weeklypellet

Merry Christmas from The Weekly Pellet

Weekly News Digest 12/21/2020

Weekly Resin Report: Spot PE, PP prices spiral higher

The Plastics Exchange Market Update 12/11/20

Prices for polypropylene and polystyrene up in November

Fresh PE price increases announced for January

New BASF Ultramid nylon grade offers excellent surface appearance

Arkema to sell PMMA business to Trinseo

Mitsubishi planning massive MMA plant in Louisiana

Huntsman buying additives maker, Gabriel

BASF completes phase 1 of Geismar MDI update

Weekly News Digest 12/14/2020

Weekly Resin Report: Spot prices for polypropylene soar

The Plastics Exchange Market Update 12/4/20

Commodity resin prices end the year mixed

Brasken PE plant in Mexico sits idle without feedstocks

Owners of Korea Engineering Plastics changing business model

FootJoy develops new spikeless golf shoe utilizing Lubrizol’s TPU

Opinion:

EVs are a risky bet

This Week in History

December 15, 1939: Production of nylon 66 begins at DuPont plant in Seaford, Delaware

Weekly News Digest 12/7/2020

Weekly Resin Report: Traditional December discounts may not materialize

The Plastics Exchange Market Update 11/27/20

Prices for PP and PS continue to increase

US PET bottle recycling rate drops in 2019

SABIC introduces two new radar absorbing materials based on PBT

BASF also introduces PBT with radar absorbing properties

SABIC expands portfolio of post-consumer recycled compounds

Sinochem to compound Elix materials in China

Trinseo opens TPU plant in Taiwan

Braskem forced to halt operations at Mexican PE plant as Government cuts gas supply

Formosa opens new LDPE plant in Point Comfort TX (I am not sure what the picture has to do with the story)

INEOS acquires Sasol’s share of PE plant in LaPorte TX

LyondellBasell launches new PP for melt-blown fabric applications

This week in History

On 11/30/2011, INEOS and BASF form a joint venture to produce styrenics. The new company is called Styrolution.

On 12/7/1909, Leo Baekland patents Bakelite phenolic resin which becomes the worlds first commercial synthetic plastic.

Happy Thanksgiving from The Weekly Pellet

Weekly News Digest 11/23/2020

Weekly Resin Report: Spot PE prices for some grades inch higher

The Plastics Exchange Market Update 11/13/2020

Trelleborg launches anti-microbial system for polyurethane materials

NeoGraf Solutions announces new flame retardant package for polymers

New Jersey Government files lawsuit alleging that Solvay discharged PFAS compounds into the states waterways

Eastman Chemical is closing PVB plant in Trenton Michigan

Sasol starts production at new LDPE plant in Lake Charles LA

Japan’s Eneos to shut naphtha cracker after mechanical glitches

This Week In History

John Wesley Hyatt, the inventor of the injection molding machine was born in Starkey NY.

Weekly News Digest 11/16/2020

Weekly Resin Report: Resin inventories general remain low

The Plastics Exchange Market Update 11/6/2020

Commodity resin prices end the year mixed

Rochling Sustaplast expanding PET capacity

RTP acquires anti-scratch additive patents

Shenhua Xinjiang unexpectedly shut down it PP and PE plants due to technical glitches

Avient (formerly PolyOne) launches new line of materials to replace painted metal

Evonik completes first plant of new nylon 12 complex in Germany

This Week in History:

This is a new section that I am going to be adding each week to highlight historical events in the plastics business

11/17/2014: Styrolution become wholly owned by INEOS and changes name to INEOS Styrolution

11/19/1872: The injection molding machine is patented by John Wesley Hyatt

While doing some research, I came across an article about this car with a body that was thermoformed from ABS in 1960’s. Several prototypes were built by Borg Warner to promote their new plastic, ABS. This is the best article I could find that explained the history of these cars.

A Condensed Version of the CRV/Piranha Story

The Piranha was a kit car that was inspired by the Cycolac Research Vehicle. Here are some photos of a surviving Piranha

The Piranha Kit Car

Here is another article that has a lot of good photos