Vinyl acetate monomer (VAM)

SAO PAULO (ICIS)–Most chemical prices have stabilized, and a few are posting small rises, a trend which should strengthen in coming quarters as global manufacturing picks up, executives at US-headquartered adhesives producer HB Fuller said on Thursday. Celeste Mastin, CEO at the company, said sales volumes in Q2 had posted a “strong performance” and came higher than initially expected, with regions such as Europe also improving and some sectors in China “growing like crazy”. The improvement in manufacturing prospects globally prompted HB Fuller to increase its 2024 financial guidance earlier this week after it published its Q2 financial results, which showed sales rose by 2%, year on year, and earnings by 10.1%. As an adhesives producer, HB Fuller's raw materials include tackifying resins, polymers, synthetic rubber, plasticizers and vinyl acetate monomer (VAM). The company’s fiscal year starts on 1 December; its fiscal Q2 covers March-May. EARLIER THAN PLANNED RECOVERYAfter its longest downturn ever, chemicals may finally be savoring the green shoots of a recovery in earnest. HB Fuller, at least, is. According to Mastin, the notable improvement in Q2 foresees a healthier second half of the year, with the improvement across all the company’s divisions and regions it operates in. “We have had a strong volume performance and, actually, we were planning volume growth in the mid-single digits for the second half, but we are already seing that, which explains Q2 [performance],” she said, speaking to reporters and chemical equity analysts. “We track the prices of 4,000 raw materials – 80% they are flat or increasing slightly. We think from Q3 onward the trend will be for increases over time.” HB Fuller’s upbeat assessment contrasts with what the company issued after its fiscal Q1. At the time, Mastin said sales volumes were still weak and, if that situation persisted, prices of specialty chemicals, which had so far held up reasonably well, could also fall. The improvement as of late has prompted the company to also raise its selling prices forecast – from an initially expected negative pricing impact of 2-3%, the company now forecasts a negative impact of 1-2%. Those pricing negative effects, however, will be overcome by growth in sales volumes, the CEO said. Mastin went on to say the automotive sector is one where HB Fuller is “aggressively” trying to gain market share, adding the strategy is paying off with sales volumes up between 20% and 30% compared with last year. “In China, we have a very strong position in automotive. But we are seeing healthy performance in other sectors as well, such glass, aerospace, or electronics – the latter is growing like crazy there. Equally, we are also seeing strong growth in India,” said Mastin. HB Fuller’s CFO, John Corkrean, also present at the press conference, added that, after a poor Q1, even the beleaguered European economy – under pressure since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the consequent energy prices shock – also showed some positive signs in Q2. “We have seen a return to volume growth in all market segments. Some spots such as hygiene remain a weak spot, but we have also seen there an improvement from Q1 and we expect to see further improvement in the next two quarters,” said Corkrean. “Europe was slow in Q1 but that improved in Q2 in , for example, the construction-related businesses. These are positive signs we expect will continue in coming quarters.” Front page picture shows glue being applied Source: Shutterstock

27-Jun-2024

LONDON (ICIS)–The European oxo-alcohols market and most of its derivatives have been characterized by ample supply in June, particularly following the lifting of OQ Chemicals' force majeure at the end of May. Demand across most markets remains tepid and slow due to ongoing economic challenges. The construction and coatings industries have not experienced the expected seasonal surge. Butyl acetate reporter Marion Boakye speaks to oxo-alcohols reporter Nicole Simpson, glycol ethers reporter Cameron Birch and acrylate esters reporter Mathew Jolin-Beech about market dynamics down the oxo-alcohols value chain.  

24-Jun-2024

HOUSTON (ICIS)–Here are the top stories from ICIS News from the week ended 7 June. Celanese declares force majeure on acetic acid and VAM in Europe, Americas Celanese has declared force majeure on acetic acid and vinyl acetate monomer (VAM) in the "Western Hemisphere", which is understood to include the Americas and the Europe, Middle East and Africa region. Canada rail strike unlikely to begin before mid-to-late July, rail carrier CN says Rail carrier Canadian National (CN) estimates that a threatened rail strike in Canada is unlikely to begin before mid-to-late July, it said in an update on its website on Thursday. Mexico’s Altamira petchems force majeure declarations continue on severe drought Petrochemicals producers in the production hub of Altamira, in the Mexican state of Tamaulipas, keep declaring force majeure as a severe drought halved water supplies to industrial players. Brazil’s Braskem expects operations at Triunfo to normalize in ‘coming days’ Braskem’s operations at Triunfo in floods-hit state of Rio Grande do Sul are still yet fully normalized, despite the plant having restarted more than two weeks ago, a spokesperson said to ICIS on Wednesday. Pace of China chemical capacity additions unsustainable – Huntsman CEO The blistering pace of chemical capacity additions in China is likely to tail off, as the current wave is the result of prior planning during better times, the CEO of Huntsman said. IPEX: Index down for first time this year on weak demand in all regions The ICIS Petrochemical Index (IPEX) was down 1.2% in May month on month, as weak downstream demand paved the way for price declines in all regions. Protectionism and tariffs a key concern for US chemicals – ACC execs The increasing trend towards protectionism and tariffs is a key concern for the US chemical industry, said executives at the American Chemistry Council (ACC). INSIGHT: Mexico’s emissions, energy policy and Pemex main challenges for new president Mexico’s new – and first female – president Claudia Sheinbaum will have to decide soon into her term whether she changes course in two key aspects: energy policy and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and the support for state-owned, indebted and underperforming energy major Pemex. Nylon recovery progressing but building and construction still weak – AdvanSix CEO AdvanSix continues to see a gradual recovery in nylon demand driven by automotive and packaging, but building and construction remains challenged, said the CEO of AdvanSix.

10-Jun-2024

LONDON (ICIS)–Celanese has declared force majeure on acetic acid and vinyl acetate monomer (VAM) in the "Western Hemisphere", which is understood to include the Americas and the Europe, Middle East and Africa region. The producer attributed the force majeure declaration to "operational failures experienced by multiple suppliers of critical raw materials essential to Celanese’s production of these products." “Right now, we anticipate that our second quarter U.S. gulf coast production of acetic acid and VAM will be negatively impacted by 15 to 20 percent as a result of these temporary challenges which we are still navigating,” said Mark Murray, senior vice president of the Acetyl Chain at Celanese. On the Gulf Coast Celanese produces acetic acid and VAM at Clear Lake, Texas and VAM at Bay City, Texas. The status of these plants and the duration of constraints affecting them could not be confirmed at time of writing. Thumbnail: A major end use for acetic acid and VAM is paint and coatings. (Photo source: Oleksandr Latkun/imageBROKER/Shutterstock)

07-Jun-2024

SINGAPORE (ICIS)–Here are the top stories from ICIS News Asia and the Middle East for the week ended 31 May 2024. APIC ‘24: Transition to low-carbon, high value-added products crucial for Asia – KPIA chair By Nurluqman Suratman 31-May-24 09:36 SEOUL (ICIS)–A technological transition to low carbon-based and high value-added products is “absolutely necessary” for the Asian petrochemical industry, to address challenges posed by the shift towards carbon neutrality, the chairman of the Korea Petrochemical Industry Association (KPIA) said on Friday. APIC ’24: INSIGHT: Asia SM capacity remains in expansion but growth eases By Jenny Yi 31-May-24 13:30 SEOUL (ICIS)–Asia's capacity for styrene monomer (SM) started its expansion cycle in 2019 and reached the peak in 2021. Capacity increase is expected to decelerate significantly in 2024 but will remain higher than demand growth. APIC '24: India chemicals demand to surge; ample Asia supply weighs on prices By Nurluqman Suratman 30-May-24 07:00 SEOUL (ICIS)–India's petrochemical demand is set to surge in 2024, driven by robust economic growth and industrial production, but suppressed prices caused by ample supplies and new capacities in Asia will negate any benefit to domestic producers, the Chemicals & Petrochemicals Manufacturers' Association (CPMA) of India said. INSIGHT: Surging freight rates hamper Asia petrochemical trades By Pearl Bantillo 29-May-24 17:54 SINGAPORE (ICIS)–A severe shortage of containers and vessel space as commercial ships take a much longer route to avoid the Red Sea has sent freight rates skyrocketing in recent weeks, artificially propping up petrochemical prices even as demand remained generally weak. APIC '24: Policy fragmentation stalls Asia's plastics circularity drive By Nurluqman Suratman 29-May-24 11:00 SEOUL (ICIS)–Asia's journey towards a circular plastic economy is gaining momentum, but the region's diverse waste management practices and fragmented regulations present challenges to realizing this vision. Asia refined glycerine demand stays tepid on weak downstream ECH market By Helen Yan 28-May-24 14:20 SINGAPORE (ICIS)–Asia’s refined glycerine demand is likely to remain tepid, with buyers and sellers locked in a tug-of-war amid an uncertain outlook. India to develop Iran’s Chabahar port; expand international trade By Priya Jestin 27-May-24 17:34 MUMBAI (ICIS)–India and Iran are currently charting plans to acquire equipment and machinery to enhance the capacity and increase vehicular movement at Chabahar port, after the two countries signed a 10-year deal to develop part of the Iranian port. China Apr industrial profits up 4% on year; reverses Mar fall By Fanny Zhang 27-May-24 13:16 SINGAPORE (ICIS)–China’s industrial profits in April increased by 4.0% year on year, reversing the 3.5% contraction in March, official data showed on Monday.

03-Jun-2024

SEOUL (ICIS)–Oversupply of petrochemicals in China has not dampened the country’s role as a key demand driver, presenting Taiwan with both challenges and opportunities, the chairman of the Petrochemical Industry of Taiwan (PIAT) said on Friday. “As we all know, many large-scale integrated projects are carried out in various parts of China by these years leading to an oversupply of petrochemicals … [but] China remains the primary driver of demand growth,” Mihn Tsao told delegates at the Asia Petrochemical Industry Conference (APIC) in Seoul, South Korea. “Taiwan, being an export-oriented economy, cannot ignore China's vast market,” he added. Last year proved exceptionally challenging for Taiwan's petrochemical sector, Tsao said, as global economic growth slowed due to inflation, geopolitical tensions, trade disputes, and climate change concerns, Tsao said. The termination of tariff preferences for 12 petrochemical products under the Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement (ECFA) with China added further strain, he said. Weak global demand and inventory pressures resulted in a significant 12.5% year-on-year decline in Taiwan's overall industrial production index last year, the largest in history, Tsao noted. Taiwan’s petrochemical firms thus experienced reduced operation rates and lower-than-expected profits last year, he said. Going forward, Taiwan's petrochemical industry is actively pursuing sustainable solutions, leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance production processes and efficiency, while transitioning towards green energy-related products such as ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer (EVA), epichlorohydrin (ECH), and carbon fiber, Tsao said. Investments in low-carbon energy transformation, circular economy initiatives, and increased renewable energy adoption are also underway to bolster climate change resilience, Tsao added. The two-day APIC event ends Friday.

31-May-2024

SINGAPORE/SEOUL (ICIS)–Cracker operations in Japan will remain “challenging” this year amid soft demand while capacity expansion in China continues, according to the Japan Petrochemical Industry Association (JPCA). C2 output falls to record low in 2023 Production of five major plastics shrink by around 5% Capacity optimization among industry main tasks “With new cracker capacities being planned in China almost every year at a pace far exceeding demand, the operation rates of domestic crackers are expected to remain challenging,” said a JPCA report prepared for the Asia Petrochemical Industry Conference (APIC) being held in Seoul. The two-day conference ends on 31 May. In 2023, Japan’s ethylene (C2) production shrank 2.3% to a record low of 5.32 million tonnes, as domestic crackers ran below full capacity, JPCA data showed. “The operation rates of domestic crackers have remained below 90% (this rate is said to be the criterion for judging the economic situation) since August 2022 and the monthly operation rate dropped below 80% four times in 2023,” JPCA said. Japan, which was dislodged by Germany as the world’s third-biggest economy in 2023, is projected to post a 2024 GDP growth of around 1.3%, down from last year’s 1.9% pace. In Q1 2024, the economy shrank at an annualised rate of 2.0% as both consumption and capital spending weakened. For the whole of 2023, the country’s total production of five major plastics – namely, linear density polyethylene (PE), high density PE (HDPE), polypropylene (PP), polystyrene (PS) and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) – declined by an average of 4.7% to 6.02 million tonnes. Japan production of major petrochemicals (in thousand tonnes) Product 2023 2022 % change Ethylene 5,324 5,449 -2.3 LDPE 1,223 1,347 -9.2 HDPE 661 714 -7.4 PP 2,075 2,120 -2.1 PS 564 654 -13.8 PVC 1,496 1,483 0.9 Styrene monomer (SM) 1,428 1,542 -7.4 Ethylene glycol (EG) 264 351 -24.8 Acrylonitrile (ACN) 341 422 -19.2 Sources: JPCA, Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), Japan Styrene Industry Association (PS, SM) and Vinyl Environmental Council (PVC) Domestic demand as ethylene equivalent for the year declined by 11.9% to 3.87 million tonnes, according to JPCA data. “In 2024, there is a risk of a decline in demand due to the deterioration of the global economy, such as price hikes of raw commodities due to supply disruptions caused by several problems,” JPCA said, citing Russia’s prolonged invasion of Ukraine, the Israel-Hamas war, and attacks on commercial ships in the Red Sea. “But a certain amount of demand growth is expected due to the resilience of the US and some developing countries’ economy, and the global economy would have a possibility to make a ‘soft landing’,” JPCA stated. Economists are growing more confident that the US – the world’s biggest economy – will be able to post a 2024 growth rate of 2.4%, easing from the actual GDP growth of 2.5% in 2023. China, although beset by a slumping property sector, should be able to post a 5.0% GDP growth, according to the revised forecast by the International Monetary Fund (IMF). In the report, JPCA also emphasized the petrochemical industry’s tasks to engage in “green” or environmental-friendly transformation toward carbon neutrality by 2050; to enhance and optimize excess production capacity amid a declining population; to push for digital transformation; and contribute to a recycling-oriented society. “In Japan, demonstration experiments using new process technologies and raw materials that contribute to green activities have begun, such as biomass-based fuel, bio-material-based olefins, ammonia synthesis, and hydrocarbon synthesis,” it said. Focus article by Pearl Bantillo

30-May-2024

SEOUL (ICIS)–Thailand's petrochemical industry is expected to recover in 2024 as demand improves following a challenging 2023, which was marked by a global economic slowdown, inflation, and high energy costs that dampened consumption. The Federation of Thai Industries' Petrochemical Industry Club (FTIPC), in a report prepared for the Asia Petrochemical Industry Conference (APIC), noted that uncertainties in the global economy, including the recent Israel-Hamas conflict, China's economic stagnation, and instability in US and European financial markets, have impacted the Thai economy. KEY SEGMENTS IMPACTED This challenging environment has already impacted key petrochemical segments. Ethylene consumption, for example, declined in 2023 due to weaker economic conditions and subdued demand. in '000 tonnes/year 2020 2021 2022 2023 Total Capacity 4,609 5,409 5,409 5,360 Production 4,516 5,045 4,530 4,463 Consumption by derivative products* 4,719 5,040 4,478 4,463 Exports 44 99 63 41 Import 163 43 87 95 *Consumption netbacked from polyethylene (PE), ethylene dichloride/vinyl chloride monomer (EDC/VCM), ethylene glycol (EG), and styrene monomer (SM) production Demand for ethylene is expected to remain under pressure in 2024 due to feedstock volatility, weak derivative demand, and increased competition from new capacities in China, southeast Asia, and the US. Additionally, polymer converters are grappling with major concerns such as geopolitical uncertainties, global recession fears, and high inflation rates, as consumers limit spending and further weaken demand for end-use sectors. OUTLOOK AND CHALLENGES AHEAD Looking ahead, Thailand, southeast Asia's second-largest economy, is projected to grow by 2.2%-3.2% in 2024, fueled partly by a rebound in exports and increased private and public investment. However, the recovery in global demand for petrochemicals is not expected to fully materialize until the second half of 2024, according to the FTIPC. This is due in part to a supply glut in Asian markets caused by increased production capacity in China, Vietnam, Indonesia, and Thailand itself, as well as the Middle East, which has prompted producers to reduce output or maintain inventory levels to preserve profit margins. Volatile economic conditions, geopolitical conflicts, new rules of global trade, and the trend of reducing carbon emissions and greenhouse gases present both opportunities and challenges for the petrochemical sector, the FTIPC said. “Businesses must adapt to this changing landscape by enhancing competitiveness, flexibility, and continuous adaptation amidst external uncertainties,” it said. “Integrating business operations with sustainable development is crucial, with a focus on sustainable business growth that meets the demands of consumers in a low-carbon and net-zero emission society.” Focus article by Nurluqman Suratman

30-May-2024

LONDON (ICIS)–Here are some of the top stories from ICIS Europe for the week ended 24 May. Brenntag CEO says Europe must play to its strengths Europe’s chemical sector is seeing a wave of commodity production closures, which is likely to accelerate as the region is suffering from structurally higher energy costs and depressed margins since it lost access to cheap Russian gas. Europe epoxy sentiment stable, Asia imports may face EU antidumping claim Europe epoxy resins prices have been mainly agreed with rollovers for May so far, in spite of a drop in feedstock costs this month. Speculation is also growing over EU anti-dumping claims against Asian imports. Europe naphtha and gasoline prices firm on improved liquidity, summer optimism Liquidity in Europe's naphtha and gasoline markets improved in the week to 17 May as stable-to-soft prices encouraged buying appetite, just as the market is gearing up for an uptick in demand ahead of the summer holidays. Europe PE, PP contract prices down beyond monomer for May Europe’s polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP) freely negotiated prices for May are down, with variance by grade

27-May-2024

HOUSTON (ICIS)–DuPont expects about $60 million in dis-synergies from its break-up into three independent publicly traded companies, CEO Ed Breen and CFO Lori Koch told analysts in a conference call on Thursday. The US specialty chemicals and materials company announced late on Wednesday that it plans to separate its electronics and water businesses into two publicly traded companies while the existing DuPont, dubbed “New DuPont”, will continue as a diversified industrial company. The dis-synergies were largely related to insurance, audit fees, leadership and boards, that is, “public company stand-up costs”, Koch said. The dis-synergies were “not a huge number” and would be across all three companies, she said. As for separation costs, those are estimated at $700 million, with the biggest cost items being IT separation and tax, legal and audit work, she said. DIVESTMENT NOT RULED OUT While DuPont is pursuing spin-offs and is not running a parallel M&A processes for electronics and water, it does not entirely rule out divesting them. “If somebody wants to call and propose something, we are going to listen to it,” Breen said in response to analysts' questions. He also said that the water business, which is relatively smaller, may be spun off before electronics. The timing for the separations is good as markets are coming out of destocking cycles, Breen noted. Especially in semiconductors, “we are going into a real upcycle”, he added. DuPont has been working on the separation for about six months and expects to complete it within the coming 18-24 months, he said. The relatively long completion timeline is mainly due to tax matters as DuPont intends to execute tax-free separations, he said. In some of the countries where DuPont operating, a separated business must be run for a full 12 months before it gets tax-free status, Breen said. New DuPont, with annual sales of $6.6 billion, and the electronic spin-off (sales: $4.0 billion), are expected to have investment-grade balance sheets whereas the smaller water business (sales: $1.5 billion), may not, Koch said. PFAS As for DuPont’s liabilities for poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), those will be allocated between the three companies pro rata, based on their earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) in the last year before the spin-off, Breen said. The amount of PFAS liabilities may not be that large as DuPont expects to “make great progress” on settling claims by the time the spin-offs will be completed in 18-24 months, he said. BREEN’S NEW ROLE Breen will step down as CEO on 1 June, to be succeeded by Koch. However, he will continue as full-time executive chairman of DuPont’s board of directors, focusing on the separations, including the appointment of the spin-off companies’ boards and the hiring of their management teams. Breen would not rule out that he may join the boards of the electronics and water spin-offs but added that a decision has yet to be made. PROFILES OF THE THREE COMPANIES' MARKETS New DuPont, focused on healthcare, advanced mobility, and safety & protection: Electronics, focused on semi-conductors and interconnect solutions: Raw materials used by the electronic business include, among others, monomers, pigments and dyes, styrenic block copolymers, copper foil, filler alumina, nickel, silver, palladium, photoactive compounds, polyester and other polymer films, polyethylene (PE) resins, polyurethane (PU) resins, polyvinyl chloride (PVC) compounds and silicones, according to DuPont's website. Water, focused on reverse osmosis, ion exchange, and ultra filtration: Raw materials used by the water business include, among others, methyl methacrylate (MMA), styrene, polysulfone, high density polyethylene (HDPE), polyethylene (PE), aniline, calcium chloride, caustic and sulfuric acid, according to DuPont's website. DuPont's shares traded at $78.44/share, down 0.13%, at 11:00 local time on the New York Stock Exchange. With additional reporting by Al Greenwood Thumbnail photo source: DuPont

23-May-2024