kemicalinfo Brenntag AG, a global chemical and ingredients distribution company announced on Wednesday that its profit grew by 1.6% for full-year 2019. Profit before tax grew 1.6% from last year to EUR633.4 million. Operating EBITDA reached EUR1 billion, a year-on-year increase of 11.3%. The earnings were benefited by the initial application of IFRS 16, despite difficult … Read more
Lotte Chemical of South Korea shut down its ethylene cracker in Daesan after an explosion that injured at least 31 people. It also announced an indefinite force majeure on supplies. The explosion occurred on March 4, about 3 am South Korea time from a fire at a compressor unit within the naphtha cracker. The fire … Read more
Indorama Ventures Limited (IVL) reported a net loss despite rise in volume growth in the fiscal year 2019. The sales volume grew by 18%, driven reportedly by inorganic expansion. Industry-wide spreads declined to historical lows in 2019, leading to 20% reduction in IVL’s core EBITDA, as company stated. Operating cash flow increased 33% to $1.3 … Read more
SABIC (Saudi Basic Industries Corporation) said on Tuesday that it had raised its stake in specialty chemicals maker Clariant. The state-owned company now owns 31.5% in Clariant, up from 24.99% previously, it said in a filing. The increase in stake holding was just short of the one-third ownership that would trigger a mandatory offer for … Read more
Toray Industries, Inc. announced that its German subsidiary, Greenerity GmbH, held a groundbreaking ceremony a day earlier for its second plant. Located in industrial area of Alzenau, Bavaria, the plant will develop, manufacture, and sell components for hydrogen fuel cells. The new facility is scheduled to go online in November 2021. The new facility will … Read more
ExxonMobil Chemical has announced the restart of its Fife ethylene plant at Mossmorran, Scotland. The ethylene plant has been closed for maintenance since August when two out of the three boilers failed. The plant is one of Europe’s largest petrochemical cracker facilities with an ethylene production capacity of 830,000 metric tones per year. “In re-starting … Read more
Reliance Industries announced on 29th Feb that it has acquired a controlling stake in textile manufacturer Alok Industries Ltd for Rs 250 crore ($34.3 million). Alongside JM Financial Asset Rehabilitation Co Ltd, Reliance had a bid to buy Alok Industries which had been auctioned by lenders under the insolvency and bankruptcy law to recover their … Read more
Arkema reported fall in adjusted net income and sales in 2019 due to a challenging macro environment. In the fourth quarter, sales fell 7% on year to EUR2.05 billion ($2.26 billion). The company’s adjusted net income for the full year came in at EUR625 million ($678.8 million) from EUR725 million ($800.6 million) in 2018. Sales … Read more
Pidilite Industries, an Indian manufacturer of adhesives, construction chemicals and specialty chemicals on Thursday announced acquiring majority stake in the Indian subsidiary of Italian firm Tenax SPA. Pidilite has entered into a definitive agreement with Tenax SPA for acquiring 70 per cent of the share capital of Tenax India Stone Products for cash consideration of … Read more
India’s Fairchem Speciality Limited reported rise in profit growth in the third quarter 2019 on strong Oleochemicals margins. The company has posted net profit of Rs.7.2 crores ($1 million) for the period ended December 31, 2019, an increase of 7.6% as against Rs.6.69 crores ($0.93 million) for the prior-year quarter. The company has reported net … Read more
Borealis announces a net profit of EUR 138 million ($151.8 million) for the fourth quarter of 2019, compared to EUR 94 million ($103.4 million) in the same quarter of 2018. While the 2018 result was impacted by a one-off impairment charge of EUR 92 million ($101.2 million), the result in the fourth quarter of 2019 … Read more
Univar Solutions Inc. reported a fall in profit for the fourth quarter and full year of 2019. The results were impacted by reduced demand in global industrial markets. In the fourth quarter, the company reported sales of $2.2 billion, up 9.3% compared to the prior year quarter. The company reported a loss of $55.1 million, … Read more
Versalis, Eni’s chemical company, has acquired 40% of Finproject, the Italian leader in the compounding sector and the production of ultralight products, from the VEI Capital fund. The move was intended with the aim of creating value by integrating the respective production chains. This strategic operation will create a new industrial platform that leverages the … Read more
India’s I.G. Petrochemicals reported fall in profit growth in the third quarter 2019 on poor Pthalic Anhydride (PAN) margins. The company has reported net sales of Rs.276.60 crores ($38.6 million) during the period ended December 31, 2019, a decrease of 12.96% as compared to Rs.317.79 crores ($44.3 million) during the prior-year quarter. The company has … Read more
Sika announced on 25th, Feb that the company has joined the ‘Together for Sustainability’ (TfS) initiative as a new member. The organization, founded in 2011, aims to improve sustainability practice within the supply chain of the chemicals industry. According to Sika, sustainability is a key feature and a central element of its growth strategy. “With … Read more
India’s IOL Chemical reported profit growth in the third quarter 2019 on strong API sales. The company reported a 20% year on year growth in EBIDTA at Rs 163 crore ($22.7 million) in December quarter. EBIDTA margin grew to 31.65% from 28.39% in the prior-year quarter. The company’s income from operations increased by 8% to … Read more
Air Products Qudra, in collaboration with the Royal Commission for Jubail and Yanbu, held a ceremonial groundbreaking to mark the start of work in building a world-class, fully-integrated industrial gases hub in the Jubail Industrial City. The significant investment by Air Products Qudra involves building, owning and operating a world-scale steam methane reformer (SMR) to … Read more
Givaudan, the global leader in fragrances and flavours, announced the completion of the acquisition of Ungerer & Company, the US based Flavour, Fragrance and Specialty Ingredients company. Givaudan had announced that it had reached an agreement to acquire the company in November 2019. Gilles Andrier, Givaudan’s CEO said, “Acquiring Ungerer fits very well with our … Read more
Vinnolit GmbH & Co. KG, a chlor-alkali and vinyls manufacturer announced the completion of expansion work at its paste PVC plant in Burghausen, Germany, and will use microsuspension technology to produce PVC with more flexible properties. “In Burghausen, we are now additionally producing with the microsuspension process, which we have already successfully used at our … Read more
Westlake Chemical Corporation saw lower profits in the fourth quarter of 2019, hurt by reduced global sales prices for its major products. The chemical maker posted a profit of $72 million down around 41% from $123 million it earned in the prior-year quarter. Decrease in profit was attributed to lower global sales prices for key … Read more