The Urethane Blog

Everchem Updates

VOLUME XXI

September 14, 2023

Everchem’s Closers Only Club

Everchem’s exclusive Closers Only Club is reserved for only the highest caliber brass-baller salesmen in the chemical industry. Watch the hype video and be introduced to the top of the league: — read more

November 16, 2018

Bush Wins CertiPUR-US® Award

Bobby Bush Honored with CertiPUR-US® Outstanding Leadership Award

 

(Rochester Hills, Mich. — November 16, 2018) — Bobby Bush of Hickory Springs Manufacturing, Co. (HSM) in Hickory, N.C., was honored by CertiPUR-US® with its Outstanding Leadership Award at its recent fall meeting in St. Louis.

Bush played a key role in the development of the CertiPUR-US program, now marking its 10th year, and has continued to foster its success. He was integral to the creation of the original CertiPUR-US Advisory Board consisting of association leaders, academics, environmentalists, chemists, and mattress and upholstered furniture manufacturers.

Recognized as an innovator in bio-based and combustion-modified foams, the Duke University graduate has been active and outspoken in the fields of environmental and regulatory activity. He is technical director of the Upholstered Furniture Action Council (UFAC) and has served several terms as president of the Polyurethane Foam Association, as well as the not-for-profit Alliance for Flexible Polyurethane Foam, the organization that administers the CertiPUR-US program.

“Back when the certification of flexible polyurethane foam was just a concept, Bobby was one of the very first in the industry to step up and support the program,” says Mike Crowell, executive director of the CertiPUR-US program. “He was one of the architects of our original business plan, contributing an industry perspective that paved the way for success. He foresaw the extraordinary benefits this program would offer by raising the bar for foam and giving consumers comfort and confidence in the products they bring into their home.”

Past honorees of the CertiPUR-US Outstanding Leadership Award are James McIntyre, partner, McIntyre and Lemon law firm, and Robert Luedeka, immediate past president of the Polyurethane Foam Association.

November 16, 2018

European Propylene Weakness

European Dec olefins contract price expectations turn bearish ahead of negotiations

London — Early expectations for December’s European contract prices for ethylene and propylene pointed to a decline, weighed down by falling feedstock costs among other factors, according to S&P Global Platts data and sources this week.

The two olefins serve as the building blocks for the largest set of petrochemicals in Europe.

European olefins contract negotiations for the upcoming month usually begin on the 21st of the previous month and it can take up to 10-11 days for a settlement to be reached.

An olefins monthly contract is deemed fully settled if two separate parties of buyers and sellers reach the settlement at the same price. The Platts ethylene contract price indicator for December stood at Eur1,074/mt FD NWE Thursday, Eur61 lower than the November settlement of Eur1,135/mt FD NWE. The indicator is based on the spot prices of feedstock naphtha and various co-products produced by steam crackers.

Spot ethylene, which plays a crucial role in deciding the contract settlements, dropped Eur109/mt month on month to be last assessed at Eur849/mt FD NWE Thursday.

Demand for ethylene from downstream polyethylene producers is currently weak and supply long, with the product expected to accumulate further length as shipments of downstream products remain difficult because of low Rhine water levels.

“I will not be surprised if ethylene settles at Eur1,035/mt FD for December,” a market source said. Another saw the CP dropping by as much Eur100 for December.

Three cracker restarts scheduled during November are expected to further lengthen ethylene supplies. This includes LyondellBasell’s cracker in Wesseling, Germany, Naphthachimie’s Lavera cracker in France and Czech Unipetrol’s cracker in Litvinov.

Meanwhile, in propylene, market players expected a drop of around Eur50 on the month, which means the December contract is expected to settle at Eur1,010/mt. The November contract price was settled at Eur1,060/mt.

The Platts propylene contract price indicator for December was assessed at Eur990.50/mt FD NWE Thursday, Eur69.50 below the November contract price.

https://www.spglobal.com/platts/en/market-insights/latest-news/petrochemicals/111618-european-dec-olefins-contract-price-expectations-turn-bearish-ahead-of-negotiations

November 16, 2018

European Propylene Weakness

European Dec olefins contract price expectations turn bearish ahead of negotiations

London — Early expectations for December’s European contract prices for ethylene and propylene pointed to a decline, weighed down by falling feedstock costs among other factors, according to S&P Global Platts data and sources this week.

The two olefins serve as the building blocks for the largest set of petrochemicals in Europe.

European olefins contract negotiations for the upcoming month usually begin on the 21st of the previous month and it can take up to 10-11 days for a settlement to be reached.

An olefins monthly contract is deemed fully settled if two separate parties of buyers and sellers reach the settlement at the same price. The Platts ethylene contract price indicator for December stood at Eur1,074/mt FD NWE Thursday, Eur61 lower than the November settlement of Eur1,135/mt FD NWE. The indicator is based on the spot prices of feedstock naphtha and various co-products produced by steam crackers.

Spot ethylene, which plays a crucial role in deciding the contract settlements, dropped Eur109/mt month on month to be last assessed at Eur849/mt FD NWE Thursday.

Demand for ethylene from downstream polyethylene producers is currently weak and supply long, with the product expected to accumulate further length as shipments of downstream products remain difficult because of low Rhine water levels.

“I will not be surprised if ethylene settles at Eur1,035/mt FD for December,” a market source said. Another saw the CP dropping by as much Eur100 for December.

Three cracker restarts scheduled during November are expected to further lengthen ethylene supplies. This includes LyondellBasell’s cracker in Wesseling, Germany, Naphthachimie’s Lavera cracker in France and Czech Unipetrol’s cracker in Litvinov.

Meanwhile, in propylene, market players expected a drop of around Eur50 on the month, which means the December contract is expected to settle at Eur1,010/mt. The November contract price was settled at Eur1,060/mt.

The Platts propylene contract price indicator for December was assessed at Eur990.50/mt FD NWE Thursday, Eur69.50 below the November contract price.

https://www.spglobal.com/platts/en/market-insights/latest-news/petrochemicals/111618-european-dec-olefins-contract-price-expectations-turn-bearish-ahead-of-negotiations

November 16, 2018

Wanhua Selects U.S. Manufacturing Site

2018-11-16 18:06:27

Wanhua Chemical Completes Site Selection of American Manufacturing Base

To meet the growing demands for MDI in North America and better serve local customers, Wanhua Chemical announced the company has decided to develop its new $1.25 billion American chemical manufacturing complex in Convent, St. James Parish, Louisiana. 

The new MDI plant has a capacity of 400 kilotons per year and will generate 1,000construction jobs at peak activity, also create 170 new direct jobs with another 1,060new indirect jobs. This project is set to start construction in 2019 and is anticipated to go into operation in 2021.
Wanhua Chemical is a global leader in the supply and marketing of isocyanate products to the urethane raw material markets of Asia, Europe and the Americas. It currently owns and operates fully integrated MDI manufacturing complexes in Yantai, Ningbo and Zhuhai, China and Kazincbarcika, Hungary. It has also set up subsidiaries and offices in over ten countries and regions to provide quality products and technical services to customers all over the world.
Wanhua Chemical established a U.S. sales and marketing office in 2006 in Philadelphia, to serve and expand the North American market. With nearly a decade of overseas business operations experience, in 2014, the company set up its U.S. regional headquarters and North American technical service center, with more local hires. Company executives have expressed to the public about Wanhua’s plan and commitment to bring manufacturing to the U.S. on multiple occasions. In order to do so, an American Plant Investment Project Team was created in 2013 for design, permitting, construction and operation of a U.S.-based and fully integrated 400 kt/y MDI manufacturing plant. Over the years, the team evaluated potential site locations throughout the U.S. Due to its advantages of existing infrastructure, including access to competitive feedstock resources, as well as the distribution infrastructure and a skilled and well-trained workforce, Convent, Louisiana was eventually selected.
In North America, the MDI based polyurethane market has been growing positively with opportunities especially in construction, automotive, appliances and adhesives fields. More MDI capacity would be needed over the next few years to keep up with demand.
Once operating at full capacity, Wanhua’s new plant will ensure the capability to efficiently supply MDI customers across the Americas. In addition to the local production facility, the excellent supply chain logistics, existing infrastructure, and comprehensive technical and customer support services from Wanhua North American Technical Center are all making a contribution to supply stability, resource efficiency, sustainable operations and customer satisfaction, which leads Wanhua to become a regional and local preferred provider. 
http://www.whchem.com/en/newsmedia/news/1007.shtml

November 16, 2018

Wanhua Selects U.S. Manufacturing Site

2018-11-16 18:06:27

Wanhua Chemical Completes Site Selection of American Manufacturing Base

To meet the growing demands for MDI in North America and better serve local customers, Wanhua Chemical announced the company has decided to develop its new $1.25 billion American chemical manufacturing complex in Convent, St. James Parish, Louisiana. 

The new MDI plant has a capacity of 400 kilotons per year and will generate 1,000construction jobs at peak activity, also create 170 new direct jobs with another 1,060new indirect jobs. This project is set to start construction in 2019 and is anticipated to go into operation in 2021.
Wanhua Chemical is a global leader in the supply and marketing of isocyanate products to the urethane raw material markets of Asia, Europe and the Americas. It currently owns and operates fully integrated MDI manufacturing complexes in Yantai, Ningbo and Zhuhai, China and Kazincbarcika, Hungary. It has also set up subsidiaries and offices in over ten countries and regions to provide quality products and technical services to customers all over the world.
Wanhua Chemical established a U.S. sales and marketing office in 2006 in Philadelphia, to serve and expand the North American market. With nearly a decade of overseas business operations experience, in 2014, the company set up its U.S. regional headquarters and North American technical service center, with more local hires. Company executives have expressed to the public about Wanhua’s plan and commitment to bring manufacturing to the U.S. on multiple occasions. In order to do so, an American Plant Investment Project Team was created in 2013 for design, permitting, construction and operation of a U.S.-based and fully integrated 400 kt/y MDI manufacturing plant. Over the years, the team evaluated potential site locations throughout the U.S. Due to its advantages of existing infrastructure, including access to competitive feedstock resources, as well as the distribution infrastructure and a skilled and well-trained workforce, Convent, Louisiana was eventually selected.
In North America, the MDI based polyurethane market has been growing positively with opportunities especially in construction, automotive, appliances and adhesives fields. More MDI capacity would be needed over the next few years to keep up with demand.
Once operating at full capacity, Wanhua’s new plant will ensure the capability to efficiently supply MDI customers across the Americas. In addition to the local production facility, the excellent supply chain logistics, existing infrastructure, and comprehensive technical and customer support services from Wanhua North American Technical Center are all making a contribution to supply stability, resource efficiency, sustainable operations and customer satisfaction, which leads Wanhua to become a regional and local preferred provider. 
http://www.whchem.com/en/newsmedia/news/1007.shtml