Moving on Relocations and expansions

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MOVINGON

Relocations and expansions across Europe

SCA logistics terminal inaugurated at Kiel’s Ostuferhafen

The new SCA terminal was officially inaugurated during a reception on November 11th at the Port of Kiel’s Ostuferhafen. The Swedish concerns SCA (Svenska Cellulosa Aktiebolaget) and Iggesund Paperboard AB (Holmen Group) will use the new forest products and logistics centre to handle and store 850,000 tonnes of their high-value paper products a year, which will be distributed throughout central and western European markets.

Dr Dirk Claus, managing director of the Port of Kiel (SEEHAFEN KIEL GmbH & Co. KG) said: “A port takes such an important step perhaps only once every ten years. The paper products business adds a further pillar of support to Kiel’s port activity. Along with the conspicuous investment made in the terminal facilities, the extension of our company’s logistic competence has been of decisive importance.” Visit: www.portofkiel.com

New PP pilot plant enables SABIC to meet key industry needs

SABIC will have a new pilot plant for the development of next-generation polypropylenes on-stream in Sittard-Geleen, the Netherlands, by the end of March 2017. The plant, which will use gas-phase polymerisation technology, will support the production at nearby full-scale plants of superior materials that meet the needs of different industries such as automotive, pipe, appliances and advanced packaging.

The pilot plant is the latest in a series of investments being made by SABIC at the Brightlands Chemelot R&D and manufacturing campus in SittardGeleen. The company opened a new research facility there in May. Lina Prada, global PP technology director, says the pilot plant is a further demonstration of SABIC’s commitment to invest in innovation. “When it starts up next year, we will have considerably more capacity to develop new PP materials for commercialisation in our current European assets in Geleen and in Gelsenkirchen, Germany,” says Prada. Visit: www.sabic.com

Solvay starts production of highly dispersible silica for energy saving tires in South Korea

Solvay has launched the production of highly dispersible silica (HDS) at its new state-of-the-art plant in Gunsan, South Korea, meeting strong and growing regional demand for energy saving tires.

The plant has an annual capacity of more than 80,000 tonnes for producing Solvay’s most advanced grades of HDS. This Solvay invention reinforces the rubber in tires and reduces a vehicle’s fuel consumption by as much as 7%. Moreover, HDS brands like Zeosil® PREMIUM and Efficium® help tire makers to raise performance levels for both car and truck tire compounds.

“Solvay’s new site, with its latest technology standards, further strengthens our supply security to our customers and our contribution to cleaner mobility,” said An Nuyttens, president of Solvay’s Silica Global Business Unit. Visit: www.solvay.com

MMK starts new sinter plant project

OJSC Magnitogorsk Iron and Steel Works (‘MMK’) has signed a contract with Sinosteel Equipment & Engineering Co., Ltd (China) regarding the supply of equipment for MMK’s new sinter plant No.5.

The contract value of the equipment is RUB 6.7 bln. Overall MMK will invest around RUB 22 bln into the sinter plant, including building and installation works. The new facility is scheduled for commissioning by the end of 2019. The sinter plant will have annual capacity of 5.5 mln tonnes, allowing MMK to decommission outdated equipment at sinter plant No.4 (4.2 mln tons per year capacity). The new plant will help MMK process sinter more efficiently, reduce the production costs of pig iron by ensuring output of suitable materials, and fully unlocking the potential of MMK’s blast furnaces. Visit: www.mmk.ru

ODU opens new production site in Mexico

ODU has opened a new production site near Tijuana, Mexico. This move was prompted by ODU’s increasing success in project-related business involving application- and customer-specific products. As in Europe, ODU is aiming to strengthen its business in North America around fully assembled products. The new production plant in Mexico offers the ideal conditions for meeting this objective: With 3000 square metres of production space and 50 staff members, the Mexican site will be running at full steam by early 2017. Its focus is on cable assembly, yet production can be extended to all other ODU areas as well.

“ODU has been active in the North American region for more than 30 years and generates almost a quarter of its overall annual turnover there. Thanks to the dynamic development of the market, we still see enormous potential for growth – in Central and South America, too,” explains Dr Kurt Woelfl, managing director at ODU. Visit: www.odu-connectors.com