NEWS
‘Secret’ pipe is blocked
Authorities in Ukraine have discovered a hidden plastic water pipe crossing the border into Russia- occupied Crimea – and blocked it. A report in the Kyiv
Postsaid that the pipe led from a well near the border on the unoccupied side, to the Crimean Titan chemical plant – which makes titanium dioxide – a few miles away. The pipe was supplying the plant with around 250 cubic metres of water per hour, according to Ukrainian prosecutors – who are now trying to identify who is responsible for the “hidden and unregistered water supply”. The discovery was made as part of a pre-trial investigation into Crimean Titan, said Interfax, the Ukraine News Agency. Ukraine had previously stopped water supplies by damming a canal.
German exports to Iran fall in first half of 2018
German plastics and rubber machinery exports to Iran have dipped in the first half of this year – though the sector remains cautiously optimistic about its pros- pects for the full year. In the first half of this
year, German plastics and rubber machinery exports to Iran reached €22 million – a decline of 11% compared to the first six months of 2017. As a result, Iran has dropped from position 25 to 28 as an export destination for Germany. “With annual growth rates
of almost 6% for plastics con- sumption, Iran is still considered a high-potential market for the plastics sector,” said Thorsten Kühmann, managing director of VDMA Plastics and Rubber Machinery. “The increasingly difficult political framework conditions – ac- companied by still insuffi- cient financing options – are
showing their effects. We counteract this with continu- ity – by nailing our colours to the mast in difficult times.” Decreasing export figures for 2018 also affected the size of the German Pavilion at the Iranplast trade fair. This year, 17 German enterprises presented their products there – around half the number that did so at the last edition. German’s dip in first-half
exports to Iran is a turna- round from last year, when it
saw its market share in the country increase. In 2017, German plastics and rubber machinery exports to Iran rose by more than 87% to reach almost €38m. This raised its share of the market from around 8% to more than 18%. At the same time, China saw its share decline from around 63% to 48%. Overall, plastics and rubber exports to Iran declined by more than 13%, to nearly €206m. �
http://plastics.vdma.org
World exports of plastics machinery to Iran (m€) Source: VDMA, National Statistics Agencies
Weak Euro drags down results at Aliaxis
Belgium-based pipe manufacturer Aliaxis reported flat results for the first six months of the year, due mainly to a weakening of the Euro against other currencies, it said. The company announced sales of
nearly €1.6 billion for the period – a dip of nearly 2%, though the company said this would have been a 5% increase in constant currency. Similarly, its profitability (EBITDA) of nearly €215m was down almost 4% (which would have been a rise of about 2% in constant currency). The company said that sales growth
8
– at constant rate – was mainly predom- inantly driven by strong growth in Australia and North America, and higher PVC resin prices. “Most of our key markets are showing top as well as bottom line growth at constant currency – either organically, through innovation or further cost rationalisation,” said Laurent Lenoir, CEO of Aliaxis. In the EMEA region, the company
reported “moderate growth”, with solid growth in Southern Europe. Its North American business per- formed strongly, but is said that some
PIPE & PROFILE EXTRUSION | October 2018
Latin American countries were facing “socio-political environments that are adversely impacting the infrastructure segment and construction demand”. In other, countries like Colombia, a low demand for public infrastructure was balanced by demand for agricultural irrigation projects. In Asia, Lenoir said that, in July, the company acquired the remaining 40% stake in its Indian joint venture, Ashirvad. “This is an important step towards
strengthening our leadership position in this fast- growing market,” he said. �
www.aliaxis.com
www.pipeandprofile.com
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