Italy’s government and trade unions are making slow but visible progress towards securing the future of the Vinyls Italia production sites formerly owned by Ineos (Lyndhurst / UK; www.ineos.com). The best news for Italian workers is that energy and petrochemicals conglomerate Eni (Rome; www.eni.it) has agreed to supply the feedstock necessary to restart PVC production at Ravenna under new owner Industrie Generali (IGS, Samarate / Italy; www.industriegenerali.it) – see Plasteurope.com of 02.09.2011.

According to Italian reports, the sale to IGS is due to close today, 26 October. After two years of uncertainty, however, the trade unions say members are not holding their breath.
The expected new owner of the Ravenna site says it will recommence PVC production by the end of 2011, with output averaging 140,000 t/y for the first year. Disputes with the Eni group over feedstock were one of the reasons for Ineos backing away from its Italian operations and for the long delay in selling the assets.

At Vinyls’ Porto Torres (Sardinia) site, a joint venture of Eni subsidiary Polimeri Italia (Milan / Italy; www.polimerieuropa.com) and Italy’s leading bioplastics producer Novamont (Novara; www.novamont.com) is to build a EUR 500m bio-based chemical complex – see Plasteurope.com of 15.06.2011. Tentative plans for a third location, the former headquarters of Vinyls Italia at Porto Marghera, are being drawn up – subject to approval by the site’s owner, Eni subsidiary Syndial. Far removed from the traditional petrochemicals orientation, Oleificio Medio Piave would produce flour and vegetable oils from oilseed. This would at least guarantee the site’s 120 jobs.