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Acquisition of Structil complete / Aerospace and industrial composites production in France

China Standard Thermoplastics May 2017: Feedstocks see general drop except for propylene / Commodity market no less exciting than a rollercoaster ride / Demand normal to weak

Negotiations to buy French composites firm Structil / Deal would boost aerospace and industrial offering

Plans to acquire full control of speciality chemicals producer Nippon Gohsei / Part of 2020 management strategy

China Standard Thermoplastics March 2016: Peak of maintenance cycle pushes feedstock costs higher / Polymer prices rise significantly / Strong demand / Inventory levels mostly normal, with some materials trending short / Further uptrend in April

Increased use of natural fibres and biopolymers in vehicles / Joint venture with French hemp supplier Interval '/ Partnering with Mitsubishi on "BioMat"

Bioplastic in first application as smartphone front panel

Rising demand for polymeric materials with metal-like properties / Niche products make gains / Automotive, E&E, aviation and medical technology sectors as key drivers / Global capacities exceed 800,000 t/y

PTA plant in Japan to close / Overcapacity hits profits / PX deal with CNOOC

Foundation stone for “world's first” commercial PBS bioplastics plant / Thai facility to commence operations in 2015

Mitsubishi Rayon acquires 51% majority stake in German carbon fibre specialist

China Engineering Thermoplastics June 2014: Feedstock costs rise across the board / Prices soft and trending down / Consumption on track / Little change expected in July

Offtake agreement with Vinmar for 210,000 t/y of succinic acid / Feedstock will be sourced from three different plants / Output of Canadian facility currently under construction already sold out

Take-or-pay bio-succinic acid contract with Thai PBS producer PTTMCC Biochem / Three-year deal for more than 10,000 t/y

Consolidation of two Japanese crackers by 2016 / Streamlining of S-SBR chain / Difficult market

Japanese compounder establishes Mexico-based joint venture with Mitsubishi Chemical / Targeting the North American automotive market

Creation of European headquarters for performance polymers business / Company re-naming initiative in Europe and China

Transaction of TPE and PVC activities from Tessenderlo now complete

Buyout of PVC compounder Comtrex / More global presence for US company

China Engineering Thermoplastics February/March 2013: Feedstock prices down post-Chinese new year / Plans to hike ABS prices / PC also rising / Little movement for polyamides, PBT and POM

PVC compounds business to be sold to Mitsubishi / Profile processing activities divested as planned

Kashima Vinyl Chloride Monomer to become Shin-Etsu subsidiary from December / Mitsubishi Chemical minority owner / Three companies withdraw stakes

Agreement with Faurecia to jointly develop bioplastics for auto interiors / Biomass succinic acid to be used as raw material

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

New management at Mitsubishi Chemical / Subsidiaries MPL and MRC also under new management