SOLUTIONS FOR FLUIDS, POWDERS & DRY BULK SOLIDS HANDLING | ORIFICE SLIDE GATE VALVE | DIVERTER VALVE | IRIS VALVE | LOSS IN WEIGHT GRAVIMETRIC FEEDER | VOLUMETRIC FEEDER | PELLET SCREENING & SORTING SYSTEM | KNIFE GATE VALVE | ECCENTRIC PLUG VALVE | PINCH VALVE | ABRASIVE SLURRY VALVE | SEVERE DUTY GLOBE CONTROL VALVE
In order to meet the growing demand for various grades of polymers used in wide array of applications, the Indian downstream petrochemical sector is all geared up for the commissioning of future installed capacity.
The latest report, "Chemicals and Petrochemicals Statistics at Glance: 2014", by Statistics and Monitoring Division of Department of Chemicals and Petrochemicals, Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers, Government of India highlights some key projects that will boost the polymer production in India in coming years.
ONGC Petro additions Limited (OPaL) is setting up a grass root mega Petrochemical project at Dahej, Gujarat in PCPIR/SEZ. The complex's main Dual Feed Cracker Unit has the capacity to produce 1.1 MTPA of ethylene, 400 KTPA of propylene. In addition, OPaL is setting up two 360 KTPA high density polyethylene (HDPE) / linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE) swing units, and HDPE and polypropylene (PP) units having a capacity of 340 KTPA each, downstream of the cracker. Production is expected to begin in 2015-16.
ONGC Mangalore Petrochemicals Ltd. (OMPL; Mangalore, India) is building an aromatics complex in the Mangalore special economic zone (SEZ). The complex is designed to produce 900 KTPA of paraxylene (PX) and 300 KTPA of Benzene and is expected to become operational in the fiscal year ending March 2015. MRPL is separately building a 450 KTPA PP plant at the Mangalore SEZ, which is also expected to be on – stream in the fiscal year ending March 2015.
Brahmaputra Cracker and Polymer Limited (BCPL) is setting up Ethylene Cracker Unit (Ethylene-220 KTPA & Propylene 60 KTPA), LLDPE/HDPE Swing Unit (LLDPE/HDPE-226 KTPA) and PP Unit of 60 KTPA at Petrochemical complex in Lepetkata, Dibrugarh in Assam. The project is expected to be commissioned by end of 2014-15.
GAIL is currently expanding petrochemicals capacity at its Pata, Uttar Pradesh, site by adding a 450,000 TPA LLDPE -HDPE swing plant. With this expansion, Gail would double its petrochemical capacity by the end of 2014-15. They are gearing up to spend about Rs. 2,600 crore to set up 110 KTPA poly butadiene rubber (PBR) plant in Gujarat. The project is targeted to be completed by the Q1 of FY17.
Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL) is expanding refining capacity at Kochi and, as part of those plans, is establishing a fluid catalytic cracker that will produce 500 KTPA of propylene to be consumed as feedstock by the proposed petrochemical complex. The petrochemical plant will produce niche petrochemicals such as acrylic acid, superabsorbent polymers (SAP), acrylates, and oxo alcohols. The BPCL petrochemical complex, when operational, would be the first plant in India to produce SAPs. The complex is expected to be on -stream in fiscal year 2017–18.
Indian Oil is building 1 MTPA acetic acid plant in a joint venture with British Petroleum (BP), near Indian Oil's refinery at Koyali, in Gujarat. The acetic acid facility is expected to become operational in 2017. Indian Oil is studying a number of projects based on refinery propylene at Koyali. Facilities would make products including acrylic acid, acrylic esters, and oxo alcohols. The acrylic acid plant would be designed to produce 100 KTPA, and the esters unit, producing mainly butyl acrylate, would have capacity for 160 KTPA.
RIL is significantly expanding its petrochemicals capacity with a range of projects. RIL is doubling PX capacity at Jamnagar and will become the world's second – largest producer of PX. Reliance is expected to commission a 142 KTPA SBR plant and a 40 KTPA polybutadiene rubber plant at Hazira, by the end of the current financial year. A 100 KTPA butyl rubber JV facility at Jamnagar with Sibur (Moscow) will be on-stream in 2015. The new plant will expand RIL's total BR capacity to 120 KTPA. RIL currently runs an 80 KTPA BR plant at Baroda, which is also in the Gujarat. Reliance is building a 1.5 MTPA ethylene plant at Jamnagar that is expected to start up in the second half of 2015-16.
Ahmedabad-based leading manufacturer of CPVC pipes and fittings Astral Poly Technik Ltd has acquired 76% stake in epoxy adhesives player Resinova Chemie Ltd for Rs 212.8 crore. The transaction values Resinova at an enterprise valuation of Rs. 289 crore.
One of the leading players in epoxy adhesives sector in India, Resinova is engaged in manufacturing and marketing of a highly diversified range of adhesives and sealants in chemistries based on epoxy adhesives, acrylics, UV cure, and cyanoacrylates, among others, Resinova's products have varied applications including automobile, construction, chemicals, engineering, industrial, furniture, sanitary and household sectors.
The acquisition will synergise with Astral's existing pipes and fittings businesses by deepening and widening its product offerings.
"Astral has established itself as a strong participant in the CPVC pipes and fittings sector and has gained recognition as a progressive player in the other related sectors. We see the adhesives business as the logical next step in building the Astral franchise. In high growth Indian adhesive market, the Resinova acquisition provides a strong platform which is highly complementary to Astral's strengths. We see tremendous growth opportunities and are excited with the prospects to create lasting value for our shareholders," said Sandeep Engineer, Managing Director of Astral Poly Technik Ltd.
Earlier in August 2014, Astral acquired 80% stake in the US based Seal It Services Ltd ('Seal-It'), which is engaged in manufacturing and selling a comprehensive range of sealants, adhesives, water proofing, cleaning products, tape & paints, and PVA, used mainly in construction sector.
Vijay Parikh, Managing Director of Resinova Chemi Ltd said, "This strategic move between two fast growing companies in synergistic sectors has exceptional potential to develop the adhesive market in India. Combined with Astral's presence in international markets, thrust will be on using technical strength and distribution network of both companies to harness the potential of this business.
Couple of months after it acquired Lanco Infratech's 1200 MW power plant in Udupi, Gautam Adani-led Adani Power on Monday announced the acquisition of Korba West Power Co Ltd (KWPCL) that owns a 600 MW coal-based power plant at Korba in Chhattisgarh.
According to an official release, the company has "executed a binding term sheet for acquisition of 100 percent share of KWPCL from Avantha Power and Infrastructure".
Adani Power currently has a operational capacity of 9240 MW, comprising of 4620 MW at Mundra in Gujarat, 3300 MW at Tiroda in Maharashtra and 1320 MW at Kawai in Rajasthan. "With the acquisition of 1200 MW Udupi power plant which is due for completion shortly, and with KWPCL now, the installed base of Adani Power will increase to 11,040 MW...", the release added.
"This is the time for consolidation in the Indian power sector; and as a leading private power producer, Adani Power, has taken the lead in acquiring power assets which are strategic fit to group businesses and potentially at the lowest end of the cost curve.... The acquisition of KWPCL expands our footprint in India particularly in the coal mining belt of India and we are bullish of expanding our presence further in the country," stated Gautam Adani, chairman of Adani Group in the release.
VA Tech Wabag has bagged a Rs 100-crore project to set up a sewage treatment plant in the Philippines, according to a press release from the company.
The World Bank-funded project involves designing and building a 20 million litre a day sewage treatment plant at Tunasan and operating and maintaining it for one year.
This is a critical project because the treated wastewater flows into Laguna Lake, one of the biggest alternate source for drinking water in the Philippines.
This has emerged an important market for Wabag which has executed three projects in Bagbag, Tatalon and Dona Imelda and is handling two large projects at Illugin and Putatan.
Citadel Plastics Holdings, a global provider of thermoplastic and engineered composite compounds, will acquire The Composites Group (TCG), a manufacturer of engineered composite compounds, from Dallas, TX-based Highlander Partners, L.P. The transaction is expected to close by November. Terms were not disclosed.
"TCG is a very strategic acquisition for Citadel, bringing outstanding expertise in material science technology, as is evidenced by its broad portfolio of proprietary engineered composites spanning BMC, SMC,TMC, and high-performance composites," said Mike Huff, CEO of Citadel. "The addition of TCG, our eighth acquisition since setting out to build a comprehensive materials solution provider, will significantly increase our presence in engineered composites and improve our positioning for future growth with existing and new customers in current and new end markets."
The Composites Group, headquartered in Cleveland, OH, offers a portfolio of engineered composite compounds, including fiberglass and carbon fiber compounds, and parts supported by research and development capabilities. TCG sells its compounds across end markets that include aerospace, automotive, defense, electrical, energy, heavy machinery and recreation.
"The addition of TCG expands Citadel's ability to fulfill a variety of customer needs across multiple sectors," said Kevin Andrews, president of Citadel Engineered Composites. "Like Citadel, TCG is critical to its customers' development initiatives. The combination of experience and greater global scale achieved through this transaction enhances both organizations' ability to partner with customers to provide innovative technical solutions."
"The combined businesses of Citadel and TCG create a complementary platform that is well positioned to serve the needs of our collective customer base today and in the future," said Terry Morgan, CEO of The Composites Group.
The acquisition of TCG will be the eighth plastics-related acquisition for Citadel since 2007 and the 39th overall acquisition since 2008 for HGGC, a middle-market private equity firm with a controlling interest in Citadel.
Watson Grinding & Mfg. and Oil States Industries announce that their metal seated ball valve with tungsten carbide coating was unaffected by sand slurry test environment.
The 2-1/16" 5,000psi 4130 alloy steel ball valve with tungsten-carbide-coated ball and seat components spent approximately 50 hours in service. The API 6AV1 Class II test specification consists of 50 hours' flow with a sand slurry media flowing through the valve, followed by 500 open/closed cycles with sand slurry flowing through. The acceptance criterion of zero leakage was met. Test media was a water/sand mixture with strict specifications for sand particle size, sand content and viscosity. Test temperature was ambient and pressure was 5000psi maximum.
The purpose of the R&D was to study the amount of leakage. This test was performed for no specific application; however, emergency shutdown valves (ESDVs) require this certification.
The Garlock family of companies has reintroduced the Garlock butterfly valve line, a group of flow control products specifically built to handle a wide range of extreme, sterile and chemical transportation and storage conditions, with three new offerings within the Garlock butterfly valve line: the STERILE-SEAL, the SAFETY-SEAL and the MOBILE-SEAL.
GAR-SEAL butterfly valves provide critical shut-off duties and manage the flow of acidic, caustic, abrasive or toxic media that could severely damage or be too challenging for other valve systems. STERILE-SEAL butterfly valves are designed for applications where completely sterility is required, such as in the pharmaceutical and food and beverage production industries. The STERILE-SEAL is only available with a PTFE liner, and offers a unique external sterilisation option: 'dead' areas of the valve, along with the disc, body liner and inner seals, can be thoroughly sterilised with steam and allow no possibility of contact with internal media. The SAFETY-SEAL is specifically designed to negate charge build up and dissipate static. Finally, the MOBILE-SEAL butterfly valve is intended for tanker vehicles, railway wagons, fluid storage silos and other containers where dangerous media are contained.
The Garlock butterfly valve line is offered with a wide range of accessories, including standard handles, locking handles, gear operators and air actuators.
Sesa Sterlite Ltd
Sesa is India's top private iron ore mining company with most of its operations in Goa, the biggest iron ore exporting state where no mining has taken place since September 2012 due to action against illegal mining.
"Based on recent public comments by the government of Goa, it's now probably realistic to assume mining to start by January to February at the earliest," Tom Albanese, chief executive of Vedanta Resources
This indicates a four- to five-month delay versus initial expectations for a restart in September.
Albanese added that India's high export duty amid record low prices for iron ore was an "economic barrier to mining".
Customer: Automotive Equipment Manufacturer
Material: Plastic Pellets
Application: Convey plastic pellets from individual storage bins to an extruder
Challenge: Replace a cumbersome hose system and automate the process of conveying multiple materials to a common destination
Valves: Vortex Quantum Wye Line Diverters | DR2.5-2AL-MG (2-way) and DR2.5-4AL-MG (4-way)
Results:
For this plastics manufacturer, the process of conveying plastic pellets was a production and safety nightmare. Flexible hoses were utilized to convey different grades and colors of pellets from storage bins to an extruder where the pellets were heated and molded into parts for the automotive industry.
The hoses took up space on the production floor. Employees moving through the facility had to be cognizant of the ever-changing location of the hoses. Production slowed down as hoses were relocated to different source bins. On occasion, hoses were connected to the wrong source material – causing the extruded parts to be rejected. It was not a pretty situation.
The company had utilized Vortex 2-way diverter valves in other parts of their facility with great success. They were pleased with the valves' performance and the exceptional life-cycle costs they provided. A decision was made to replace the hoses with Vortex multi-port diverters.
Two 4-way and two 2-way Vortex Quantum Wye Line Diverters were installed in the ceiling – routing the conveying lines off of the production floor and freeing up the floor area. Employees are now able to remotely select a source bin for the different pellets. The diverters shift into place and conveying automatically begins. All safety, production, and reject issues were solved with this new installation. The customer had the foresight to expose one of the ports of the 2-way diverters – allowing an air intake so the system can be "purged" on occasion.
"When the diverters arrived, we were surprised to see the new design of the quantum-style body. The full flange, in-line serviceability, and improved sealing features were an added bonus to a product that has always provided quality performance!" the production superintendent noted.
Contact Adroitt Flow Control, Mumbai on enquiry@adroitt.net for more information.
With the gradual key improvement in global economic scenario, the global plastics industry has shown significant signs of recovery with latest shale gas developments in US and increasing demand for plastics in array of applications – be it household of industrial – the global plastics industry is poised to scale new heights in coming years.
Arvind Mehta, Chairman – Governing Council All India Plastics Manufacturers' Association (AIPMA) and Past President – AIPMA & Plastindia says, "Overall, the plastics industries in all the major economies are on growth path. They are now more optimistic of doing more business with India and they expect Indian plastics industry to be as good as China."
Mehta represented Indian plastics industry at the CIPAD 2014 Global Assembly, during June 22-24, 2014 in Berlin, Germany. "It was an excellent opportunity for networking at an international forum where global association leaders meet and present their country papers, exchange ideas and information and get updated specially from converters and machinery producers' point of view," adds Mehta.
Mehta shares his observations at the CIPAD 2014 Global Assembly as follows:
US: With competitive manufacturing, the current scenario of US plastics industry is very positive. The 440% increase in Shale Gas production in the world's 3rd largest plastics market has attracted new investment of $9.6 billion and the plastics industry in US is expected to create 2.1 million jobs by 2020. Moreover, gas based polymer production is helping the plastics industry to fetch impressive profit as compared to other countries.
UK: With a significant growth of 1.4% and 2.7% in manufacturing and business investment respectively, the UK GDP is expected to grow 3% this year. The major focus of UK on plastic recycling and the Shale Gas boom will be a game changer for the UK plastics industry.
Germany: One of the leaders in making plastics and rubber processing machineries, Germany accounted for 22.2% in global sales of these machineries in 2013. With around 2,640 companies operational, German plastics industry in on growth trajectory and with impressive growth rate of 3.5%, 2.1% and 2.7% in packaging, construction and medical respectively ensures further growth. Plastic recycling will be a key contributor in the growth of German plastics industry.
Japan: The Japanese economy is on a moderate recovery trend. Japan produces 10.6 million tonne of plastic raw material per annum; in which PE 24.9%, PP 21.6%, PVC 14.1%, PS 7%, PET 5%, ABS/SAN 4.3%. Packaging accounts for 37.4% of total plastics produces in Japan, followed by 24.8% in building material, 8.1% in Automotive, 6.4% in agriculture and 5.2% in houseware.
Italy: Considered as one of the most technologically advance machinery makers for the world plastics industry, Italy is expected to show robust recovery in plastics machinery export.
Canada: Despite slow but steady growth of Canadian plastics industry, the key issues such as ban on plastic shopping bags, increasing marine debris, vinyl tin stabilizers, phthalates, flexographic emissions etc. are things to be watched out. With 3,170 companies engaged in plastic processing, the country is working on diverting plastics from landfills to recycling plants.
Switzerland: With a healthy economic recovery, Switzerland's GDP grew by 1.9%. Swiss plastic machinery export is up by 3% that include injection moulding machine (2.2%), thermoforming machines (19.1%), and blow moulding machines (14.2%). Manufacturing precision machinery is the key strength of Swiss Plastic industry.
Mexico: Mexico is an important representative of the plastic industry of South America. The Mexican plastic industry grew production by 4.8% and consumption by 5.9%. With the growing consumption in automobile and packaging, the polymer consumption has reached to 6.41 million tonne in Mexico.
Specialty chemicals group LANXESS is strengthening its production network in China to meet the high level of demand for iron oxide pigments and is adding a mixing and milling plant to the pigment plant already under construction in Ningbo.
Potential customers for the iron oxide pigments are the coatings, plastics, and construction industries. This brings the total investment at the Ningbo site from around EUR 55 million to around EUR 60 million.
The new plant for iron oxide red pigments in Ningbo, which has been built to the latest environmental standards, is being designed for an initial annual synthesis capacity of 25,000 metric tonne. On the same site, LANXESS is building the mixing and milling plant for pigments with an annual capacity of 70,000 metric tonne. This plant will also process raw pigments from other LANXESS sites for the Asian market. The plants are scheduled to be completed in the fourth quarter of 2015 and to start production in the first quarter of 2016.
At the same time, LANXESS will also close its existing mixing and milling operations in Taopu, Shanghai, with an annual capacity of 35,000 metric tonne by the end of 2016.
"Our decision to significantly expand our plant in Ningbo is based on the fact that the global demand for iron oxide pigments is growing at an annual rate of around 3%," says Jörg Hellwig, head of the Inorganic Pigments business unit (IPG) at LANXESS. "By doubling our milling capacities in China, we are strengthening our position as a world-leading manufacturer of iron oxide pigments with a wide-ranging product portfolio for customers."
