Arkema announces the proposed divestment of its Functional Polyolefins business to SK Global Chemical, a major chemicals player in South Korea and a subsidiary of SK, the large South-Korean corporation. With this project, Arkema continues its shift towards specialty chemicals and advanced materials. Part of the PMMA Business Unit (Industrial Specialties division), the Functional Polyolefins … Read more
INEOS Styrolution, the global leader in styrenics, introduced its first ABS (acrylonitrile butadiene styrene) grades with mechanically recycled content, making them the first products of the newly launched ECO family. The new Terluran ECO GP-22 grade is the first contribution from INEOS Styrolution to meet INEOS’ pledge to incorporate at least 325kt/year of recycled materials … Read more
DuPont announced it has signed an agreement to acquire the Memcor business including ultrafiltration and membrane biofiltration technologies from Evoqua Water Technologies Corp. The transaction is expected to close by the end of 2019, subject to customary closing conditions and regulatory approvals. “Our strategic intent for the Water Solutions business is to have a robust … 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
MOL laid the foundation stone for the Tiszaújváros polyol plant on Friday. The plant is expected to be commissioned in 2021. MOL will invest EUR 1.2 billion ($1.3 billion) to construct the plant which will be able to produce around 200,000 tons of polyols per year. Zsolt Hernádi, Chairman and CEO of MOL Group, Dr. … Read more
Dow announces the commercialization of a plastics offering for the packaging industry made from bio-based renewable feedstock in partnership with UPM Biofuels, a producer of advanced biofuels. Dow is incorporating renewable wood-based UPM BioVerno naphtha – a key feedstock used for plastics development – into its raw material slate, creating an alternative source for plastics … Read more
Solvay is expanding its thermoplastic composites capacity with a new production line at its U.S. facility in Anaheim, California, underscoring its commitment to meeting strong demand growth from aerospace customers for this high performance material and Solvay’s proprietary and unique technology. Solvay will have multiplied its qualified capacity by four since 2016 with the commissioning … Read more
DuPont Safety & Construction (DuPont) today announced it has signed an agreement to acquire the Ultrafiltration Membrane business from BASF including inge GmbH. The transaction, including the business’ international workforce, its headquarters and production site in Greifenberg, Germany, and associated intellectual property currently owned by BASF SE., is expected to close by the end of … Read more
Materials manufacturer Covestro has signed an agreement with Serafin Group for the sale of Covestro’s European polycarbonate sheets business, which comprises manufacturing units in Belgium and Italy, central management operations and sales support in Europe. The business generates total revenues of around EUR 130 million ($144 million). Polycarbonate sheets are highly break-resistant and are mostly … 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
Over the last two years SNF has added 75,000 metric tonne per year powder-grade polyacrylamide (PAM) production capacity globally to match the increased demand for EOR (Enhanced Oil Recovery) applications. By the end of 2020, SNF will add 75,000 metric tonne per year more. This 150,000 metric tonne per year, $1.2 billion worth new capacity … Read more
Rain Carbon Inc., a leading global producer of carbon-based products, initiated the phased start-up of its hydrogenated hydrocarbon resins production facility in Castrop-Rauxel, Germany on Thursday. Once operational in the fourth quarter of 2019, the state-of-the-art plant will have a permitted resins production capacity of up to 50,000 tons per year and will serve as … Read more
DOMO Chemicals and Solvay have signed an agreement for DOMO to acquire Solvay’s Performance Polyamides Business in Europe. This includes Engineering Plastics operations in France and Poland; High-Performance Fibers in France; Polymer and Intermediates operations in France, Spain and Poland. The agreement also involves a joint venture between BASF and DOMO in France for the … Read more
INEOS Styrolution, the global leader in styrenics, today announces that the company hosted a groundbreaking ceremony for its new 100kt ASA (acrylonitrile styrene acrylate) plant in Bayport, Texas. The development of the new site is part of a bigger expansion plan for the Americas, which includes increased ABS (acrylonitrile butadiene styrene) capacity at the Altamira … Read more
W. R. Grace & Co., the leading independent supplier of polyolefin catalyst technology and polypropylene (PP) process technology, has licensed its Unipol PP Process Technology to Datong Coal Mine Group Co., Ltd. The Unipol PP facility, located in Datong, China, will produce 430 KTA of polypropylene and is scheduled to be completed in 2022. The … Read more
Sekisui Chemical announced that Sekisui Youngbo, a consolidated subsidiary of the High Performance Plastics Company, commenced mass production and sales in May 2019. Sekisui Youngbo is a company that primarily manufactures polypropylene foams (“PP foams”) for automotive interiors; its establishment was approved by the Chinese government in April 2017. Used as an underlayment material for … Read more
Chevron Phillips Chemical Company LLC and Qatar Petroleum announced they have signed an agreement to jointly pursue development of a new petrochemical plant in the Gulf Coast region of the United States. The U.S. Gulf Coast II Petrochemical Project (USGC II) will include a 2 million tonne per annum ethylene cracker and two 1 million … Read more
Saudi Aramco and Baker Hughes, a GE company (BHGE) signed a memorandum of understanding on July 2nd to create a new joint venture facility in Saudi Arabia to manufacture non-metallic materials which will be used in a variety of areas of the energy industry. “This agreement supports Saudi Aramco’s strategy to play a leading role … Read more
Synthomer Plc said on Wednesday it has agreed to buy Omnova Solutions Inc for an enterprise value of $824 million in a bid to strengthen its global position. London-based Synthomer is offering Beachwood, Ohio-headquartered Omnova $10.15 for each share, a premium of 58% to Omnova’s closing price on Tuesday. Completion is subject to closing conditions, … Read more
HMC Polymers, a leading SE Asia Polypropylene (PP) producer announced plans to construct a fourth Polypropylene plant at its Map Ta Phut site, Rayong Province Thailand, bringing HMC’s total PP capacity to over 1 million tons and maintaining position as SE Asia’s largest PP producer. “HMC will continue our mission to push the boundaries of … Read more