Evonik announced on Monday that it will expand its production capacity of transparent polyamides at the Marl Chemical Park (Germany) which the company sells under the brand TROGAMID CX. Production expansion is scheduled for completion in the first quarter of 2020. The project will double the specialty chemicals company’s capacity for its transparent, high-performance materials. … Read more
INEOS Styrolution has announced the completion of the first successful test runs to produce virgin polystyrene from recycled monomer. Completed at the company’s Antwerp site in Belgium, these experiments can be viewed as practical proof of polystyrene recyclability and as a game changer for INEOS Styrolution in polystyrene production. The product is the result of … 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
Global private equity firm H.I.G. Capital, LLC announced on WEdnesday that its portfolio company, Vantage Specialty Chemicals Holdings, Inc, a leading, vertically-integrated provider of naturally derived ingredients, has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Textron Plimon, S.L.U. Natural Oils Business. As part of the transaction, Textron will spin-off its Spanish distribution business (“Plimon”) which will … Read more
Italmatch Chemicals on Tuesday announced that it has acquired Eco Inhibitors, a technology start – up company based in Norway that has developed chemical solutions to produce a new generation of environmentally friendly hydrate inhibitors. Investing in such highly innovative technologies enables Italmatch Chemicals to further consolidate its focus on R&D and sustainability, expanding and … Read more
Eastman Chemical Company announced that it has acquired Sasol’s Marlotherm heat transfer fluids manufacturing assets located in Germany and related formulations, intellectual property and customer contracts. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. The company stated that the acquisition will enable Eastman to expand its heat transfer fluids product offerings to customers around the globe. … 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
On Tuesday, Merck KGaA launched a hostile $5.9 billion all-cash takeover bid for Versum Materials to boost its presence on the market for semiconductor materials and sideline the bid of Entegris. Since it was first proposed last month, Versum opposed Merck’s unsolicited cash offer, saying it was committed to an all-share merger with U.S. rival … Read more
Merck announced that a comprehensive agreement has been signed between the company management and the Joint Works Council for the Darmstadt site. The goal is to secure and further expand the future viability of corporate headquarters as a central hub for science and technology. For this purpose, up to 2025, the company will invest a … Read more
Safic-Alcan UK, a major specialty chemicals distributor and Safic-Alcan Group subsidiary, announced on Monday that it has acquired 100% of Langley-Smith & Company. “The acquisition of Langley – Smith will strengthen our position as a leader in the distribution of specialty chemicals in the UK and Ireland and develop our capabilities in mainland Europe,” said … Read more
The association of German chemicals and pharmaceutical manufacturers, VCI, cut its 2019 industry sales forecast by 2.5% to €198.5 billion ($223.92 billion). The association, which represents companies operating in Germany, has reported that demand is falling from its domestic and European markets, particularly the pharma sector. “The future is turning out less optimistic than in … Read more
AkzoNobel has opened a trailblazing laboratory complex that can test new products in conditions that imitate the most extreme environments in the world. The R&D campus at the Felling site will focus on delivering state-of – the-art innovation and products for the marine and oil & gas industries. The laboratory in the campus will be … Read more
Eni signed an agreement for the start of research projects to produce Hydrogen from plastic packaging waste with COREPLA, the National Consortium for the Collection, Recycling and Recovery of Plastic Packaging. Giuseppe Ricci, Eni Chief Refining & Marketing Officer, and COREPLA President Antonello Ciotti signed the agreement. The joint working group will assess the start … Read more
Celanese Corporation announced on Tuesday that the Donegani facility at Ferrara, Italy will expand its production capacity for Pibiflex ® and Riteflex ® TPC (thermoplastic copolyester) to support its ongoing growth of its global engineered materials business. Thermoplastic co – polyester (TPCs) constitute the block co – polymers combining favorable rubber properties with the easier … Read more
Evonik signed an agreement to sell its methacrylates business for € 3 billion ($ 3.4 billion) to Advent International. The sales price is 8.5 times the EBITDA of the business. The transaction is subject to regulatory approvals in various countries and is due to close in the third quarter of this year. Globally, Evonik’s methacrylates … Read more
German Stockmeier Group acquired Química Industrial, Spanish Indukern Group’s industrial chemical distribution division. The newly founded Stockmeier Química SLU will take over the business. According to Indukern’s growth strategy, the agreement to sell its Industrial Chemicals division to the Stockmeier Group prioritizes the activities of its four other divisions. “We are very pleased that the … Read more
INEOS will invest £ 1 billion in several projects in the UK to ensure that its British assets remain world class over a generation. The biggest investment being announced is in the Forties Pipeline System (FPS). This investment of £ 500 million will transform the asset and extend the pipeline’s life into the 2040s. INEOS … Read more
DowDuPont’s sells Styrofoam-brand extruded polystyrene (XPS) insulation business, including seven production plants to Ravago