The polyolefin market in Europe is plagued with a spate of production issues that have shortened supply, as per PlasticsNews. In Q1-2015, seven companies declared force majeure at 14 European polyolefins plants, affecting plants that account for close to 20% of polymer capacity. The latest production outages are
Three days after a fire shut down the Shell Deutschland Oil cracker at Wesseling, Germany, force majeure was declared for ethylene and propylene produced at the site on May 13.
After Shell Deutschland Oil announced force majeure for ethylene from its plant in Wesseling, Germany, Vinnolit declared FM for S-PVC from its site in the Knapsack industry park, near Cologne, Germany.
Reports indicate that one of the three Antwerp, Belgium-based crackers operated by Fina Antwerp Olefins — a subsidiary of Total SA — has been switched off. The French group has reportedly announced force majeure for both ethylene and propylene produced at the NC2 plant.
Ineos declared force majeure for all S-PVC deliveries from its plant in Wilhelmshaven, Germany on April 21 as a result of a "serious production problem" at the site's VCM production facility.
As per PlasticsNews, there are however signs that some plants that have suffered outages are coming back on stream.
Borealis lifted the forces majeures it had announced for PE and PP from its site in Schwechat, Austria and for PP from its site in Kallo, Belgium on 14 May.
Shell in early May began the initial phase of restarting its cracker in Moerdijk, The Netherlands. The facility is to be ramped up successively over the course of the next two months.
Versalis on May 5 officially lifted the force majeure it had announced for LDPE and LLDPE from Dunkirk, France on 12 March.
20-May-15 
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