BASF SE will increase production capacity in Guaratinguetá, Brazil, for its sodium methylate plant. The nameplate capacity will increase by 30 %, from 60,000 metric tons to 80,000 metric tons. By 2020, the new capacity is expected to become operational. Sodium methylate is an effective and reliable catalyst that provides a sustainable solution for biodiesel production … Read more
Celanese Corporation, a global chemical and specialty materials company, announced on Monday that after an extensive search, the Board has selected Lori Ryerkerk to succeed Rohr as CEO. The appointments are effective May 1, 2019, and at that time Ryerkerk will also join Celanese’s Board. Mark Rohr, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), will assume … Read more
Nouryon (formerly AkzoNobel Specialty Chemicals) has started production of a new version of its dibenzoyl peroxide (BPO), Perkadox GB-50, at Los Reyes, Mexico. It is the first dry BPO on the market that does not use the desensitizing agent dicyclohexyl phthalate (DCHP), which the European Union recently reclassified as a category 1B Reproductive Toxin. Perkadox … Read more
Nouryon (formerly AkzoNobel Specialty Chemicals) will start construction in May on a project to further increase capacity for chloromethanes at its site in Frankfurt, Germany, supporting growing global customer demand. The expansion is expected to be completed in 2020. The company first increased chloromethanes production in Frankfurt in 2017; the new project will increase annual … Read more
AkzoNobel is set to transform its wood coatings facility in High Point, North Carolina, into a best-in-class manufacturing site – and further strengthen the company’s market position in the US. The transformation will involve reorganizing manufacturing operations at the site and will include the addition of automatic dosing unit technology to produce paint more efficiently. … Read more
Mitsubishi Chemical Holdings Corporation (MCHC) and its group’s think tank and research institute, The KAITEKI Institute, Inc. on Wednesday announced that they have jointly established “The Global KAITEKI Center” on campus in cooperation with Arizona State University (ASU) in the U.S. on April 1. The center will focus on research aimed at realizing a sustainable … Read more
ExxonMobil said today that it has made a final investment decision on a multi-billion dollar expansion of its integrated manufacturing complex in Singapore to convert fuel oil and other bottom-of-the-barrel crude products into higher-value lube base stocks and distillates. ExxonMobil invests in Singapore integrated complex to upgrade product slate to higher-value lube base stocks, distillates … Read more
DowDuPont announced that it has completed the separation of its Materials Science Division through the spin-off of Dow Inc. On March 21, 2019, DowDuPont common stockholders received one share of Dow’s common stock for every three DowDuPont common stock shares they held at the close of business. Common stockholders of DowDuPont will also receive cash … Read more
Pollution Control Board of Indian state Gujarat has ordered chemicals manufacturer SRF Ltd to shut down its Dahej unit. The board in its order stated that the company has violated the industrial waste disposal norms and installed a calcium chloride plant without regulatory approvals. On March 25, the state regulator inspected the industrial unit of … Read more
American specialty chemicals company Albemarle formally announced start of construction work on its new lithium hydroxide processing plant in Kemberton, Australia at an event last Thursday. The company will build the plant with a total investment of AUD$1 billion ($ 708.2 million). The Kemberton site will be Australia’s largest lithium processing facility when it becomes … Read more
BASF today officially launched its liaison office in Zhanjiang, Guangdong Province, marking another milestone in BASF’s efforts to implement a new integrated chemical production base. Located in Chikan District, downtown Zhanjiang, the new office is equipped with a range of BASF materials and solutions to create a comfortable and sustainable office environment. These include carpets … Read more
DowDupont estimated that in the first quarter of the year, its earnings fell by a percentage in the high teens, hit by flooding in the midwest of the US, and a squeeze on margins in packaging and plastics. The company’s previous guidance was that earnings before interest, tax depreciation, and amortization would drop by a … Read more
Nouryon (formerly AkzoNobel Specialty Chemicals) will double production capacity for solvent-based organic peroxides at its Los Reyes, Mexico site, enabling it to support the strong growth of the North American polyolefin and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) markets. The expansion is expected to be completed by the second quarter of 2020. Polyolefins are used to produce a … Read more
Ineos AG is planning to double the size of subsidiary Ineos Oxide’s proposed ethylene oxide (EO) and ethylene oxide derivatives (EOD) plant to be built somewhere along the US Gulf Coast. Part of Ineos’ plan to address a fast-growing EO merchant market as well as the operator’s own requirements, the new plant—which will now produce … Read more
Solvay is raising its European capacity of hydroquinone by 20%, enhancing the security of supply on three continents and to meet increasing demand for diphenol inhibitors used as additives by the monomer industry. This capacity expansion at its plant in Saint-Fons, France is accomplished by debottlenecking the existing unit and follows a recent capacity increase … Read more
Arkema has successfully started up a Kepstan PEKK (Poly-Ether-Ketone-Ketone) plant at its site near Alabama, United States. The company considers the investment as a new step in Arkema’s ambitious growth strategy in high-performance polymers and advanced materials, the development of which is supported by the Group’s cutting-edge technologies in search of solutions for sustainable development. … Read more
Borealis, a leading provider of innovative solutions in the fields of polyolefins, base chemicals and fertilizers and the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) agreement to explore potential growth opportunities within the polyolefin industry in key geographical markets that both parties view as key demand centers in the future. … Read more
Westlake Chemical Corporation announced that the company has joined the Alliance to End Plastic Waste (AEPW), an organization launched in January 2019 to advance solutions to eliminate plastic waste in the environment, especially in the ocean. “Westlake is pleased to have joined the Alliance to End Plastic Waste as part of our long-standing commitment to … Read more
Wacker Chemie AG has opened a new laboratory for food applications in Shanghai. This specialized laboratory will enable Wacker to provide its customers in Asia with even better support in developing innovative, customized products in the fast-growing food market. The focus is on food ingredients, for example for egg-free baked goods, whipped toppings or functional … Read more
Petrobras received a favorable court ruling allowing it to idle a fertilizer plant in Bahia, the Brazilian state energy producer said on Thursday. In February, Petrobras announced the decision to mothball two fertilizer plants in Bahia and Sergipe, but the SINPEQ (Sindicato das Indústrias de Produtos Quimicos para Fins Industriais, Petroquimicas e Resinas Sintéticas de Camaçari, … Read more