German conglomerate, ThyssenKrupp, has announced that its polylactic acid (PLA) production technology has been chosen for a new plant in China.

The details:

The new plant, that will start operations in 2021, will be able to produce 30,000 tons of the material per year. ThyssenKrupp's technology converts lactic acid (which comes from sugar, starch, or cellulose) into PLA. The plastic is compostable (with some caveats) and is suitable for applications in the packaging, food, consumer goods, and automotive industries.

Biobased is good, right?

There is a lot that happens before you make PLA. First, a crop (like sugarcane) is produced and transported to a sugar mill. Then you need to convert it into raw sugar (or starch/cellulose). Then you ferment that sugar to produce the lactic acid—which is then transported and converted into PLA. The process is more "green" than using oil as the basis for production, but that doesn't mean it's perfect. Here's its life cycle assessment.

Read the press release here.

Subsidiary of the state-owned petroleum company in Oman, OQ Chemicals, has announced that its ethylene and propylene derivatives technology will be licensed by a new complex in Oman.

What are they making?

OQ Chemicals has now begun the design phase of 5 different units:

1. Propanol: Used as a solvent in the pharmaceutical industry
2. Butyraldehyde: Used to manufacture resins, solvents, and plasticizers
3. Neopentyl glycol (NPG): Enhances the stability of polyester towards heat, light, and water
4. 2-Ethylhexanol (2-EH): Mostly used to make plasticizers and lubricants
5. 2-Ethylhexanoic acid (2-EH acid): Used in paint dryers, PVC stabilizers, and to form metal salts

Bigger picture:

Converting more oil into specialty chemicals is a trend to keep an eye on as more oil companies look to increase their margins (as the demand from gasoline stops growing). OQ chemicals used to be known as Oxea, and they are one of the leading manufacturers of oxo intermediates and derivatives.

Read the press release here.

Japanese-based engineering plastics producer, Polyplastics, has announced that they will be building a new cyclic olefin copolymer (COC) plant in Germany.

Cyclic olewhat?

Polyplastics is the world's leading manufacturer of this relatively new polymer. The material can be used in the healthcare, packaging, and electronics industries. That means anything from "wearable insulin delivery, to food contact films, to tablet and smartphone components".

Some context:

The last time Polyplastics was mentioned was a couple of months ago. The company began as a joint venture between Daicel and Celanese, but the latter recently sold off its stake in the firm. It doesn't seem like Celanese cashing out and moving on is holding back the company from growth.

Read the press release here.