MENORES EN LA DICTADURA ARGENTINA CONTEXTO HISTÓRICO Y DIFERENCIACIÓN
36 Aprobada por la Asamblea General de Naciones Unidas en su resolución 47/133 de 18 de diciembre
2.1.4. Destacamento hospicio
for DSM Engineering
Plastics
Net sales
€ 1,579 m
x € million 2013 2012 Net sales: DSM Fibre Intermediates 1,579 1,596 Total 1,579 1,596Organic sales development (in %) - (16)
Operating profit 71 97
Operating profit plus depreciation
and amortization (EBITDA) 113 129
Capital expenditure 235 214
Capital employed at 31 December 570 447
ROCE (in %) 14.0 23.3
EBITDA as % of net sales 7.2 8.1
R&D expenditure 17 18
Workforce at 31 December
(headcount) 1,456 1,474
Business
The Polymer Intermediates cluster comprises DSM Fibre Intermediates, the global market and technology leader in caprolactam and the leading acrylonitrile supplier in Europe. Its head office is in Shanghai (China).
DSM Fibre Intermediates has three operating companies for caprolactam with a combined annual capacity of over 900 kt: - DSM Caprolactam Europe: office and plant in Sittard-Geleen
(Netherlands).
- DSM Chemicals North America: office and plant in Augusta (Georgia, USA).
- DSM Nanjing Chemical Company (DNCC): office and plant in Nanjing (Jiangsu, China). DNCC is a 60/40 cooperation with Sinopec Nanjing Chemical Industries.
The company’s acrylonitrile plants are located in Sittard-Geleen. DSM Fibre Intermediates supplies key intermediates to DSM Engineering Plastics. This backward integration secures a base-
load and provides security of supply to DSM Engineering Plastics and is an important element to DSM's Fibre Intermediates operations.
In 2013, DSM Fibre Intermediates posted sales of € 1,579 million, compared to € 1,596 million in the previous year. Higher volumes were offset by lower prices and negative currency effects. EBITDA decreased compared to 2012 given the lower caprolactam prices and higher benzene prices since the second quarter of 2012. This impact could not be completely
compensated for by cost savings and license income. The business achieved major sustainable savings in variable costs and purchasing as part of its Profit Improvement Program. Volumes in DSM Caprolactam Europe were affected by a fire at the plant in Sittard-Geleen in April 2013, which interrupted production for just over one month. Otherwise, plant utilization rates were on track.
Ammonium sulfate (AS) is a co-product of caprolactam that generates a cost credit. The value of this credit fell over the year, following a decline in market prices for AS in the second half of the year.
At acrylonitrile, net sales were slightly lower compared to 2012, due to some one-off production issues.
DNCC saw the successful start-up of its 2nd line, which is part of the expansion project to double capacity to 400 kt. The start- up was achieved at premium grade product specifications and was the fastest ever build and start-up of a 200 kt caprolactam plant.
Also in the year, construction began on the next generation ammonium sulfate plant in Sittard-Geleen, which will secure high quality AS production in the most energy efficient way from 2015.
Caprolactam
Caprolactam is the raw material for polyamide 6 (PA6), also known as nylon 6, of which about 4.5 million tons are produced annually worldwide. The applications of PA6 are very diverse, covering many end-markets, from carpets and textiles to car parts, electrical devices and packaging film.
DSM Fibre Intermediates is the major supplier to the merchant caprolactam market. A major part of all caprolactam produced globally is made using DSM’s proprietary technology, which it actively licenses.
The business has established a strong caprolactam position thanks to its local production facilities, reinforced by its strong partnership with customers in the downstream PA6 industries.
Acrylonitrile
DSM Fibre Intermediates is the leading supplier in the European merchant acrylonitrile market with a share of approximately 25 percent. Globally, it ranks third.
Acrylonitrile is a raw material for acrylic fibers, plastics, rubber, water treatment chemicals and a wide range of specialty products. It is a key ingredient for bright, fashionable acrylic textile and carpet fibers and for materials such as acrylonitrile- butadiene-styrene (ABS) and styrene-acrylonitrile (SAN) that are used for automotive components, electronic devices, toys and sports equipment. The application of acrylonitrile across a wide range of valuable specialty products like carbon fibers, water treatment additives and detergents is rapidly growing.
Trends
DSM Fibre Intermediates expects global demand for caprolactam and acrylonitrile to grow by approximately 3 percent each year in the coming period. The strongest growth of up to 6 percent per year will be seen in China. By comparison, demand from the US and Europe is expected to remain relatively stable.
Strategic context
Strategic progress 2013
- HGEs: HPO™ licensing agreement for two 200 kt lines of caprolactam in China with Shenyuan
- Innovation: new 2nd caprolactam line by DNCC, a cooperation with Sinopec
- Sustainability: N2O abatement facility reducing greenhouse-gas emissions in China
- Acquisitions & Partnerships: license agreement with Univex
DSM Fibre Intermediates seeks to capitalize on the opportunities in the caprolactam market by:
- increasing sales from the doubling of production capacity in China;
- implementing new sustainable technology; - further improving competitive position; and - reducing merchant exposure.
DSM is securing its technology leadership position by pursuing an assertive approach to licensing its proprietary caprolactam technology and protecting its patents. In the year, it finalized a licensing agreement with Shenyuan for two lines of 200 kt each for caprolactam, using HPO™ technology, and a license to produce the main raw material for caprolactam, cyclohexanone, from phenol. A license agreement was also reached with Univex for improvements in the raw material consumption of their existing plant in Mexico.
DSM expects to maintain its global leadership position in caprolactam thanks to its focus on high growth economies, sustainability and technological innovation, and an unwavering commitment to its customers. In the period ahead, DSM will also continue to work on options to reduce its exposure to the volatile merchant caprolactam market.
In acrylonitrile, it will maintain its sustainable position as one of the leading players in Europe.
Sustainability
Projects aimed at feedstock reduction, energy conservation and recovery and waste abatement were implemented at DSM's caprolactam sites. This helped to reduce variable costs and improved sustainability, for example, through a more efficient use of hydrogen and ammonia.
The new N2O abatement facility that DSM Fibre Intermediates inaugurated in August 2012 reduced nitrous oxide emissions by 580 tons in 2013, which is equivalent to more than 170,000 tons of CO2 or the annual emissions of approximately 30,000 cars. Emissions reached 410 tons in the year, compared to 990 tons in 2012. The innovative second production line in Nanjing, designed for world class environmental performance, which started up successfully in late 2013, has been classified as an ECO+ innovation by DSM, due to its lower energy needs and fewer emissions.