serve both the domestic and the Balkans’ regional markets.

Foster Wheeler AG is a global engineering and construction contractor and power equipment supplier delivering technically advanced, reliable facilities and equipment. The company employs approximately 12,000 talented professionals with specialized expertise dedicated to serving its clients through one of its two primary business groups. The company’s Global Engineering and Construction Group designs and constructs leading-edge processing facilities for the upstream oil and gas, LNG and gas-to-liquids, refining, chemicals and petrochemicals, power, mining and metals, environmental, pharmaceuticals, biotechnology and healthcare industries. The company’s Global Power Group is a world leader in combustion and steam generation technology that designs, manufactures and erects steam generating and auxiliary equipment for power stations and industrial facilities and also provides a wide range of aftermarket services. The company is based in Zug, Switzerland, and its operational headquarters office is in Geneva, Switzerland. For more information about Foster Wheeler, please visit our Web site at www.fwc.com.

Source: Business Wire

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Browse more than 100 market data tables/figures spread through 243 pages and in-depth TOC on "Fluoropolymers Market Analysis by Product Types, Applications & Geography – Trends & Global Forecasts (2011 – 2016)".

http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/fluor-polymer-market-497.html

Early buyers will receive 10% customization on reports.

The market for fluoropolymers is being driven by the expansion of existing application markets and emergence of new markets. Fluoropolymers exhibit properties superior to other polymeric materials and rubber which makes them ideally suitable for a wide range of applications, especially applications demanding extreme environments such as high temperature stability, high chemical resistance, superior dielectric properties, weldability, mechanical strength, etc.

Automotive and transportation industry is the largest end use application for fluoropolymers. The growing trend towards lower vehicle weight, lower emissions, and enhanced fuel efficiency is expected to drive the consumption growth of fluoropolymers in the automotive and transportation industry. The high sales growth of the passenger cars in emerging markets such as China and India is also expected to boost the market. Electrical and electronics is the second largest application for fluoropolymers where they are increasingly being used in semiconductor fabrication, wire and cable insulation, lithium-ion batteries, jacketing, etc.

The global fluoropolymers market [ http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/fluor-polymer-market-497.html ] in terms of revenue was estimated to be worth $5,880.0 million in 2010 and is expected to reach $9,446.0 million by 2016, growing at a CAGR of 6.5% from 2011 to 2016. North America dominates the global fluoropolymers market, accounting for 40.7% of the overall market in 2010. The growth in the Asia-Pacific market is expected to be fuelled by countries such as China and India.

About MarketsandMarkets

MarketsandMarkets is a global market research and consulting company based in the U.S. We publish strategically analyzed market research reports and serve as a business intelligence partner to Fortune 500 companies across the world.

MarketsandMarkets also provides multi-client reports, company profiles, databases, and custom research services. MarketsandMarkets covers thirteen industry verticals; including advanced materials, automotives and transportation, banking and financial services, biotechnology, chemicals [ http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/chemicals-market-research-10.html ], consumer goods, energy and power, food and beverages, industrial automation, medical, pharmaceuticals, semiconductor and electronics, and telecommunications and IT.

We at MarketsandMarkets are inspired to help our clients grow by providing apt business insight with our huge market intelligence repository. To know more about us and our reports, please visit our website http://www.marketsandmarkets.com.

Source: MarketsandMarkets

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Fourth quarter 2011 operating income was $167 million versus fourth quarter 2010 operating income of $378 million.  The decrease in operating income was mainly due to a decrease of $1.84 per barrel in the refining throughput margin, particularly in the Gulf Coast region where the throughput margin decreased by $4.21 per barrel.  The decrease in the throughput margin was primarily due to lower margins for gasoline and petrochemical feedstocks plus reduced discounts for medium and heavy sour feedstocks, such as Mars and Maya crude oils.

Refining throughput volumes increased by 523,000 barrels per day in the fourth quarter of 2011 versus the fourth quarter of 2010.  The increase in throughput volumes was mainly due to adding capacity from the acquisition of the Pembroke and Meraux refineries and operating the Aruba refinery, which was not in operation during the fourth quarter of 2010.

"Although the fourth quarter clearly showed the volatility of the refining business, 2011 was a great year for Valero," said Valero Chairman and CEO Bill Klesse.  "We had the highest annual earnings since 2008, acquired the Pembroke and Meraux refineries and related assets, completed several of our major capital projects, and paid off over $775 million in debt.  We also increased our cash returned to shareholders by tripling the common stock dividend and conducting stock buybacks in the third and fourth quarters."

"So far in 2012, product margins have improved versus the fourth quarter of 2011," Klesse continued.  "The macro view for refining in 2012 looks promising given the combination of positive economic trends in the U.S., expectations of global demand growth, and continuing capacity rationalization in the industry, particularly in Europe, the U.S. East Coast, and the Caribbean."

Valero’s ethanol segment reported its highest quarter ever with $181 million in operating income, versus $70 million in the fourth quarter of 2010.  The increase in ethanol operating income was mainly due to higher gross margins and an increase in production volumes to a record-high quarterly average of 3.5 million gallons per day.  The ethanol segment also set an annual record with $396 million in operating income in 2011.

Valero’s retail segment reported $83 million in operating income during the fourth quarter of 2011 versus $61 million in operating income in the fourth quarter of 2010.  The increase in operating income was mainly due to higher fuel margins and slightly higher volumes in U.S. retail operations.  For 2011, the retail segment reported its most profitable year in history with $381 million in operating income.  Contributing to the record-setting results was the Canadian retail business, which earned a record-high $168 million in annual operating income.

Regarding cash flows in the fourth quarter of 2011, capital spending was $899 million, of which $128 million was for turnaround and catalyst expenditures.  Valero paid $84 million in dividends on its common stock and paid $79 million to purchase Valero’s shares.  Valero also spent $547 million to acquire the Meraux refinery plus related logistics assets and inventories.  Valero ended the fourth quarter with $1.0 billion in cash and temporary cash investments.  For the full-year 2011, Valero’s total capital spending, including turnaround and catalyst expenditures, was $3.0 billion, or $200 million below previous guidance of $3.2 billion.

"2012 is a significant year for Valero as we focus on replacing the coker drums at St. Charles in April and completing the major hydrocracker projects at Port Arthur and St. Charles, which remain on-budget and on-schedule for completion later this year," Klesse said. "Our top priorities also include our common stock dividend and our investment grade credit rating.  After moving beyond the high capital spending levels in 2011 and 2012, we believe our slate of growth projects, recent acquisitions, and operational improvements will enable Valero to significantly grow free cash flow."

Valero’s senior management will hold a conference call at 10 a.m. ET (9 a.m. CT) today to discuss this earnings release and provide an update on company operations.  A live broadcast of the conference call will be available on the company’s web site at www.valero.com.

Source: Valero

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"This 15-year agreement emphasizes the importance of high growth markets for AkzoNobel and will help drive the company’s medium-term strategy of doubling revenue in Brazil to €1.5 billion," said Rob Frohn, AkzoNobel Executive Committee member responsible for Specialty Chemicals.

The investment will involve supplying, storing and handling all chemicals for the 1.5 million ton per year pulp mill, which is being constructed in Imperatriz, Maranhão, Brazil. The mill is expected to come on stream in the last quarter of 2013.

"We are very proud to have been awarded this project; it underlines the value our Chemical Island concept brings to our customers," said Pulp and Paper Chemicals General Manager Ruud Joosten. "The future demand for pulp and paper in Latin America and China is forecast to increase substantially over the next decade and these investments ensure that we are part of that growth."

Commenting on the agreement, Ernesto Pousada, COO at Suzano Papel e Celulose, said: "Eka Chemicals is a long and reliable partner to Suzano Papel e Celulose. Via this deal, we are ensuring our plant will use the latest and most sustainable chemicals available – something which has been key for us."

The new facility will expand AkzoNobel’s well-established pulp and paper activities in Brazil. The business already successfully runs Chemical Islands, as well as other production units, on several customer sites. It also operates bleaching and paper chemical plants in Jacareí, Rio de Janeiro, Três Lagoas and Jundiaí.

AkzoNobel currently employs over 2,700 people in Brazil, and its 2010 revenue totaled close to €850 million. The majority of revenue is generated from local demand. The company’s ambition is to achieve revenue of €1.5 billion in Brazil by 2015.

Source: AkzoNobel

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The UAE is set to witness a further surge in petrochemicals capacities over the next five years as it becomes a major supplier to the Chinese market, according to BMI’s latest UAE Petrochemicals Report. The success of Abu Dhabi’s massive Borouge complex is confirmed in Borealis’ recently published financial results, which showed that the company made EUR98mn in net profits from the joint venture in Q311. The plant was therefore unaffected by the soft patch in European demand and the overall global market nervousness that led to a narrowing of polyolefins margins. Borouge’s strength, compared to the performance of European operations, underlines the growing importance of competitive Middle Eastern production for the balance sheets of majors. Even though the UAE’s petrochemicals sector is more dependent on less competitive naphtha feedstock than ethane-fed facilities in Qatar and Saudi Arabia, it has continued to thrive utilising its supplies.

The second phase of the Borouge complex at Ruwais, Abu Dhabi, began production in mid-2010 with a 540,000tpa PE unit coming onstream in July. In Q410, an olefins conversion unit producing 752,000tpa of propylene, together with 50,000tpa of propylene delivered from Adnoc’s refinery, began supplying the two Borstar PP units with combined capacity of 800,000tpa. Borouge 2 will triple Borouge’s polyolefins capacity to 2mn tpa when it becomes fully operational by mid-2011. An additional 2.5mn tpa is scheduled online in 2013, following the completion of Borouge 3.

Source: Business Wire

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"This is an advancement that will considerably increase the utility of ETHACURE 300, especially in consumer market applications where odor is critical," says Chris Knight, global business director of curatives and antioxidants.  "Furthermore, we were able to maintain the high properties and performance characteristics of our safe and effective ETHACURE 300 diamine curative."

Albemarle’s curatives business is part of the company’s polymer solutions business segment.  For more information about ETHACURE curatives, please visit www.curatives.com.

About Albemarle Albemarle Corporation, headquartered in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, is a leading global developer, manufacturer, and marketer of highly-engineered specialty chemicals for consumer electronics, petroleum refining, utilities, packaging, construction, automotive/transportation, pharmaceuticals, crop protection, food-safety and custom chemistry services. The Company is committed to global sustainability and is advancing its eco-practices and solutions in its three business segments, Polymer Solutions, Catalystsand Fine Chemistry. Corporate Responsibility Magazine selected Albemarle to its prestigious "100 Best Corporate Citizens" list for 2010 and 2011.  Albemarle employs approximately 4,000 people and serves customers in approximately 100 countries. Albemarle regularly posts information to www.albemarle.com, including notification of events, news, financial performance, investor presentations and webcasts, Regulation G reconciliations, SEC filings, and other information regarding the Company, its businesses and the markets we serve.

"Safe Harbor" Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: Statements in this press release regarding Albemarle Corporation’s business that are not historical facts are "forward-looking statements" that involve risks and uncertainties. For a discussion of such risks and uncertainties, which could cause actual results to differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements, see "Risk Factors" in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K.

SOURCE Albemarle Corporation

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