Markets

Second production facility in Egypt starts up / Groundbreaking for first plant in US confirmed for end-2016

Plans to buy back PVC producer Spolana from Anwil / Groundbreaking for new PE plant in Litvinov

Purchase of Eastman's stake in Primester joint venture completed

Additional LLDPE plant in Canada to start up in Q4 / Corunna cracker switches to shale gas

French automotive OEM building first plant in America / Facility to be located in Mexico

French production plant for carbon black to be closed / Capacity utilisation too low

Acquisition of GE Appliances is completed

Acquisition by WL Ross completed / Aiming to become market leader in the USA

European converters remain a competitive force / Sector increasingly threatened by insecure raw material supply, high costs and foreign players / Innovation and client proximity strongpoints for continental companies / New study by EuPC and Wieselhuber

European Parliament seeks more ambitious targets for waste sorting and recycling / Bioplastics producers pleased with proposals

New lamination line for pharmaceutical films / Capacity expansions in Germany and Switzerland to ensure security of supply

Agreement to buy leading PE film producer BPI / EUR 332m deal expected to close in August this year / First entry into the flexible plastics market / Position as key European consolidator confirmed

Situation on petrochemicals front appears to be easing / Pilots announce strikes coinciding with start of UEFA Championship

US demand to grow by 6.9% per year to 2020 / Higher value products favoured as economy improves / Freedonia report

Voluntary agreement in Austria sets goal of halving plastic bag consumption by 2019

First materials tested in Aitiip's mulching technology development in Spain / Biodegradable film also improves soil and crop properties

Awards for best polymer supplier presented at EuPC annual meeting in Lyon / Repsol takes prizes for innovation and HDPE / “Unique insight” into supply chain dynamics

Finland cracker to be expanded / Lifting propylene and butadiene output

Green light for US shale gas-fed cracker complex in Pennsylvania / Downstream units for 1.6m t/y of PE / Location close to North American plastics customers

German producer plans to cease PMMA casting activities in Austria / Gramatneusiedl facility to close

Leverkusen flame retardant storage facility is expanded

Technical developments and food waste concerns drive global demand / Printed electronics progress boosts intelligent packaging uptake / Smithers Pira report

US methane-to-propylene plant on hold / Volatile pricing hits shale gas projects

Confirmation of plan to build 80,000 t/y glass fibre production facility in South Carolina / USD 300m investment

Demand set to increase by 4.3% annually / Cellulose ethers account for one third of market / Packaging segment benefits from declining PLA prices / Freedonia study