BASF

New TDI plant in Ludwigshafen to start up in H2 this year / Schwarzheide to be mothballed

Ineos ABS business integrated into Styrolution / Move creates “clear market leader in ABS in the Americas”

Performance in line with reduced expectations in 2014 / Engineering polymers and PU hold up well / Lower oil prices could drive industrial economy in 2015, but earnings likely to be flat

Styrenics producer announces management board changes / Rob Buntinx appointed president of Europe, Middle East and Asia

Shell's Moerdijk cracker unlikely to restart until end of 2015 / Porto Marghera ramping up to fill the void

Flame-retardant, glass fibre-reinforced PA grade added to “Ultramid” portfolio / A3U42G6 aimed at applications requiring higher temperatures

Regional headquarters for PS and ABS moved to Rolle

Butanediol capacity expansion in Geismar

Lower electricity costs drive compounder's plan to invest in South US / Shale gas not a factor

Europe struggles to remain competitive amid US shale gas onslaught / Industry organisations call on EU to help / Oxford study analyses chances and risks

Termination of exclusivity pact for crosslinkers / Automotive project to be continued

50% stake in Ellba Eastern SM/PO joint venture sold to Shell / Moerdijk jv not part of transaction

Part 4 – Regulations: Regulatory moves keep the industry on its toes again in 2014 / Restrictions on plastic bags dominate the discussion / BPA and phthalates still a topic / Flame retardant issues still smoulder / Recycling guidelines make headway

Breaking ground on new Mumbai-based Innovation Campus / EUR 50m investment

New TDI line in Dormagen now officially on stream / Position as global market leader reinforced

Strategic cooperation with Kazanorgsintez / Supply of plastics additives and technical support for HDPE

Kevin McQuade to take over as CEO on 1 January / Roberto Gualdoni steps down for personal reasons

PIE speaks to ECPI's sector group manager Stéphane Content about the European plasticisers market / Media wrongly group all phthalates together as harmful / Sustainability a key focus / REACH implementation should be balanced and pragmatic

European EPS, XPS portfolio switched to PolyFR nine months ahead of REACH deadline

World's largest MDI producer commissions new line in Yantai / Smaller old facility shuttered

Ineos acquires BASF's 50% stake in styrenics joint venture

Higher prices for plastics additives

CEO lifts overall forecast for 2014 / BMS sales rise on volume gains but EBITDA margin recedes

Tokyo chosen as location for second "designfabrik" / Focus on automotive applications

Management reshuffle / Sanjeev Gandhi promoted to executive board / Stefan Blank as new head of Intermediates / Performance Chemicals to go to Christian Fischer in 2015