Indorama Ventures Starts Up New Naphthalates Plant in Alabama

Indorama Ventures Xylenes & PTA, LLC (IVXP), a subsidiary of global chemical producer Indorama Ventures Public Company Limited (IVL), announces new PNDA (Purified 2,6-Naphthalene Dicarboxylic Acid) production unit, making IVXP the world’s largest PNDA producer. The unit is located at IVXP’s integrated manufacturing site in Decatur, Alabama, U.S. The company used in-house technology to design … Read more

Clariant Sells its Pigments Business to Heubach Group and SK Capital

Specialty chemicals major, Clariant is selling its pigments business to a consortium consisting of pigment maker Heubach Group and private investment firm SK Capital. The combined business will operate under the Heubach name and create a leading global pigments business with annual sales of more than EUR 900 million ($1.09 billion). The transaction values Clariant … Read more

Mitsubishi Invests in Starfire Energy for Green Ammonia, Hydrogen

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. announced that it has invested in Starfire Energy Inc, a US developer of modular chemical plants for green ammonia and hydrogen production. The partnership with the Colorado-based company will “advance the development of commercial scale applications to decarbonise ammonia production and unlock its potential as a zero-carbon energy carrier”, MHI said … Read more

Celanese to Expand Capacity and Utilize Recycled CO2 for Methanol Production at Texas Facility

Celanese Corporation announced that its Clear Lake, Texas integrated chemical manufacturing facility will begin utilizing recycled carbon dioxide (CO2) as an alternative feedstock in the production of methanol. Methanol is a key raw material in the manufacture of numerous acetyls products, including acetic acid, vinyl acetate monomer (VAM), ethyl acetate and other derivatives. This carbon … Read more

Chemours to Explore Sale of Mining Solutions Business

The Chemours Company, a global chemistry and advanced materials company, announced Monday afternoon that it will explore the sale of its mining solutions division in order to refocus its business and boost share value. Chemours’ has initiated a strategic review to assess the potential sale, the first step for corporations looking to sell off parts … Read more

US International Trade Commission to Investigate Dumping of PTFE from India, Russia

The US International Trade Commission (USITC) is looking into claims that granular polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) imports from India and Russia are being sold in the US for less than fair value, that they are subsidized by the Indian and Russian governments, and that they are harming US producers. “The USITC determined that there is a reasonable … Read more

DuPont to Buy Electronic Chemicals maker Laird Performance for $2.3B

DuPont announced that it would acquire Laird Performance Materials for $2.3 billion from private equity firm Advent International, as it looks to expand its portfolio of advanced electronic materials. The deal is one of several recent investments by chemical makers seeking to tap into growth in the electronics industry. Laird makes chemicals and materials that … Read more

IMCD to Sell its Nutri Granulations Business to J.M. Huber Corporation

IMCD N.V., a leading distributor of speciality chemicals and ingredients, announced that it has reached an agreement to sell its Nutri Granulations manufacturing asset and associated business to Huber Engineered Materials, a division of J.M. Huber Corporation. “Huber is an important supplier partner for IMCD and we are delighted to reach an agreement on the … Read more

Maroon Group Acquires Distribution Business of Cary Company

Maroon Group LLC, a US-based chemicals distributor has acquired the raw materials and speciality chemicals distribution business of the Cary Company, a supplier to the paint, coatings, adhesives and plastics markets. Barentz said that the deal with the Cary Company fits with its strategy to support customers and principal suppliers in North America. Financial details … Read more

PQ Group to Sell Performance Chemicals Business, Acquires Niche Catalyst Activation Business

PQ Group Holdings Inc. announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to sell its Performance Chemicals business to a partnership established by Cerberus Capital Management, L.P. and Koch Minerals & Trading LLC for a purchase price of $1.1 billion. PQ’s Performance Chemicals business includes sodium silicate and silica derivatives. “We are excited by … Read more

Grace to Acquire Albemarle’s Fine Chemistry Business for $570 Million

W. R. Grace & Co. announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire the Fine Chemistry Services business (FCS) of Albemarle Corp. for approximately $570 million. The transaction included $300 million paid in cash at closing and $270 million funded through the issuance to Albemarle of non-participating preferred equity of a newly … Read more

Encina, Flint Hills to Build Renewable Aromatics Manufacturing Plant in Corpus Christi

Encina Development Group and Flint Hills Resources, a Koch Industries company, have signed a non-binding term sheet for manufacturing renewable chemicals and fuels from waste plastic. The term sheet contemplates that the parties may enter into a definitive agreement that includes building a waste plastic to renewable chemicals and renewable fuels plant in Corpus Christi, … Read more

LANXESS to Acquire US-based Emerald Kalama Chemical

Specialty chemicals company LANXESS signed a binding agreement to acquire 100% shares in Emerald Kalama Chemical on February 14, 2021. Emerald Kalama is a globally leading manufacturer of specialty chemicals, especially for the consumer segment, and is majority-owned by affiliates of the US private equity firm American Securities LLC. The enterprise value of Emerald Kalama … Read more

Shell to Grow its Chemicals Business as part of its Transition Strategy

Shell committed to expanding its chemical business on Thursday, setting targets for the division as it moves the company towards net carbon neutrality. In a strategy update, the company’s CEO Ben van Beurden laid out targets to increase cash generation from chemicals by $1-2 billion per year and reduce exposure to commodity chemicals by around … Read more

ExxonMobil Launches Low Carbon Solutions Business Unit

ExxonMobil has created a new business to commercialize its extensive low-carbon technology portfolio. The new business, ExxonMobil Low Carbon Solutions, will initially focus on carbon capture and storage, one of the critical technologies required to achieve net zero emissions and the climate goals outlined in the Paris Agreement. ExxonMobil Low Carbon Solutions is advancing plans … Read more

Air Liquide Inaugurates Low-Carbon Hydrogen Production Unit in Canada

Air Liquide has completed the construction of the world’s largest PEM (Proton Exchange Membrane) electrolyzer in Bécancour, Québec, Canada. Supplied with renewable energy, this unit is now producing up to 8.2 tonnes per day of low-carbon hydrogen. With this large-scale investment, the Group confirms its long-term commitment to the hydrogen energy markets and its ambition … Read more

Shintech Invests $1.3B to Increase Capacity at Plastics Plants

Shintech Louisiana LLC announced that the company will invest $1.3 billion to expand its manufacturing and packaging facilities in Iberville and West Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The company, which manufactures polyvinyl chloride resins, or PVC, says will make a $1.25 billion investment to increase PVC manufacturing capacity and expand chlor-alkali and vinyl chloride monomer capacity at … Read more

Shell to Acquire Stake in Enerkem’s Renewable Chemicals and Biofuels Plant

Shell will take a 40% interest in a waste-to-fuels plant using technology developed by Enerkem, a leading Canadian clean tech company. Enerkem announced the project in December 2020, subject to finalization of commercial agreements. The approximately C$875 million (US$686 million) commercial-scale facility will be constructed in Varennes, Québec, and will produce low-carbon fuels and renewable … Read more

PPG to Acquire Finland’s Paint Producer Tikkurila for $1.35 billion

PPG Industries has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Finland’s Tikkurila at €25 a share or for about €1.1 billion ($1.35 billion) in cash. The acquisition cost includes assumption of debt and cash, PPG said in a statement on Friday. The transaction is expected to close in the second quarter of 2021. “The combination … Read more

BASF Completes First Phase of MDI Synthesis Unit at Geismar, Louisiana

BASF SE announced that the implementation of the methylene diphenyl diisocyanate (MDI) capacity increase program for production facilities at the company’s Verbund site in Geismar, Louisiana, is progressing on schedule. Over time, BASF targets to double the capacity from 300,000 metric tons per year to approximately 600,000 metric tons per year. With this stepwise capacity … Read more