June 2015 - Water-Wastewater Treatment Chemicals Insights 48

WATER & WASTEWATER TREATMENT CHEMICALS WORLD MARKET UPDATE HEADLINES

April 2015

PEOPLE NEWS

Fernandez-Moreno promoted to senior vice president of Ashland and president of Chemicals Group
Top Ashland exec departs to become CEO of this public company

INDUSTRY NEWS

Dow Chemical to cut Jobs, under Hedge Fund Pressure
AkzoNobel concludes Sale of Paper Chemicals Business to Kemira for €15 3Million
Univar acquires Key Chemical, Inc.
Ecolab Cuts 2015 Earnings Guidance
Water Treatment Chemicals Standards Help Manufacturers Measure Environmental Impact
Dow's plan to Bank $1 Billion on Natural Capital by 2025

TECHNOLOGY/NEW PRODUCT NEWS

Groton & Norwich Water Treatment Plant Upgrades will make Communities Safer under EPA Settlements
ICAP Patent Brokerage announces IP Valuations of Ecosphere Technologies' Clean Tech Patent Portfolios
Microbeads pass through Water Treatment Sites Nationwide
Bleaching Market

RECENT CHEMICAL BIDS

Wastewater Chemical Bids
Water Chemical Bids

For more information on Water and Wastewater Treatment Chemicals: World Market http://home.mcilvainecompany.com/index.php/markets/27-water/449-n026-water-and-wastewater-treatment-chemicals

GDP UPDATE

May 2015

TABLE OF CONTENTS

AMERICAS

ASIA

EUROPE / AFRICA / MIDDLE EAST

AMERICAS

Canada

International Monetary Fund has lowered its outlook for Canadian economic growth.

It describes Canada’s recent performance as “solid” but says the risk to its growth has been increased by an unusually large drop in oil prices, weaker business investment in the energy sector and lower employment growth

The latest projection from the Washington-based agency calls for the Canadian economy to grow 2.2% in 2015, down from the January estimate of 2.3%.

Canada is expected to outperform Japan and countries that use the euro, but lag behind the United States and the United Kingdom.

The IMF estimates in a report that the American economy will grow 3.1% this year and the U.K’s real gross domestic product will grow by 2.7%.

The IMF also predicts the 18 countries that use the euro will expand 1.5% in 2015, up from a January forecast of 1.2%. The fund forecasts that Japan will grow 1.0% this year, versus an earlier forecast of 0.6%.

Exports have been touted as a savior of the economy, with Canadian exporting set to rise on the lower dollar…The remaining text is not included in this sample.

ASIA

China

Is it time to start panicking about China’s debt? If you believe Beijing won’t support the municipalities that have overdosed on credit over the last few years, then absolutely. But overall, China’s federal level debt remains low, bank’s remain strong despite higher non-performing loans on the balance sheet, and yet we still get a total debt to GDP ratio of a whopping 282%.

First, a little comparison. The U.S. total debt to GDP, which includes household and corporate debt, is 331.7%. The economy has not imploded because of that, though there are plenty of people out there with books and newsletters to sell who say it is only a matter of time. They might be right. The same holds for China.

McKinsey Global Institute blamed China’s debt burden on a credit bubble which began in earnest in 2009. Back then, China was trying to plug up the holes left by the U.S. and European financial crisis. China is export dependent. When its two biggest clients fell because of its own credit bubble, China did what all economies do in crisis — stimulate, stimulate, and stimulate some more.

McKinsey says local debt is the biggest problem. Central government debt is still low, at around 64% of GDP. That gives the government room to — well, stimulate some more. The central bank is currently running its own mini-QE program, which has helped the stock market beat the MSCI Emerging Markets Index by a landslide year-to-date…The remaining text is not included in this sample.

EUROPE / AFRICA / MIDDLE EAST

Eastern Europe

Investors can expect mostly upbeat data from Eastern European markets this week, despite the potential contagion from recession in Russia and financial crisis in Greece, according to Capital Economics.

Russia, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Romania and Slovakia are scheduled to report first quarter GDP figures this week. The Russian economy likely contracted by around 3% year over year, with inflation hurting consumer spending. “But industry has held up reasonably well, which has prevented an even sharper fall in output,” Capital Economics writes. For central and southern Europe, Capital Economics sees an expansion in output of 3% year over year for the region, compared with 2.7% in the fourth quarter of 2014. Capital Economics adds:

“There has been very little evidence, so far at least, that the recession in Russia and renewed problems in Greece have had any impact on activity in the region … At a country level, we think that Hungary and Poland were the region’s best performers. We have penciled in GDP growth of 3.3% y/y in both countries, which would roughly be in line with the fourth quarter’s outturn. Elsewhere, we think growth in the Czech Republic accelerated to around 2.0% y/y in the first quarter, from 1.4% y/y in the fourth quarter, and would highlight that the chance of an upside surprise here is high.

As for Russia, Capital Economics expects preliminary first quarter GDP contraction due to the toll from “low oil prices, last year’s ruble crisis and Western sanctions.”

The slump in consumer-facing sectors was probably the biggest drag on growth in Q1 as households’ real incomes collapsed on the back of soaring inflation. Retail sales contracted by 6.9% y/y in real terms over the first three months of the year. Investment in productive capacity was also hard hit, falling by 6.1% y/y in Q1…The remaining text is not included in this sample.

A complete analysis of GDP and monthly updates for individual countries are included as part of World Cleanroom Markets or Ultrapure Water World Markets.

CHEMICAL INDUSTRY UPDATE HEADLINES

APRIL 2015

AMERICAS

BASF Continues to Evaluate Natural Gas-Based Investment on U.S. Gulf Coast
Prayon to Build Food Grade Sodium Hexametaphosphate (SHMP) Plant in Georgia
Yara and BASF to Build Ammonia Plant in Freeport, Texas
Praxair Gulf Coast Expansion to Serve Freeport, Texas, and Supply New Yara/ BASF Ammonia Project
GEO Opens New Polyaluminum Chloride Facility in Texas
Solvay to Expand Peroxides Production to Serve Growing North American Markets
EaglePicher Breaks Ground on Lithium Ion Center of Excellence
Airgas to Build New Air Separation Unit (ASU) in Tuscaloosa, AL
Linde starts up new air separation unit in Texas
LyondellBasell to Expand Production Capacity of Tri-ethylene Glycol in Texas Plant

ASIA

Chiye Organic Silicon Material (Shanghai) Invests US1.6 Million on Production Plant
Shin-Etsu to Expand Silicone Production in Thailand; Plans US Technical Center
Technip Awarded Contract for Qingdao 500 KTA Ethylbenzene Styrene Monomer Plant
AkzoNobel Performance Coatings Adds Capacity in Indonesia
Fluor Awarded Engineering Contract for New Chinese Polysilicon Plant

EUEA

Kuraray Boosts Production Capacity for Ethylene Vinyl Alcohol in Belgium
Styrolution Opens SBC Pilot Plant
PPG Plans Capacity Expansion for Precipitated Silica at Netherlands Site
Solvay Building Hydrogen Peroxide Grade Production Plant in Netherlands
Schulman to Establish Masterbatch Production Plant in Turkey
Technip Awarded Substantial Contract for New Fertilizer Unit in Slovak Republic
Air Liquide to Build, Own and Operate World’s Largest Oxygen Production Unit for Sasol in South Africa
Grupa Azoty Announces Historical $450m Investment in New PDH Plant in Poland

MERGERS/ ACQUISITIONS

Solvay to Acquire Alkoxylation Plant in the Netherlands
Schulman to Acquire Citadel
Germany's Evonik to Acquire Monarch Catalyst
Polypore Sells Energy Storage Segment for $2.2B to Asahi Kasei, Separations Media Segment to 3M for $1B

For more information on Water and Wastewater Treatment Chemicals: World Market http://home.mcilvainecompany.com/index.php/markets/27-water/449-n026-water-and-wastewater-treatment-chemicals

OIL & GAS SALES LEADS HEADLINES

May 22, 2015

Oil and Gas Project Tracking is available at a discount to Water & Wastewater Treatment Chemicals World Market subscribers.

Treatment chemicals are an important addition to most oil and gas processes. Access to details on the worldwide oil and gas projects is provided at a substantial discount to Water & Wastewater Treatment Chemicals World Market subscribers.

(Listed by most current date)

ASCO Wins Shell Prelude Logistics & Supply Base Management Contract

Revision Date: 5/22/2015

Anadarko Considers Selling Mozambique Gas Assets to Exxon

Revision Date: 5/22/2015

Research Report Forecasts LNG Market Demand at 400M Tonnes

Revision Date: 5/22/2015

Total-led LNG Project in Papua New Guinea Targets 1st Gas in 2021

Revision Date: 5/21/2015

Philippines to Get Regas Terminal amid LNG Sector Uncertainty

Revision Date: 5/21/2015

Pioneering LNG-powered Containership Launched in San Diego

Revision Date: 5/21/2015

Petronas to Deliver LNG from World's First Floating Facility in Q1 2016

Revision Date: 5/20/2015

Total-led Papua New Guinea LNG Project Targets 1st Gas in 2021-InterOil VP

Revision Date: 5/20/2015

Japan's Toho Gas to Buy Cameron LNG from Mitsubishi

Revision Date: 5/20/2015

LNG Takes Off in Gas-Rich Mideast as Conflicts Endanger Pipelines

Revision Date: 5/20/2015

French Utility, Engie Considers Acquisitions to Expand in Renewables, LNG Market

Revision Date: 5/20/2015

Hoegh LNG to Deliver FSRU, Vessels to UK's Meridian Project

Revision Date: 5/20/2015

Freeport LNG Closes Financing and Commences Construction of Third Liquefaction Train

Revision Date: 5/19/2015

Venture Global LNG Announces Manufacturing and Engineering Team for Calcasieu Pass Project

Revision Date: 5/19/2015

Petronas Awards FVSB Contract for PFLNG1 Facility

Revision Date: 5/19/2015

Shell to Raise India LNG Plant Capacity by 50 Percent in 2016/17

Revision Date: 5/19/2015

Parallax Energy Purchases Louisiana LNG, Its Second Mid-Scale LNG Facility This Year

Revision Date: 5/19/2015

EPA and Dominion Cove Point Settle Violations at Maryland Natural Gas Distribution Facility

Revision Date: 5/18/2015

Apache Completes Sale of Kitimat LNG to Woodside

Revision Date: 5/18/2015

Bestobell Marine Receives Third Valve Order from China’s Hudong Zhonghua Shipyard

Revision Date: 5/18/2015

Shell to Buy BG Group in $70 Bln Energy Deal

Revision Date: 5/18/2015

Engro Corp and Excelerate Energy Commission Pakistan’s Port Qasim LNG Terminal

Revision Date: 5/18/2015

State Agency Upholds Clatsop County Decision against Gas Pipeline to Oregon LNG Plant

Revision Date: 5/18/2015

Pacific NorthWest LNG & Progress Energy Canada Welcome Approval of North Montney Mainline Project

Revision Date: 5/18/2015

Dominion and Business Partners Celebrate Construction of Cove Point Liquefaction Project

Revision Date: 5/15/2015

Sempra Energy Submits Port Arthur Liquefaction-Export Facilities for FERC Pre-File Review

Revision Date: 5/15/2015

CB&I, Chiyoda and Zachry Group Awarded Contract for LNG Liquefaction and Export Facility

Revision Date: 5/15/2015

Poland Expects LNG Terminal to Launch between Q2 and Q3

Revision Date: 5/15/2015

Texas LNG Initiates FERC Pre-filing for Brownsville Project

Revision Date: 5/15/2015

GE Oil & Gas Wins Long-Term Gas Services Contract

Revision Date: 5/15/2015

GE Wins Twenty Year Contract for Sabine Pass LNG Trains

Revision Date: 5/14/2015

U.S. LNG Projects Hit by Energy Price Slide

Revision Date: 5/14/2015

Delfin LNG Signs Memorandum of Understanding with LITGAS

Revision Date: 5/14/2015

Shell, Chevron Focus on Making Australian LNG More Competitive

Revision Date: 5/14/2015

Dutch Gasunie in $216 Mln Project to Boost Foreign Gas Imports

Revision Date: 5/14/2015

Top U.S. and Canada Officials to Have Oil Train Safety Plan May 1

Revision Date: 5/13/2015

Bechtel Plant Moves to Gas-fired Electricity at its Curtis Island LNG Plant

Revision Date: 5/13/2015

Deep Down Receives Orders Totaling $4.8 Mln