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North America (7429) South America (418) Western Europe (4150) Eastern Europe (594) Middle East (876) Africa (189) Southeast Asia (714) North Asia (1227) China (1426) India/Pakistan (848) Australia/New Zealand (158)
NORTH AMERICA Grace Splits Davison Operating Segment
W.R. Grace says it has reorganized its businesses into three operating segments—Catalysts Technologies, Grace Materials Technologies and Grace Construction Products—to better align itself with the markets it serves, gain operational efficiencies... FMC Signs Exclusive Agreement for Access to New Patented Fungicide
FMC says it has signed an exclusive distribution and development agreement with Consumo em Verde (CEV) Biotecnologia das Plantas, S.A. (Lisbon, Portugal) for the fungicidal active ingredient Blad. Under the terms of the deal, FMC Agricultural Products Group... Huntsman Appoints Jon Hunstman Jr. to Board
Hunstman Corp. has appointed Jon Huntsman Jr. to its board effective February 1. Huntsman Jr. previously served as vice chairman and executive committee member of Huntsman between 1993 and 2001. Huntsman Jr. was recently was a candidate for the Republican... Mexichem Acquires Wavin to Create Global Leader in PVC Pipe Systems
Mexichem (Tlalnepantla, Mexico) says it has agreed to acquire 100% of Wavin (Zwolle, the Netherlands) for approximately €531 million ($704 million). Mexichem intends to make a cash offer of €10.50 per Wavin ordinary share. The offer represents... 3M Names Thulin CEO
3M has named Inge Thulin president and CEO, effective February 24. He succeeds George Buckley, who will retire on June 1. Thulin is currently 3M’s COO, a position... More Stories » SOUTH AMERICA Jacobs Awarded Contract for Methanex Plant Relocation
Jacobs Engineering says it has received a contract from Methanex, the world's leading supplier of methanol, to provide engineering services for a planned methanol production facility in Louisiana... Rockwood to Build Lithium Carbonate Plant in Chile
Rockwood Holdings says it plans to invest $140 million to build a 20,000-m.t./year lithium carbonate production plant at LeNegra, Chile. The plant is expected to come onstream by the end of 2013. Along with the company’s current $75-million expansion... BASF Starts Up Sodium Methylate Plant in Brazil
BASF has started up a 60,000 m.t./year sodium methylate plant at Guaratingueta, Brazil, the company says. BASF invested “low-double digit million euros” in the plant, which will supply the regional market in South America, it adds. The plant is... BASF's Crop Protection Pipeline Value Jumps to €2.8 Billion
BASF says the value of its crop protection pipeline increased by €400 million ($525.8 million) to €2.8 billion, driven mainly by the company’s star fungicide F 500, which is expected to exceed peak sales of €1 billion. In... AkzoNobel Invests in Plant to Supply New Pulp Mill in Brazil
AkzoNobel says its Eka Chemicals subsidiary plans to invest €80 million ($105 million) in the construction of a new pulp "chemical island" facility in Brazil. Eka Chemicals, AkzoNobel's pulp and paper chemicals business, will supply the... More Stories » WESTERN EUROPE Syngenta's Net Income and Sales Rise, Benefiting from Integration
Syngenta today reported a 14% increase in 2011 net income to $1.6 billion on sales also up 14% at $13.3 billion. Sales of crop protection products were 14% higher at $10.2 billion and seeds also registered a 14% growth to $3.2 billion. Earnings per share... AkzoNobel Steps up Research into Anticorrosion Coatings
AkzoNobel has unveiled a five-year research partnership with the University of Manchester (Manchester, U.K.) to investigate the science of anti-corrosion coatings. When the research begins April 1 of this year it will be the world’s largest academic... Odfjell Reports Stable Losses Despite Increase in Sales
Odfjell says net losses in the fourth quarter of 2011 were $8 million, exactly the same net result as in the fourth quarter of 2010. Odjfell's sales and Ebitda increased 19% and 11% year over year, to $322 million and $31 million, respectively, in the fourth... Mexichem Acquires Wavin to Create Global Leader in PVC Pipe Systems
Mexichem (Tlalnepantla, Mexico) says it has agreed to acquire 100% of Wavin (Zwolle, the Netherlands) for approximately €531 million ($704 million). Mexichem intends to make a cash offer of €10.50 per Wavin ordinary share. The offer represents... Kemira Reports Higher Net Profits but Lower Sales
Kemira says net profit from continuing operations in the fourth quarter of 2011 was €37.8 million ($50 million), 51% higher than the €25.1 million reported in the same quarter of 2010. Earnings per share (EPS) also increased 60% year over year, to... More Stories » EASTERN EUROPE PhosAgro and Russian Aluminum Maker Sign Aluminum Fluoride Supply Deal
Rusal (Moscow), the global leading producer of aluminum, and fertilizer producer PhosAgro today announced an agreement for the supply of increased quantities of aluminum fluoride by PhosAgro to Rusal until 2034. This long-term agreement will lead to... Novozymes: Biofuels Could Replace more than 50% Gasoline Demand by 2030
Advanced biofuels are set to become an important factor in the global economy and could replace more than 50% of the world's gasoline demand in 2030, according to a report by Bloomberg New Energy Finance. The report, "Moving Towards a Next-generation... EU Seeks Comment on Reducing Maritime GHG Emissions
The European Commission says it has launched an online public consultation on possible measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) from ships. Public comment is open throughl April 12. The European Union (EU) committed to reduce total greenhouse gas... EU Approves New Biocides Regulations
The European Parliament approved earlier this month a proposal for new legislation to harmonize the various regulations for biocides in the European Union (EU). The new Biocidal Products Regulation, as it will be known, will replace the EU’s current... Output Declines in Europe
Output of chemicals declined 3.2% in the European Union (EU) in November 2011 compared with the previous November, Cefic says. "The current EU chemicals industry production trend is in line with the deterioration of the EU... More Stories » MIDDLE EAST Saudi Arabia Starts Up Huge DAP Complex
Saudi Arabian Mining Company (Ma’aden) has announces the start of commercial operation at its diammonium phosphate (DAP) plant. The plant is... Saudi Acrylics Co. Signs Loan Agreement for Jubail Project
Sahara Petrochemicals said Sunday that its affiliate, Saudi Acrylic Monomers Company (Samco) signed a SR 600 million ($160 million) loan agreement with Saudi Industrial Development Fund (SIDF) to help finance a previously announced acrylic acid and... Novozymes: Biofuels Could Replace more than 50% Gasoline Demand by 2030
Advanced biofuels are set to become an important factor in the global economy and could replace more than 50% of the world's gasoline demand in 2030, according to a report by Bloomberg New Energy Finance. The report, "Moving Towards a Next-generation... Qapco Opens Office in South Africa
Qatar Petrochemical Co. (Qapco; Doha) says it has opened a new representative office at Cape Town, South Africa. The establishment of this... Kuwait Details Olefins III; Mohammad Hussain to Succeed Al Terkait at Equate
Kuwait’s previously announced Olefins III project is expected to be completed by end 2016, Maha Mulla Hussain, chairperson of Petrochemical Industries Co. (PIC) told CW recently. It will be designed to produce 1.4 million m.t./year of ethylene and less... More Stories » AFRICA Air Liquide Invests €40 Million in Air Separation Unit in South Africa
Air Liquide said today that it will invest €40 million in a new air separation unit (ASU) in South Africa. This follows the signing of a long-term contract with Evraz Highveld Steel and Vanadium, the second largest steel producer... Novozymes: Biofuels Could Replace more than 50% Gasoline Demand by 2030
Advanced biofuels are set to become an important factor in the global economy and could replace more than 50% of the world's gasoline demand in 2030, according to a report by Bloomberg New Energy Finance. The report, "Moving Towards a Next-generation... Bayer CropScience Affirms Commitment to Food Security, Speeds Phaseout of Old Insecticides
Bayer CropScience, one of the leading producers of agricultural chemicals, has outlined its goals and affirmed its commitment to addressing the challenges posed by population growth, the growing demand for food, feed and renewable raw materials, limited... South Africa Blocks Chemicals Merger, Future of CMC Producer Uncertain
South Africa's Competition Commission (Pretoria) on Tuesday blocked a bid by Senmin International, a unit of AECI, to acquire Cellulose Derivatives (Pretoria). The commission says that the merger “was essentially the same transaction that was previously... Qapco Opens Office in South Africa
Qatar Petrochemical Co. (Qapco; Doha) says it has opened a new representative office at Cape Town, South Africa. The establishment of this... More Stories » SOUTHEAST ASIA Indorama to Acquire Old World's Chemical Assets for $795 Million (updated)
Indorama Ventures (Bangkok) says it will acquire the chemical assets of Old World Industries (Northbrook, IL), including its production facility located at Clear Lake, TX, for $795 million. Old World will retain its consumer products division, including Peak antifreeze. As part of the purchase agreement, Old World will enter into a long-term glycol supply contract with Indorama for its antifreeze production in the U.S.... Sumitomo to Build Second SSBR Plant in Singapore; Breaks Ground on First Plant (Update)
Sumitomo Chemical tells CW that it is planning to build an additional solution-polymerized styrene-butadiene rubber (SSBR) manufacturing plant at Singapore. The second plant is expected to have a production capacity of about 40,000 m.t./year. The company says... Toyo Engineering Buys Stake in Indonesian Engineering Firm
Toyo Engineering Corp., announced today that it has acquired a 47% stake in PT. Inti Karya Persada Teknik (IKPT; Jakarta). IKPT, an engineering company founded in 1982, specializes in engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) work in sectors that... Nippon Shokubai to Expand Superabsorbent Polymers Plant in China
Nippon Shokubai says it has approved Nisshoku Chemical Industry's (NCI; Zhangjiagang, China) investment plan for the expansion of NCI's superabsorbent polymers plant at Zhangjiagang. A new superabsorbent polymers plant with a... Novozymes: Biofuels Could Replace more than 50% Gasoline Demand by 2030
Advanced biofuels are set to become an important factor in the global economy and could replace more than 50% of the world's gasoline demand in 2030, according to a report by Bloomberg New Energy Finance. The report, "Moving Towards a Next-generation... More Stories » NORTH ASIA Samsung Total Selects LyondellBasell Technology for LDPE-EVA Copolymer Plant
Samsung Total Petrochemicals has selected the LyondellBasell Lupotech T technology for a previously announced 200,000... Teijin Announces New Business Plan
Teijin today announced strategies for growth over the next few years, which includes a mid-term business plan for until the fiscal year ending March 31, 2017 and a long-term plan for until the fiscal year ending March 31, 2021. The company aims to record... Sumitomo to Build Second SSBR Plant in Singapore; Breaks Ground on First Plant (Update)
Sumitomo Chemical tells CW that it is planning to build an additional solution-polymerized styrene-butadiene rubber (SSBR) manufacturing plant at Singapore. The second plant is expected to have a production capacity of about 40,000 m.t./year. The company says... Toray Reports Rise in Profits and Sales
Toray Industries reported a 23% increase in net profits for the fiscal first nine months ended December 31, 2011, compared with the year-ago period, to ¥53.9 billion ($703 million). Sales increased 6.5%, to ¥1.19 trillion. Toray’s plastics and... Toyo Engineering Buys Stake in Indonesian Engineering Firm
Toyo Engineering Corp., announced today that it has acquired a 47% stake in PT. Inti Karya Persada Teknik (IKPT; Jakarta). IKPT, an engineering company founded in 1982, specializes in engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) work in sectors that... More Stories » CHINA Shanghai Pharmaceuticals Acquires Chinese API Firm
Shanghai Pharmaceuticals (Shanghai, China) says it will acquire a 70% stake in Changzhou Kony Pharm (Changzhou, China), and will also purchase the remaining 30% stake in the next two years. Kony Pharm manufactures active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) and... AkzoNobel Hikes MCA Capacity in China, Completes Expansion in the Netherlands
AkzoNobel announced today that it will expand its monochloroacetic acid (MCA) plant at Taixing, China and said that it has recently completed expansion of its MCA unit at Delfzijl, the Netherlands. The Taixing plant, first completed In 2002 with a capacity of... SI Group Adds Phenolic Resins at Nanjing
SI Group (Schenectady, NY) says it will invest $30 million to build an additional phenolic resin manufacturing unit at the Nanjing Chemical Industry Park (NCIP)... Arkema Completes Hipro and Cascada Acquisitions
Arkema says it has closed the previously announced $365-million acquisitions of biobased polyamide-10,10 producer Hipro Polymers (Zhangjiagang, China) and Cascada Biomaterials (Hengshui, Hebei Province, China), a manufacturer of castor oil-derived sebacic... PlastIndia 2012 - Infinite Opportunities
PlastIndia, a triennial plastics show, opened in New Delhi today. The international exhibition and conference was inaugurated by K. Jose Cyriac, secretary at the department of chemicals and petrochemicals at the government of India, and Ashok Goel, president... More Stories » INDIA/PAKISTAN Jubilant and Syngenta Sign Pyridines Supply Deal
Jubilant Organosys has signed a multimillion-dollar, long-term agreement to supply pyridines to Syngenta.... Chemical Industry Weekly News Round-Up, Feb. 3
This Week on CW: Dow Chemical reported a $20 million loss on a tax-related one-time charge. Excluding the charge, Dow recorded earnings of $289 million, down from the year-ago period and falling short of analysts’ estimates. Meanwhile, Cabot... PlastIndia: IndianOil Advances Paradip Cracker, to Double Investments
IndianOil is expected to double investments in its petrochemicals business by spending an additional $5 billion over the next few years, S. Mitra executive director/petrochemicals at Indian Oil tells CW. The company has so far spent about $4 billion, he says... PlastIndia: Higher Growth Will Return Next Year; Plastics Consumption to Double
Delegates to this year’s PlastIndia triennial plastics show and conference currently taking place in New Delhi, were told about the challenges and the huge opportunities that the Indian plastics sector offers. India’s per capita consumption of... Peter Nightingale Appointed President of Hikal’s Contract Research Subsidiary
Hikal (Mumbai), an outsourcing partner to companies in the pharma, biotech, agchem, and specialty chemical industries, says that Peter Nightingale has been appointed as the president of its wholly owned contract research subsidiary Acoris Research (Pune... More Stories » AUSTRALIA/NEW ZEALAND Yara and Apache Carve up Australian Fertilizer Producer
Yara International has acquired an additional 16% stake in fertilizer company Burrup Holdings Ltd. (BHL; Perth, Australia) for $143 million, raising its stake in BHL to 51%. Meanwhile, Apache Energy, a subsidiary of Apache Corp. (Houston), has bought the... PlastIndia 2012 - Infinite Opportunities
PlastIndia, a triennial plastics show, opened in New Delhi today. The international exhibition and conference was inaugurated by K. Jose Cyriac, secretary at the department of chemicals and petrochemicals at the government of India, and Ashok Goel, president... Indorama to Invest $700 Million in PTA, PET, PSF Project in India
Indorama Ventures (Bangkok) says it will construct an integrated facility in India, which will consist of purified terephthalic acid (PTA), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), and polyester staple fiber (PSF) production plants fully-integrated with a... Watson Pharmaceuticals Acquires Strides Arcolab’s Generics Business in Australia and Southeast Asia for $393 Million
Watson Pharmaceuticals (Parsippany, NJ) and Strides Arcolab (Bangalore, India) say that Watson has acquired Ascent Pharmahealth (Melbourne), the generic pharmaceutical business of Strides Arcolab in Australia and Southeast Asia for A$375 million ($393... GAM Completes Acquisition of Cabot Supermetals Business
Global Advanced Metals’ (GAM; West Perth, Australia) has completed its $400-million acquisition of Cabot’s Supermetals business, a leading maker of tantalum-based products, following approval by U.S. regulatory authorities. The acquisition was... More Stories »
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