Companies Standard Thermoplastics General

Operating profit and revenues increase / Plastics segment drives gains thanks to new PS line / Feasibility study for olefins complex

Neil Chapman likely to fill the shoes of outgoing president Stephen Pryor

Petrochemical processing units of Sardinian refinery in Sarroch sold to Saras

Porto Marghera cracker to be permanently closed / Conversion to bioplastics hub confirmed

Operating profit rises 12% in H1 2014 / Operating loss in Chemicals segment / Chinese economy maintains momentum / Shale gas capacity build-up to be accelerated this year

Reprieve for Porto Marghera and Gela sites / National roundtable on restructuring in September / Conversion to renewables hub confirmed

Italy braces for another strike over envisaged refinery closures / Nationwide demonstration planned in Rome for 29 July

"Chinaplas" exclusive: PIE speaks to Sibur managing director and head of Basic Polymers Sergey Komyshan / Sell-and-build strategy / Focus on integrated sites / Export share expected to rise / Ukraine crisis has no significant impact on operations

“External factors” see 2013 EBITDA drop by 42% year-on-year / Profits down 60% / Plastics output up 6.8% / Modernisation efforts to continue in 2014

Chemicals profits fell 26% on lower prices in 2013 / Strong polyolefins output

Sales and operating profit fall in petrochemicals / Decline partially offset by Tomsk and Perm plastics facility openings

Collaboration with Siluria to produce ethylene from methane

Plans to invest EUR 120m in Tarragona and Puertollano through 2016 / Restructuring for high-grade materials EVA, PE metallocene grades and polyols / Days numbered for EPS site Monzon

Polymer sales increase helps offset fall in overall revenues / Styrenics sees greatest gains while PP output drops / Plans for further PS projects

H1 chemicals loss declines on improved demand / Resin sales volumes climb 0.4% / Growth expected to continue in H2

US giant accepts USD 2.19 bn settlement / K-Dow books closed / Penalty sum angers Kuwaiti officials

Russia's first ABS line successfully started up

Weak demand and lower petrochemical prices result in 2012 loss / Resins and plastics prices fall 10%

Plastics help lift 2012 sales by 3.5% / PE and PS output increase but PP output declines

Saudi giant eyes further development in Asia / Potential for shale gas in the region / Possible plans for new cracker in the US

Arbitration court orders Kuwait group to pay final damages of USD 2.48 bn / Breach of contract suit over failed joint venture

Four new R&D bases to be established this year / Plastics Applications Development Centre in Riyadh

Synthetic resins output falls 2.3% in 2012 / Ethylene output down 4.5%

Further expansion of ACN capacities planned / Focus on Middle East / Japanese company wants to become the world number one for ACN

Polymer business extends product portfolio / High Market potential for PVC and PE in South Africa