NORTH AMERICA Cognis Sells Oleochemicals Stake to Thai Firm
Cognis says it has agreed to sell its 50% stake in Cognis Oleochemicals, an equally owned joint venture with Sime Darby Plantation (Kuala Lumpur), to PTT Chemical International (Singapore), a Singapore based subsidiary of PTT Chemical (Bangkok). Cognis... Air Products and Praxair Earnings Rise on Strong Demand
Industrial gases producers reported a strong second quarter. Praxair’s net income increased 20%, to $342 million ($1.08)/share, on sales up 23%, to $2.9 billion. The consensus of analysts' estimates as reported by First Call (Boston) was for $1.06/share)... Gelest Doubles Capacity at Morrisville HQ
Gelest (Morrisville, PA), a producer and supplier of specialty organosilicon, says it has doubled capacity at its... DuPont-Genencor JV Selects Tennessee for Cellulosic Ethanol Pilot Plant
DuPont Danisco Cellulosic Ethanol, a 50-50 joint venture between DuPont and Danisco's Genencor, has chosen Vonore, TN as the site to build its previously announced cellulosic ethanol pilot facility. Startup is expected by the end of 2009. The pilot facility... Air Products To Sell U.S. Healthcare Business
Air Products says it plans to sell its $271-million/year U.S. healthcare business, and will report the business as a discontinued operation beginning in its fiscal fourth quarter. The company recorded an impairment charge of approximately $315 million in its... More Stories » SOUTH AMERICA Pequiven and Braskem to Decide on Cracker Technology
Pequiven and Braskem (São Paulo) say they will decide within two months which technology they will select for a previously announced 1.3-million m.t./year... Mossi & Ghisolfi Expands PET in Brazil
Mossi & Ghisolfi (M&G; Tortona, Italy) says it will expand capacity of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) at Ipojuca, Brazil, from 450,000 m.t./year, to 650,000 m.t./year. M&G expects the expansion to come onstream by October 2009... Braskem Names New CEO
Braskem (São Paulo) says it has appointed Bernardo Gradin as its new CEO, replacing Jose Carlos Grubisich, who will become CEO of Odebrecht’s (Salvador, Brazil) sugar and ethanol company ETH Bioenergia. Grubisich served as Braskem CEO for seven... Bayer to Invest $155 Million in Brazil Operations
Wenning: Big growth region. Bayer plans to invest about €100 million ($155 million) at sites in Brazil, its biggest market in Latin America, through the end of 2009, says CEO Werner Wenning. Bayer will invest €40... Hercules Acquires Brazilian Firm
Hercules says it has acquired Logos Quimica (São Paulo), a supplier of specialty... More Stories » WESTERN EUROPE Syngenta Half Year Profits, Sales Up; Announces Capacity Expansion
Syngenta has recorded a 25% increase in net profits to $1.5 billion for the first half of fiscal year ended June 30, 2008. Sales was up by 28% to $7.3 billion. The company says it has recorded growth across all product lines and regions. Sales growth was... Lonza Half Year Profits, Sales Up
Lonza has recorded an 83% increase in net profits to CHF 267 million ($260 million) for the first half of the fiscal year ended June 30, 2008. And sales grew by 13% to CHF 1.46 billion. The first half financial performance of the company... Cognis Sells Oleochemicals Stake to Thai Firm
Cognis says it has agreed to sell its 50% stake in Cognis Oleochemicals, an equally owned joint venture with Sime Darby Plantation (Kuala Lumpur), to PTT Chemical International (Singapore), a Singapore based subsidiary of PTT Chemical (Bangkok). Cognis... Ineos Develops Waste-to-Ethanol Process (green innovation edition)
Ineos in the past few weeks unveiled plans to produce bioethanol, which could be used to fuel vehicles, from biodegradable household waste. The technology is based on a simple three-stage process: In the first step municipal solid waste... Ineos Unveils Household Waste-to-Ethanol Process, Plans Commercial Plant
Ineos says within two years it plans to begin the commercial production of ethanol, which could be used to fuel vehicles, derived from biodegradable household waste. Generating ethanol from such waste has a global warming impact that is up to 90%... More Stories » EASTERN EUROPE ... Builds Gases Plants in Poland
Air Liquide says it will invest about €100 million ($159 million) to build and operate two air separation units (ASU) at Pulawy, Poland. Air Liquide has signed a... EU Proposes First Substances for ‘Very High Concern’ Chemicals List
The European Chemical Agency (ECHA; Helsinki), which overseas implementation of the European Union’s (EU) Registration, Evaluation and Authorisation of Chemicals (Reach) law, has published the first list of chemical substances proposed for inclusion in... Members of Parliament Oppose EU Plans to Increase Biofuel Use
The European Parliament’s environment committee has voted to scale down the European Commission’s previously announced plans to make biofuels account for 10% of transport fuel consumed in the European Union (EU) by 2020 (CW, Feb. 7, 2007, p. 7)... ... Takes Control of Coatings JV
BASF has agreed to acquire Yasar’s (Izmir, Turkey) stake in the companies’ 50-50 Yasar BASF Automotive... EU Industry Counts the Cost of Revised Emission Trading Scheme
Anxiety is mounting within the European chemical industry over the European Commission’s plans to revise the European Union’s (EU) Emissions Trading System (ETS). The revisions, announced by the commission last January, will place a huge cost... More Stories » MIDDLE EAST Bids for Honam Olefins Unit in Qatar Are Due in October
Commercial bids for a previously announced olefins plant at Mesaieed, Qatar, planned by a 70-30 joint venture between Qatar Intermediate Holdings Co. (Doha), a subsidiary of Qatar Petroleum; and Honam... Sabic's Profits Rise
Sabic has reported second quarter net profit up 17% to SR7.54 billion ($2 billion), its "highest-ever" in one quarter. Sales for the quarter were not disclosed. Sabic's... Iran: A Major Player in Waiting
Iran is preparing to become a major player in international petrochemical markets, said speakers at the 8th Iran Petrochemical Forum (IPF), held recently in Tehran. National Petrochemical Co. (NPC; Tehran), the country’s biggest producer, has announced... Air Liquide Acquires Helium Business
Air Liquide says it has acquired Pure Helium (Mumbai), an international supplier of liquid and gaseous helium, helium based mixtures, and argon. Pure Helium also has a presence in Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates... Dow-Kuwait JV Appoints CEO, Selects Michigan for HQ
Dow Chemical and Kuwait Petroleum’s Petrochemical Industries Company (PIC; Kuwait City) have named James R. Fitterling as CEO of their proposed petchem joint venture. The 50-50 jv will be... More Stories » AFRICA Tunisian Indian Fertilizers To Build Sulfuric Acid Plant
Tunisian Indian Fertilizers (Tifert; Tunis) says it will build a sulfuric acid plant at La Skhira, Tunisia. It has... Yara to Establish Fertilizer JV in Libya
Yara International ASA (Oslo) says it has completed all agreements with the National Oil Corporation of Libya (NOC; Tripoli) and the Libyan Investment Authority (LIA; Tripoli) to establish a previously announced joint venture for the production and marketing... Agrium’s Planned Complex in Egypt May Be Relocated
Discussions between the Egyptian government and Agrium to resolve a dispute over the construction of a previously announced fertilizer complex at Ras el-Barr, Damietta, Egypt, focus on three possible solutions, local reports say. Agrium has a 60% stake in... BASF Expects Higher 2008 Sales; Lowers Industry Forecast
BASF has reconfirmed its previously announced growth outlook for 2008, despite signs of weakening growth in the chemical industry. “Assuming there are no changes to BASF’s portfolio, we aim to increase sales and to improve Ebit before special...
Tunisia Builds Big Sulfuric Acid Plant
Tunisian Indian Fertilizers (Tifert; Tunis) says it will construct a sulfuric acid plant at La Skhira, Tunisia. The company has awarded a lumpsum engineering... More Stories » SOUTHEAST ASIA Cognis Sells Oleochemicals Stake to Thai Firm
Cognis says it has agreed to sell its 50% stake in Cognis Oleochemicals, an equally owned joint venture with Sime Darby Plantation (Kuala Lumpur), to PTT Chemical International (Singapore), a Singapore based subsidiary of PTT Chemical (Bangkok). Cognis... Rising Feedstock Costs Force Cuts in Petrochemical Production
Several leading Asian petrochemical producers have reportedly decided to cut production due to rising costs of raw materials. The companies aim to stabilize margins, which are declining, reports say. Asahi Kasei plans to reduce operating rates at its... Kuraray Establishes Hub in Singapore
Kuraray (Tokyo) says it has established a wholly owned subsidiary, Kuraray Asia Pacific (Singapore), to oversee the group’s activities in the Asia/Pacific region outside Japan. The subsidiary will be an operational hub combining production and sales... Jurong Aromatics Restructures Financing
Jurong Aromatics Corp. (JAC; Singapore) has restructured the financing for a previously announced $2.3-billion aromatics project at Jurong Island, Singapore, CW has learned (CW, Nov. 14, 2007, p. 17). The company denies industry rumors that the project is in... BASF Confirms Outlook for 2008; Revises Downward Global Chemical Growth Forecast
BASF today confirmed its outlook for 2008 despite signs of weakening growth in the chemical industry. "Assuming there are no changes to BASF's portfolio, we aim to increase sales and to improve Ebit before special items slightly in 2008," said... More Stories » NORTH ASIA World's First HPPO Plant Starts Up in Korea
SKC Chemicals Group (Seoul) says it has begun production of propylene oxide (PO) at its Ulsan, Korea complex. The 100,000 m.t./year facility is the world's first commercial scale plant to use the novel hydrogen peroxide-to-propylene oxide (HPPO) technology... Mitsui Breaks Ground on Alpha-Olefin Copolymer Plant in Singapore
Mitsui Chemicals says that its subsidiary, Mitsui Elastomers Singapore Pte. Ltd., has broken ground on a new manufacturing plant for alpha-olefin copolymer at Jurong Island, Singapore. The plant will have a production capacity of 100,000 m.t./year of... Shin Etsu First Quarter Profits Rise
Shin Etsu Chemical (Tokyo) has recorded a 13% increase in net profits to ¥51.4 billion ($484 million) for the first quarter ended June 30, 2008, compared to the corresponding period in the previous fiscal. Sales... R&H Opens Two Units Serving the Semiconductor Market
Rohm and Haas (R&H) says it has opened the Asia Technical Center (Hsinchu, Taiwan), focusing on chemical mechanical planarization (CMP) technology, and a $60-million immersion lithography... PolyOne Expands in Japan, Canada
PolyOne says it has formed PolyOne Japan Kabushiki Kaisha (PolyOne Japan Ltd.) with an office in Tokyo. The company has named Masato Sakuma as... More Stories » CHINA Albemarle Becomes 100% Owner of Polymer Additives JVs in China
Albemarle says it has become 100% owner of its two polymer additives joint ventures in China, Ningbo Jinhai Albemarle Chemical & Industry (Ningbo) and Shanghai Jinhai Albemarle Fine Chemicals (Shanghai). Financial terms were not disclosed. Albemarle... UOP Selected for PetroChina Project
UOP says it has been selected by PetroChina Sichuan Petrochemical, a subsidiary of PetroChina, to supply technology, basic engineering services, and equipment for an integrated refining and petrochemical complex near Chengdu, China. The petchem portion of the... Symrise Starts Up Shanghai Center
Symrise says it has opened a “creative center” at Shanghai that includes fragrance R&D, sales, and marketing for all of its... Sabic to Sell Product from Aramco Complex
Sabic says it has signed an agreement with Sino Saudi Aramco Co. (Beijing), a wholly owned Saudi Aramco subsidiary, to market Aramco’s 25% share of polyolefins produced at Fujian Refining and Petrochemicals Co.’s complex at Quanzhou, China. The... Beijing Chemical Plants Ordered to Cut Emissions by 30%
Under a two month pollution-reduction plan that began on Sunday, chemical plants in Beijing have been asked to cut emissions by about 30%, say reports. The Chinese government is looking to improve air quality in Beijing in preparation for the August 8-24... More Stories » INDIA/PAKISTAN Jubilant and Syngenta Sign Pyridines Supply Deal
Custom research and manufacturing services (CRAMS) company Jubilant Organosys (Noida, India) says it has signed a multimillion-dollar, long-term agreement to supply pyridines to Syngenta. The contract will come into effect from early 2008 and last... Air Liquide Acquires Helium Business...
Air Liquide says it has acquired Pure Helium (Mumbai), a supplier of liquid and gaseous helium, helium-based mixtures... Engro to Relocate EDC-VCM Complex from U.S. to Pakistan
Engro Polymer & Chemicals (EPC; Karachi), a joint venture in which Engro Chemical Pakistan holds 80% and Mitsubishi Corp. 20%, has acquired Formosa Plastics’ idled ethylene dichloride and vinyl chloride monomer (EDC-VCM) plant at Baton Rouge, LA and... Jubilant, Amgen Enter Drug Discovery Deal
Jubilant Biosys Ltd. (Bangalore, India), a subsidiary of Jubilant Organosys (Noida), says it has entered into a drug discovery partnership with biotechnology firm Amgen (Thousand Oaks, CA). The companies will collaborate to develop a novel drug portfolio... PolyOne to Set Up Production and Lab Facility in India
Specialized polymer materials company PolyOne Corporation (Cleveland, OH) says it has formed PolyOne Polymers India Pvt. Ltd. (Mumbai), to import, manufacture and sell PolyOne products in India and neighboring markets. The new manufacturing and lab facility... More Stories » AUSTRALIA/NEW ZEALAND 3M Buys K&H Surface Technologies
3M says it has acquired K&H Surface Technologies (Melbourne), a manufacturer of repair products for the professional... Alcoa’s Alumina Supply is Curtailed
Alcoa of Australia says it has declared force majeure on... Yara Forms Ammonium Nitrate JV in Australia
Yara International and Burrup Holdings (BHPL; Perth, Australia) say they have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to build a 350,000-m.t./year technical ammonium nitrate (TAN) plant in Australia under a proposed 50-50 joint venture, Burrup Nitrates... Orica Posts Earnings Hike
Orica posted a 7% increase in net profits for its fiscal first half, ended March 31, to A$225 million ($210 million), on sales up... Australia Warns of Tainted Batches of Heparin
Authorities in Australia have warned that four batches of AstraZeneca’s (AZ) blood-thinning drug heparin are contaminated. AZ is the latest in a series of companies, including Baxter Healthcare (Deerfield, IL), that has identified contamination in its... More Stories » |
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