|
U.K. (781) Sweden (122) Finland (166) Denmark (103) Netherlands (505) Belgium (504) Germany (1542) France (605) Spain (135) Italy (205) Switzerland (390) Austria (92)
U.K. Global PS demand expected to be lower in 2013 because of high feedstock costs, product substitution
Polystyrene (PS) demand is expected to be lower worldwide this year compared with last year, according to the latest IHS Chemical Market Advisory Service: Global Plastics & Polymers report. PS is under pressure because high feedstock and conversion... Denmark's Novo acquires Xellia Pharmaceuticals in $700-million deal
Novo A/S (Hellerup, Denmark), parent of pharmaceutical firm Novo Nordisk (Bagsvaerd, Denmark), has acquired Xellia Pharmaceuticals (Oslo) from private equity firm 3i (London) for an enterprise value of $700 million, 3i and Novo have announced. The company 3i... UK-based distributor joins FECC
Cornelius Group (Bishops Stortford, UK) has joined the European Association of Chemical Distributors (FECC; Brussels) as a company member, FECC says. Cornelius is an independent distributor of specialty chemicals and ingredients with operations in France... UK chemical and pharma companies report lower sales volumes in last 6 months
Sales by the UK chemical and pharmaceutical industry to customers declined during the past six months, according to the latest survey carried out by the Chemical Industries Association (CIA; London). CIA says that 44% of companies report lower sales... European Commission inspects oil companies over possible price-fixing in crude oil, refined products, and biofuel markets
The European Commission says it has carried out unannounced inspections at the premises of several companies operating in the crude oil, refined oil products, and biofuel sectors amid concerns that the companies may have colluded in reporting distorted prices... More Stories » SWEDEN Jacobs renews engineering services agreement with Borealis in Sweden
Jacobs Engineering says it has renewed its frame agreement with Borealis for work at Borealis’s manufacturing facilities at Stenungsund, Sweden. Jacobs, under the five-year frame agreement, is providing engineering, procurement, project management, and... Report: Stockholm Convention agrees on phaseout of HBCD
The sixth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Stockholm Convention has agreed to begin phasing out the use of hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD) in little more than a year, according to a report from Agence France-Presse. HBCD is used in furniture... Ineos to hive off vinyls into joint venture; Rafnes cracker to stay with Ineos
CW has learned that Ineos is at an advanced stage of discussions with an unnamed party to transfer the Kerling chlor-vinyls business into a joint venture, which would become one of the leading chlor-vinyls players globally. Kerling hopes to announce the name... Brenntag extends nylon distribution cooperation with Evonik
Brenntag has extended its cooperation with Evonik Industries for the distribution of nylon polymer products in Scandinavia, the company announced today. The region covered by the cooperation now includes the whole of Europe with the exception of Italy... Tikkurila reports good first-quarter profitability despite weak market development
Tikkurila (Helsinki), the former paints and coatings subsidiary of Kemira, says revenue for the first quarter of 2013 decreased by 6.9%, to €138.4 million ($181.2 million), compared with revenue of €148.6 million in the first quarter of 2012. (Ebit)... More Stories » FINLAND ECHA calls for new round of comments on reproductive toxicity and carcinogenicity of etridiazole
The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA; Helsinki) has invited additional comments on proposals for harmonized classification and labeling (CLH) for etridiazole, used as a fungicide to control soil and root fungi in the treatment of substrate-grown crops. The CLH... Kemira plans further restructuring, announces financial targets for 2016
Kemira has announced several major restructuring measures and issued profitability and sales targets for 2016. The measures are in addition to the company’s Fit for Growth restructuring program, details of which were announced in mid-2012. Fit for... Second Reach registration deadline approaches
The second deadline for the European Union's Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation, and Restriction of Chemicals (Reach) program is just around the corner. Phase-in substances, manufactured or imported in the European Union at 100–1,000 m.t./year... Finland's UPM and Neste Oil in court dispute over biodiesel patent
Industrial group UPM- Kymmene (Helsinki) has registered a court request with the Helsinki District Court to invalidate Neste Oil's (Espoo, Finland) biodiesel patent, alleging it does not differ from previously patented innovations, UPM tells CW. UPM... ECHA invites comments on proposals for harmonized classification and labeling of lenacil and boric acid
The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA; Helsinki) has invited comments on two new proposals for harmonized classification and labeling (CLH). The chemicals concerned are lenacil, a uracil herbicide; and boric acid, used in various industrial applications... More Stories » DENMARK Tanker operator Eitzen posts big increase in Ebitda
Tanker operator Eitzen Chemical (Oslo) says its Ebitda more than doubled in the first quarter of 2013 compared with the fourth quarter of 2012, to $10.5 million. Revenue was not disclosed. The result reflects an improvement in the chemical shipping market... Denmark's Novo acquires Xellia Pharmaceuticals in $700-million deal
Novo A/S (Hellerup, Denmark), parent of pharmaceutical firm Novo Nordisk (Bagsvaerd, Denmark), has acquired Xellia Pharmaceuticals (Oslo) from private equity firm 3i (London) for an enterprise value of $700 million, 3i and Novo have announced. The company 3i... Obituary: Haldor Topsøe passes away
Haldor Frederik Axel Topsøe, founder of Haldor Topsøe (Copenhagen) passed away, shortly before his 100th birthday, after a brief illness, the company and his family announced Monday. He remained actively involved in the daily... Brenntag extends nylon distribution cooperation with Evonik
Brenntag has extended its cooperation with Evonik Industries for the distribution of nylon polymer products in Scandinavia, the company announced today. The region covered by the cooperation now includes the whole of Europe with the exception of Italy... Dynea forms dedicated wood adhesives company
Dynea (Helsinki) has formed a new company, Dynea North (Lillestrøm, Norway), focusing on the speciality wood adhesives market in Europe, the company said today. The new firm is a European market leader with a broad portfolio of adhesives for the wood... More Stories » NETHERLANDS ECHA calls for new round of comments on reproductive toxicity and carcinogenicity of etridiazole
The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA; Helsinki) has invited additional comments on proposals for harmonized classification and labeling (CLH) for etridiazole, used as a fungicide to control soil and root fungi in the treatment of substrate-grown crops. The CLH... DSM opens antireflective coatings plant in Netherlands
DSM has opened a manufacturing plant at Geleen, Netherlands, for the production of the company’s antireflective coatings, marketed as KehpriCoat. The coating is primarily targeted at solar applications and is applied on the cover glass of solar modules... Stolt-Nielsen reports lower first-quarter net profits
Stolt-Nielsen posted a fall in unaudited net profits for the first quarter of 2013 to $1.5 million, from $8 million in the corresponding quarter of 2012, on sales of $519.4 million, up from $505.7 million a year earlier. Operating profits increased to... Vopak’s profit slips in the first quarter
Vopak reports a 1% decrease in first-quarter operating profit excluding exceptional items, to €138.4 million ($180 million), compared with the first quarter of last year.... LyondellBasell to repurchase up to 10% of outstanding stock, hikes dividend
The supervisory board also authorized an interim dividend of 50 cts/share, an increase of 25% over the company's first quarter 2013 interim dividend.... More Stories » BELGIUM Total plans €1-billion modernization of Antwerp facilities
The project includes a refinery upgrading complex and a plant for converting refinery fuel gases into petrochemical feedstock.... EU to impose dumping duties on biodiesel from Argentina, Indonesia
The European Union will impose provisional antidumping duties on biodiesel imports from Argentina and Indonesia, according to various media reports. Argentinean biodiesel will face a provisional tariff of 7–11%, and Indonesian biodiesel will face a... Report: EU lets antidumping duties lapse on PET from 5 Asian countries, renews antisubsidy duty on PET from India
The European Union decided during a plenary session at Strasbourg, France, to let lapse a set of antidumping duties on polyethylene terephthalate (PET), imposed in 2000 on product imported from India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Taiwan, and Thailand, according to a... EU needs fixed target for renewables in the energy mix by 2030, parliament says
Members of the European Parliament have agreed in a nonlegislative resolution that the European Union needs a fixed target for the share of renewables in the overall energy mix by 2030. The need for a better integrated system at EU level to promote renewable... BASF hires Jacobs
Jacobs Engineering has been awarded a three-year process engineering contract to supply services at BASF’s Antwerp complex. Jacobs, under the terms of the deal, is providing process, piping, and electrical-instrumentation services. Jacobs says it has... More Stories » GERMANY Bayer HealthCare appoints new CIO
Bayer says that Johannes Schubmehl was appointed CIO of Bayer HealthCare on 1 May. He succeeded Matthias Moritz, who left the com Johannes Schubmehl pany at the end of March. Schubmehl has held various managerial positions in the Bayer group since 1999. From... Oxea starts operations at German carboxylic acids plant
Oxea announced that it has successfully started operations at its new carboxylic acids plant at Oberhausen, Germany—boosting the company’s carboxylic acid production capacity by about 40%, the company says. Construction, which took place over 15... FDA issues warning letter to Boehringer Ingelheim API plant
FDA issued a warning letter earlier this month to the active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) and finished pharmaceutical manufacturing facility Boehringer Ingelheim (Ingelheim am Rhein, Germany) at Ingelheim am Rhein for violations of cGMP. An FDA inspection... Elix Polymers signs ABS distribution agreement with Velox
Elix Polymers (Tarragona, Spain) has signed an agreement with Velox (Hamburg) for the distribution of Elix's acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) and styrene acrylonitrile (SAN)–based polymer modifier products in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Italy... Reports: Rockwood's divestment of noncore assets sparks private equity interest
Specialty chemicals and advanced materials firm Rockwood Holdings' (Princeton, NJ) sale of certain business units has attracted interest from various private equity suitors, according to Reuters. Rockwood announced earlier this year it would refocus its... More Stories » FRANCE Solvay to build biobased nylon production facility in France
Solvay says it has decided to invest an undisclosed sum to build a production unit for the biobased nylon polymer PA6,10 at at Saint-Fons, France. The plant is intended to meet demand from customers seeking eco-friendly products, the company says. The... Total plans €1-billion modernization of Antwerp facilities
The project includes a refinery upgrading complex and a plant for converting refinery fuel gases into petrochemical feedstock.... Celanese puts 2 acetyl plants in Europe up for sale
Celanese says it plans to launch a sale process for its acetic anhydride plant at Roussillon, France, and its vinyl acetate monomer (VAM) plant at Tarragona, Spain. Celanese says it is "taking the appropriate time to find a credible buyer for both units... Arkema begins nylon-10,10
Arkema has launched production of Rilsan T, a biobased nylon-10,10 processed from castor oil, at the company’s production facility at Serquigny... BASF to sell Industrial Water Management to Degrémont
BASF has signed a contract to sell its subsidiary Industrial Water Management France (Lyon) to Degrémont, the water treatment specialist for local authorities and industrial customers, BASF announced today. Degrémont, a subsidiary of Suez... More Stories » SPAIN Celanese puts 2 acetyl plants in Europe up for sale
Celanese says it plans to launch a sale process for its acetic anhydride plant at Roussillon, France, and its vinyl acetate monomer (VAM) plant at Tarragona, Spain. Celanese says it is "taking the appropriate time to find a credible buyer for both units... Elix Polymers signs ABS distribution agreement with Velox
Elix Polymers (Tarragona, Spain) has signed an agreement with Velox (Hamburg) for the distribution of Elix's acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) and styrene acrylonitrile (SAN)–based polymer modifier products in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Italy... EIB awards €200-million loan to Repsol for R&D program
The European Investment Bank (EIB; Luxembourg) has granted a €200-million ($256.7 million) loan to Repsol's (Madrid) R&D and innovation program, EIB and Repsol have announced. EIB will be financing various activities under the company’s... Solvay chlor-alkali site in Spain under threat from EU mercury-cell phaseout
Production at Solvay's chlor-alkali unit at Torrelavega, Spain, could be under threat unless €30 million ($39.1 million) is invested to transform the unit from mercury-cell based technology to membrane-based technology, trade union representatives say... Time running out for debt-burdened PET producer La Seda
Beleaguered polyethylene terephthalate (PET) producer La Seda de Barcelona (El Prat Llobregat, Spain) has one week left to finalize the refinancing of its €235-million ($299 million) debt before the company is forced into administration, according to... More Stories » ITALY EFSA panel concludes that 3-acetyl-2,5-dimethylthiophene is genotoxic
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA; Parma, Italy) has concluded that 3-acetyl-2,5-dimethylthiophene, used as a flavoring additive in food, is mutagenic in vitro and in vivo, and that its use as a flavoring substance raises a safety concern. The decision... Isagro reports €3.3-million net loss during first quarter owing to poor weather conditions
Isagro (Milan) reports a €3.3-million ($4.3 million) net loss during the first quarter of 2013 compared with a €668,000 profit in the same period last year. Ebitda also contracted to €1.01 million during the reporting period compared with... ENI and Versalis lose appeal against EU synthetic rubber price-fixing fine
The EU Court of Justice (Luxembourg) says it has rejected ENI's (Rome) appeal against a ruling by the EU General Court covering ENI's involvement in a price-fixing cartel in the synthetic rubber market between 1996 and 2002. ENI and its chemical... Tessenderlo sells its electrolysis and chloroaromatics activities in Italy to International Chemical Investors Group
Tessenderlo Group (Brussels) says it has sold Tessenderlo Partecipazioni (Milan), including its subsidiary Tessenderlo Italia (Milan), to International Chemical Investors Group (ICIG), a private industrial holding company. Financial terms have not been... Versalis narrows losses in the first quarter of this year
Versalis (Milan), the chemicals subsidiary of ENI (Rome), reports a strong improvement in profitability in the first quarter of this year. The company is continuing with a major refocusing of its portfolio toward specialty elastomers and biobased chemicals... More Stories » SWITZERLAND Mitsubishi Plastics acquires full ownership of engineering plastics business
Mitsubishi Plastics (Tokyo) says that it has acquired a 50% stake in Aquamit (Amsterdam) from the Quadrant Founders Group, and that Aquamit became a wholly owned subsidiary of Mitsubishi Plastics on 21 May. Aquamit is a holding company of Quadrant (Lenzburg... Report: Stockholm Convention agrees on phaseout of HBCD
The sixth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Stockholm Convention has agreed to begin phasing out the use of hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD) in little more than a year, according to a report from Agence France-Presse. HBCD is used in furniture... Ashland-Clariant JV sold casting products to Iran
ASK Chemicals, a 50-50 joint venture between Ashland and Clariant, sold granulate, coatings, and hot top metal casting products to Iranian government entities, Ashland said in a regulatory filing. The jv sold about €790,000 ($1.04 million) worth of the... Clariant's former businesses named Archroma
Clariant’s former textile chemicals, paper specialties, and emulsion businesses, which the company agreed to sell to SK Capital on 27 December, will be named Archroma after the closing of the transaction, the companies said today. Archroma will be a... Clariant more than doubles net profit on flat sales, confirms 2015 targets
Clariant’s first-quarter net profit from continuing operations more than doubled to 38 million Swiss francs ($40.53 million) compared with SF16 million in the year-earlier period, the company announced today. Sales were flat advancing 2% in local... More Stories » AUSTRIA OMV to invest in new butadiene capacity in Germany and Austria
OMV (Vienna) has earmarked €230 million ($301.6 million) to build a new butadiene plant at its Burghausen, Germany, refinery site and upgrade the company’s existing butadiene plant at Schwechat, Austria. “We are investing in these facilities... Borealis's first-quarter profit down, Borouge's contribution shrinks due to turnaround
Garrett:North American expansion will help push restructuring in Europe. Borealis today reported a major drop in first-quarter net profit to €61 million ($78.5 million) from €140 million in the year-earlier quarter citing lower sales and... Lenzing reports earnings fall, confirms full-year guidance
Lenzing Group (Lenzing, Austria) has reported consolidated sales of €496.5 million ($653.6 million) for the first quarter of 2013, a decline of 6% from the €528 million posted in the year-ago quarter. This change includes, however, a shift of about... OMV earmarks €230 million for new butadiene capacity in Germany and Austria
OMV (Vienna) has earmarked €230 million ($301.6 million) to build a new butadiene plant at the petrochemical complex that forms part of the company's Burghausen, Germany, refinery site, and upgrade the company's existing butadiene plant at its Schwechat... Lenzing sells majority stake in Lenzing Plastics
Lenzing (Lenzing, Austria) says it has agreed to sell an 85% stake in Lenzing Plastics (Lenzing) to an Austrian consortium led by Invest AG, the investment company of the Raiffeisen Banking Group Upper Austria (Linz). The valuation is close to eight... More Stories »
|
Follow us on Twitter
