Page 38 - Plastics News September 2016

COMPANY NEWS
DSMandNHU JV toproducehigh
performance PPS compounds
Royal DSM, a global science-based company active
in health, nutrition and materials, and specialty
chemicals producer Zhejiang NHU Special Materials
Co., Ltd. (NHU), have officially inaugurated their
joint venture company for polyphenylene sul?de (PPS)
compounds, DSM NHU Engineering Plastics (Zhejiang) Co
Ltd. The JV, which was announced May 2015, has been
established in Zhejiang province, close to NHU’s linear
PPS polymer plant in Shangyu, for manufacturing of the
high performance compounds.
DSM has a 60%
share in DSM
NHU Engineering
Plastics (Zhejiang) appreciative and proud of everyone who contributed to
Co Ltd., with
NHU holding the
remaining 40%. DSM
NHU Engineering
Plastics (Zhejiang) industry.” The MFC is one of 26 manufacturing units
Co Ltd. is initially offering two standard commercial
grades. These are Xytron G4010T, containing 40% glass
?ber reinforcement, and Xytron M6510A, which contains
65% glass ?ber and mineral ?ller. Products, which are
branded Xytron™ PPS, are marketed globally and targeted
principally at automotive, electrical and electronics,
water management and industrial markets. DSM will be
marketing the product globally, including China. The PPS
polymer plant operated by NHU uses proven technology to
provide high quality base polymer for the compounds. The
joint venture will take over NHU’s existing compounding
capacity. DSM for its part brings its long-standing expertise
in application development and materials science, as
well as access to its global customer network. In the
run-up to the of?cial inauguration, the joint venture has
already captured business in three important applications
in both China and Europe, with materials currently
being evaluated by numerous customers, including key
automotive OEMs and Tier Ones. One of the three products
already commercialized is an engine block heater for
electric generators, which is required to operate in
continuous contact with water at temperatures between
35 and 50°C.
Plastics News | S e p t e m b e r 2 0 1 6 38
Sadara Chemical Company
announces start-up of mixed
feed cracker
Sadara Chemical Company (Sadara) has started up
its mixed feed cracker (MFC) . The MFC is the only
one of its kind in Saudi Arabia and will allow Sadara to
produce a diversi?ed range of plastics and chemical
products. The MFC is made up of 12 furnaces, of these,
seven will be used to crack ethane (gas), while the
remaining ?ve will be used to crack naphtha (liquid).
Three of the ?ve liquid furnaces are designed so that
they can switch between gas and liquid feedstock.
Commenting on the announcement, Sadara CEO
Ziad Al-Labban said, “Making memorable history is
always cause for celebration, and I am immensely
this achievement. The mixed-feed cracker is the heart
of the Sadara chemical complex and the single-most
important component that underpins our vision to be
a game changer within the local and regional chemical
located in the US$20 bln Sadara chemical complex in
Jubail Industrial City II. Of these units, 14 will deliver
products that are completely new to being produced in
the Kingdom. The state-of-the-art mixed-feed cracker
would allow to produce basic chemicals on-site, and
subsequently converting these basic chemicals into
a wide range of value-added plastics and specialty
chemicals through other manufacturing units. It
also allows to adjust production levels of chemicals
between naphtha-based and ethane-based feedstock
in accordance with market demand.