Union Carbide (UCC), in a first move to sort out its portfolio before merging with Dow Chemical (European HQ: Bachtobelstr. 3, CH-8810-Horgen) later this year, is quitting the Aspell Polymers PE production joint venture with Elf Atochem (F-92091 Paris, La Defense). Ownership of production facilities at Gonfreville, France, including a 210,000 t/y gas-phase “Unipol” plant and a 140,000 t/y LDPE/EVA plant, is to revert to Elf Atochem. The agreement also foresees UCC retaining offtake, goodwill and technology for cable coating grades. Keeping the Unipol technology licence, Elf Atochem plans to concentrate on films, pipes, sheathing bottles and injection moulding.

The future of UCC´s other European joint venture in PE, Polimeri Europe (with Enichem) appears to be still in the dark. Under the contract, the company can be dissolved in March 2001, five years after its founding. Observers are betting on a sale of the business, as it is thought that neither Dow nor Enichem would be interested in taking it over.