Umicore has signed a multi-year strategic agreement with Samsung SDI for the supply of close to 80,000 metric tonnes of high-performance NMC (Nickel Manganese Cobalt) cathode materials starting in 2020. The cathode materials will be supplied from Umicore plants in different regions with the majority of volumes initially produced in Korea. A vast portion of … Read more
LyondellBasell announced that Ulsan PP Co., Ltd., a joint venture between PolyMirae Company Ltd, a 50-50 partnership of LyondellBasell and Daelim, and SK Advanced broke ground in the southeastern port city of Ulsan, South Korea. This new plant will utilize LyondellBasell’s world leading fifth generation Spheripol technology and is expected to begin production in May … Read more
BP and China’s Zhejiang Petroleum and Chemical Corporation (ZPCC) have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to explore the creation of a new equally-owned joint venture to build and operate a 1 million tonne per annum (tpa) acetic acid plant in eastern China. A proposed plant in Zhoushan, Zhejiang Province would produce acetic acid – … Read more
Solvay has started the operation of its new Veradel PESU (polyethersulfone) line at its plant in Panoli, India. Solvay is raising capacity to address significant demand mainly from the Healthcare and Water Treatment industries, for this high-performance thermoplastic material. This capacity increase is a part of Solvay’s plan, announced in 2017, to raise sulfone polymers … Read more
Toray Industries, Inc., announced on Thursday that Toray Industries (India) Private Limited began manufacturing polyamide (PA) and polybutylene terephthalate (PBT) at a new facility in September. PA and PBT resins offer outstanding toughness and resistance to heat and chemicals. Key applications include components for automotive and electrical and electronic. This first Indian plastic compounding unit … Read more
Arkema has completed the acquisition of its partner’s stake in Taixing Sunke Chemicals, its joint venture manufacturing acrylic monomers in China, and now becomes the sole shareholder of the company. With this transaction, which has approximately €70 million ($86 million) impact on the net debt, the Group will support the growth of its customers in … Read more
A major fire broke out at the naphtha cracker unit of the Haldia Petrochemicals Limited here on Friday injuring 15 people, reported Business Today with reference to a senior police officer’s statement. The fire broke out when a naphtha pipe line exploded during repair at the naphtha cracker unit. The fire was brought under control … Read more
SIBUR Holding (SIBUR) and China Petroleum & Chemical Corporation (Sinopec) signed a Memorandum of Understanding to cooperate in nitrile butadiene rubber (NBR) production. The MoU was signed at the meeting between the Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev and the Premier of the State Council of the People’s Republic of China Li Keqiang in St Petersburg. … Read more
The Sarawak Petchem Sdn Bhd-owned methanol plant project’s ground breaking ceremony was held on Wednesday. The project is estimated to cost over RM 8 billion ($2 billion). The plant, which will have a production capacity of about 1.7 million tonnes per annum, will receive 160 million standard cubic feet per day of natural gas feedstock … Read more
DuPont Electronics & Imaging (E&I) has signed an agreement with SK Siltron to sell its Compound Semiconductor Solutions (CSS) business, which makes materials for electric motors. The $450 million sale to SK Siltron, based in South Korea, is expected to close by the end of 2019, subject to customary regulatory approvals for closing. The transaction … Read more
Air Products announced a new joint venture (JV) with Debang Xinghua Technology Co., Ltd., a subsidiary of Jiangsu Debang Chemical Industrial Group Co., Ltd., to build, own and operate a coal-to-syngas processing facility in Xuwei National Petrochemical Park, Lianyungang City, Jiangsu Province, China. Air Products will own 80 percent of the JV, and Debang Group will own 20 percent. The JV will own and operate … Read more
Sika has agreed to acquire Crevo-Hengxin, a Chinese manufacturer of silicone sealants and adhesives used in both industry and construction applications. With this takeover, Sika is expanding its Target Markets Industry and Sealing & Bonding presence in China and the Asia Pacific region, and is gaining additional silicone technology plus a production footprint. Crevo-Hengxin generates … Read more
LyondellBasell, one of the largest plastics, chemicals and refining companies in the world announced it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to expand in China through a Joint Venture (JV) with the Liaoning Bora Enterprise Group (Bora). “China is the largest, fastest growing market in the world for our core products,” said Bob Patel, … Read more
Sumitomo Chemical India Limited (SCIL), a subsidiary of one of the leading global chemical companies Sumitomo Chemical Co., Ltd., Japan and a leading player in Indian agrochemical, household insecticides and animal nutrition sectors, announced the completion of the merger of Excel Crop Care Limited (‘ECC’) with itself (SCIL). The aforementioned merger process has been successfully … Read more
BASF and the fine chemical company DIC have reached an agreement on the acquisition of BASF’s global pigments business. The purchase price on a cash and debt-free basis is €1.15 billion ($1.27 billion). The transaction is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2020. The divestiture is subject to the approval of the relevant … Read more
Lotte Chemical said on August 22 in a regulatory filing that its management had agreed to merge with Lotte Advanced Materials, a wholly-owned subsidiary. The board of directors of Lotte Chemical, based in Seoul, agreed on a scheduled merger between two Korean-Japanese Lotte subsidiaries. Lotte Advanced Materials will merge into Lotte Chemical once the merger … Read more
South Korea’s Hyosung announced on Tuesday it will invest 1 trillion won ($829 million) by 2028 to expand its carbon fiber production capacity, vowing to raise the country’s competitiveness to lessen dependence on other countries. To achieve this, it will put advanced materials, crucial for the “hydrogen economy,” at the forefront of its business portfolio. … Read more
Elkem ASA acquires Basel Chemie, a Korean producer of specialty silicone gels for cosmetics and water repellents for the construction industry. The acquisition gives Elkem access to leading technology in attractive end-user silicone segments and provides a solid platform for further development and growth. The companies have agreed an enterprise value of USD 26.9 million … Read more
Ion Exchange (India) Limited, a leading water and environment management solutions provider, announces the launch of its new Research & Development Centre at Patancheru in Telangana, of Southern India. The centre will focus on the company’s Chemicals, Resins and Membranes business. It will also provide technical and scientific support to the company’s existing technology and … Read more
Saudi Aramco signed a letter of intent for a proposed purchase of a 20% stake in the oil-to-chemicals (O2C) business of India’s Reliance Industries Ltd., including the 1.24 million barrels-a-day Jamnagar refining complex on the country’s west coast. Reliance values its oil-to-chemicals division at $75 billion including debt, implying a $15 billion valuation for the … Read more