Markets Regions and Countries Asia

Full range of engineering plastics now available directly in Japan

Supreme Court to consider total plastics ban / Anti-littering effort supported by TV station

Agreement with China Lumena New Materials to market and sell PA 4.6 and PPS / Examining other options at cooperation

Map Ta Phut accidents prompt government to set up new industry control regime / Explosion at Bangkok Synthetics leaves 12 dead / Dozens hurt as chlorine escapes from Aditya Birla Chemicals' plant

Spotlight on China's Zhang Mu Tou plastic trading centre in Dongguan / PIE visits regional hub for plastic buying and selling activities / EUR 1.2 bn in annual turnover

Accelerated Chinese demand spurs new investments / UOP technology selected for two more China propylene projects / Start-ups expected in 2014

Record number of visitors at Chinaplas 2012 / Rising share in foreign attendees at world's second largest plastics fair / Processing sector focuses on sustainability / Increasingly difficult market environment / Domestic demand needs to grow

Merger of key plastics industry groups creates China Synthetic Resin Marketing Association / Tasked with aiding government draw up, implement plastics policies / Resins market continues to grow / PIE exclusive with group head Zheng Kai

Manufacturers reap order bonanza in China / Germany and Japan are the largest exporters

New PU production site in India / Favourable location for supplying customers in the north and northwest / Total investment of EUR 150m

Output and volume sales decline in 2011 / Both standard and engineering thermoplastics hit

Plastics scrap imports up 5% in 2011 / Rise of 21% in value terms over 2010 / PET scrap sees largest price gains

Mitsubishi and Celanese joint venture raises POM output / New capacity to come on stream in early 2014

China February/March 2012: Hardly any demand growth as work resumes post-Chinese New Year / Exports slow / Business expected to pick up again as agricultural season starts / Oil price could push notations up

Plans to relocate ACN production to mainland China / Response to government resolution to encourage more environmentally friendly production

Dawn of the “Great Ethylene Era” / Five Year Plan calls for massive increase in domestic C2 capacities / Pinpointed regional investments / Foreign players race to form joint ventures

Global headquarters have moved to Singapore / Relocation to be completed this year / Asian market expected to dominate sales

China January/February 2012: Lunar New Year puts polymer trade to a standstill / Business slow as facilities are restarted / Price hikes average 3-5% / Most standard thermoplastics see slight rises

Plans for new petrochemical hub in Indonesia / Cracker and downstream units could start up in 2016

Plastics industry largely focused on local market / Chinese processing machinery dominates / More than half of local plastics demand met by imports / First cracker scheduled to come on stream in 2013

New EUR 9.6 bn refinery complex deal inked in Qatar / No start-up date / Around 1.2m t/y of ethylene

Asian Development Bank supports Honam Petrochemical's polyolefin project in Uzbekistan / Start-up scheduled for 2015

China January 2012: 34m t of standard thermoplastics produced in 2011 / Imports exceed 23m t / Three leading trade centres determine polymer pricing / First in a new series of special reports

Second Nanjing expansion phase completed / USD 1.4 bn project / New acrylic acid plant

Dalian city officials reportedly retract promise to relocate Fujia Dahua's PX plant / Citizens threaten renewed protest action