World Chemical News 2021 by chemwinfo
22 September 2021
Huntsman Implements Natural Gas Surcharge
View Huntsman Investor Presentation Q3 2021
17 August 2021
Indorama announces an acquisition of
high value-added business in Americas
Creating a Unique Surfactants Portfolio
with Sustainable Competitive Advantages
5 August 2021
BASF and SINOPEC to further expand
their Verbund site in Nanjing, China.
The partners will expand
the production capacities of
propionic acid,
propionic aldehyde,
ethyleneamines,
ethanolamines and purified ethylene oxide,
and build
a new tert-butyl acrylate plant.
The tert-butyl acrylate plant will be an extension
to the downstream
using acrylic acid and isobutene
of the existing Verbund as feedstock,
which marks the first time
this advanced production technology
is applied outside of Germany.
The expanded and new plants are planned
to come on stream in 2023.
4 August 2021
LG Chem begins the first export of Bio-balanced SAP
LG Chem announced on the 4th that it mass-produced
the world’s first
‘Bio-balanced’ SAP (Super Absorbent Polymer)
that received ISCC Plus international certification
and shipped its first exports.
Bio-balanced SAP refers to SAP attributed
to renewable raw materials
such as waste and residue oils and fats
it is a product that received ISCC Plus certification from ISCC,
which is one of the most reputable certification authorities
in the world for renewable products.
Furthermore, it is the first case that applied
the eco-friendly integrated brand ‘LETZero’
that LG Chem recently launched.
This product, which was shipped from the Yeosu Plant,
will be delivered to ‘Baby Life’,
a client of LG Chem located in Jordan,
and be used for making diapers, etc.
The first export of the Bio-balanced SAP
was made possible as the interests between LG Chem,
which is focusing on carbon-neutral
and resource circulation activities
as part of its sustainability strategy,
and the client, which intends
to expand application of eco-friendly materials
in hygienic products such as diapers, fit each other.
The production of the Bio-balanced SAP
takes place in the context of the strategic partnership (MOU)
LG Chem entered into last year with Neste,
the world’s leading producer of renewable diesel
and sustainable aviation fuel,
and a forerunner as a provider of renewable
and circular solutions for the petrochemical industry.
This partnership provides the foundation for LG Chem
to receive a stable supply of renewable hydrocarbons
needed for manufacturing renewable polymer
and chemical products, and since July,
it began full-fledged production of Bio-balanced SAP.
LG Chem is spurring to launch
a total of 9 Bio-balanced products
that received ISCC Plus certification including
SAP such as
PO (Polyolefin),
ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene), and
PVC (polyvinyl chloride) within the year,
and to pioneer the related markets.
The number of ISCC Plus certified products
will be expanded to more than 30 within this year.
Upon performing a Life Cycle Assessment(LCA),
it was determined that LG Chem’s Bio-balanced SAP
leads to a significant decrease of 111%
in greenhouse gas emissions
compared to existing fossil-fuel based products
and the assessment has been verified by
the Korean Society for Life Cycle Assessment (KSLCA).
LCA includes the production process of raw materials,
and so in the case of bio materials,
greenhouse gas emissions are calculated
by also considering carbon dioxide (CO2) absorption by plant.
This makes it possible to achieve
climate-positive LCA results
and thereby allows for a reduction of more than 100%.
LG Chem’s strategy is
to objectively digitize the carbon mitigation effectper product
to enhance customer reliability on bio-balanced products,
while actively leading the eco-friendly certified product market.
Kug Lae Noh, Executive Vice President
and the President of Petrochemicals Company from LG Chem
“This is very meaningful in that it is the starting point
for a full-fledged shift in the product portfolio
toward eco-friendly materials in the petrochemicals business”.
2 August 2021
INEOS Enterprises completes the sale of its
Sulphur Chemicals business
to International Chemical Investors Group
The business will become part of
the WeylChem Group of Companies,
the fine chemicals platform
owned by the International Chemical Investors Group.
The combined business, which includes
an existing sulphuric acid and oleum plant
in Lamotte, Northern France,
will become one of the leading European
Sulphur Chemicals companies.
INEOS Sulphur Chemicals business is
Spain’s largest dedicated manufacturer
of sulphuric acid and oleum
serving end-applications
ranging from agriculture to chemical intermediates.
Its 400,000 tonne state of the art manufacturing facility
with an excellent sustainability footprint
is located in Bilbao, Northern Spain.
The business will become part of
WeylChem’s advanced intermediates
and reagents portfolio which includes
an existing sulphuric acid and oleum plant
located in Lamotte, Northern France.
WeylChem is wholly owned by
the International Chemical Investors Group.
About ICIG
International Chemical Investors
is a privately owned industrial group
with total sales of EUR 2 billion.
ICIG is focusing on three main platforms:
Pharmaceuticals under the CordenPharma brand,
Fine Chemicals under the WeylChem brand and
Chlorovinyls under the Vynova brand.
Since its inception in 2004, ICIG has grown
to operate more than 20 independent chemicals
and pharmaceutical businesses, all of which have origins
in major global chemical or pharmaceutical corporations.
Today, ICIG companies employ approximately 5,685 employees
and operate more than 25 manufacturing facilities
in Europe and the United States.
For more information, visit www.ic-investors.com
to learn more.
30 July 2021
LyondellBasell Reports Second Quarter 2021 Earnings
Second Quarter 2021 Highlights
Cash from operating activities: $1.9 billion
"LyondellBasell is benefiting from
a series of value driven growth investments
in an exceptional market environment.
Our investments in growth and sustainability
should enable the company
to continue establishing new benchmarks
for profitability and provide a step change
in the power of our cash generation.
We remain committed to strengthening
our investment grade balance sheet
and expect to reduce our net debt
by up to $4 billion in 2021.
LyondellBasell is emerging
from the pandemic stronger
and is well positioned
to continue capturing opportunities
through all stages of the business cycle,"
12 July 2021
Cycle for sustainable plastics
Carbon-containing gases from steel production
as a source of raw materials
The objective is to explore
the use of carbon monoxide (CO)
from steel industry metallurgical gases
for the production of high-quality polycarbonates.
Covestro has now commissioned a mini-plant
for this purpose at its Dormagen site.
This is where it is tested whether
the quality of the CO from metallurgical gases
is sufficient for further processing.
The innovative process has great sustainability potential:
Initial life cycle analyses show
that around 0.48 kilograms of CO₂ equivalent
can be saved per kilogram of CO provided
in the steel industry-chemical industry alliance.
This means savings of more than 80 percent.
6 July 2021
BASF and Clayton, Dubilier & Rice
to sell Solenis to Platinum Equity
Enterprise value of $5.25 billion for Solenis,
which includes net debt of around $2.5 billion
BASF holds 49% of the shares in Solenis;
51% of the shares are held by
Clayton, Dubilier & Rice and the Solenis management
Closing of the transaction expected
before the end of 2021
29 June 2021
BASF to build new battery recycling prototype plant
in Schwarzheide, Germany
Use of innovative technology
for extracting lithium, nickel, cobalt and manganese
from end-of-life lithium-ion batteries
and production scrap
Ensure start-up success for future commercial plants
to enable a circular economy
for the battery value chain
15 June 2021
New photovoltaic rooftop array to provide power
to Borealis location in Monza, Italy
>>DOWNLOAD ENCAPSULANT FILM BROCHURE
>>DOWNLOAD BACKSHEET COMPOUND BROCHURE
Borealis Quentys™ technology used
in photovoltaic modules made by
Monza is first of several on-site solar projects
planned to generate renewable electricity
for Borealis production operations in the future
Borealis moves another step in its journey towards
sourcing 50% of electricity
from renewable sources by 2030
8 June 2021
LyondellBasell Announces Startup
of 400 KTA / year South Korean Joint Venture Facility
LyondellBasell (NYSE: LYB) today announced
the successful startup of
Ulsan PP Co., Ltd.’s
400 kiloton per annum (KTA) polypropylene
production facility.
The facility, located in the southeastern port city
of Ulsan, South Korea, is one of
the largest of its kind in Asia.
Ulsan PP Co., Ltd., is a joint venture between
PolyMirae Company Ltd.,
(a 50:50 partnership of LyondellBasell
and DL Chemical) and SK Advanced.
The facility uses LyondellBasell’s fifth generation
Spheripol PP process technology.
Under the joint venture agreement,
PolyMirae will offtake and sell
all polypropylene produced by the facility
to customers throughout Asia.
The companies broke ground on the facility in 2019.
27 May 2021
IVL Acquisition of PET Recycling Assets in Texas, USA
Indorama Ventures Public Company Limited
would like to inform that in connection
with an auction conducted pursuant to
the authority of, and governed by
the rules established by,
the Bankruptcy Court in the District of Delaware, USA,
IVL has been selected as
the winning bidder
to acquire
the Recycled Polyethylene Terephthalate (rPET) assets of
CarbonLite Holdings LLC
and its subsidiaries in Texas, USA
(collectively referred to as “CarbonLite”).
CarbonLite is a significant rPET producer in USA
(currently under Chapter 11 of the United States
Bankruptcy Code) with long standing relationships
with major brands.
The assets to be acquired are located in
Dallas, Texas, USA with a combined capacity
of approx. 92 kilotons per annum, consisting of
48 kilotons of rPET pellets and
44 kilotons of flakes.
This proposed recycling acquisition opportunity
would facilitate IVL coming closer to
its rPET commitment of 750 kilotons per annum by 2025.
17 May 2021
Kraton Corporation (NYSE: KRA),
a leading global sustainable producer
of specialty polymers and high-value bio-based products
derived from pine wood pulping co-products,
announces a general price increase of
20% across its CTO Refinery products and derivatives.
Pine Chemicals Overview
This increase will be effective June 1st, 2021,
and/or subject to the terms of
any applicable contracts and obligations.
12 May 2021
LANXESS is raising its guidance for the full year 2021
following a good first quarter:
The specialty chemicals company now expects
EBITDA pre exceptionals of
between EUR 950 million and EUR 1 billion.
Previously, the company had assumed earnings
of between EUR 900 million and EUR 1 billion.
11 May 2021
LanzaTech and BASF achieve first milestone
in utilizing
industrial off-gases for chemical production.
LanzaTech and BASF have achieved
a key first success:
With the help of special bacteria,
they have been able to produce
n-octanol
at laboratory scale from
carbon monoxide and hydrogen,
the main components of emissions,
e.g. from the steel industry.
n-octanol is an important molecule
that is used in cosmetics, among other uses.
5 May 2021
Solvay to phase out coal for energy use
in Rheinberg soda ash plant
Part of the Solvay One Planet strategic roadmap,
the Rheinberg plant's coal exit will establish
a new global sustainability reference
for soda ash production worldwide.
After commissioning a first biomass boiler,
which will go into operation in May 2021,
Solvay is unveiling plans
to build a second biomass boiler,
which will complete
the thermal coal phase-out by 2025
and make Rheinberg the first soda ash plant
in the world to be powered primarily
by renewable energy.
Both biomass boilers use scrap waste wood chips
- a mixture of used wood,
from industrial residues and demolition
- as fuel to produce steam and electricity.
3 May 2021
Trinseo Completes
Acquisition of Arkema’s PMMA Business
Close of acquisition marks a major step
in Trinseo’s transformation
to becoming an advanced specialty and
sustainable solutions provider
A compelling strategic fit that
will accelerate transformation
This acquisition serves as a catalyst
for helping Trinseo transform
into a higher margin, less cyclical solutions provider.
The transformative nature of the transaction
will accelerate investments in growth opportunities
for Trinseo’s Engineered Materials business globally;
Credit > Trinseo
3 May 2021
Lufthansa Group and BASF roll out sharkskin technology
Now Lufthansa Technik and BASF
have succeeded in making the breakthrough
as part of a joint project.
AeroSHARK,
a surface film that mimics
the fine structure of a shark’s skin,
is to be rolled out on
Lufthansa Cargo’s entire freighter fleet
from the beginning of 2022,
making the aircraft more economical
and reducing emissions.
3 May 2021
Arkema finalizes the divestment of its PMMA business
The divested business,
which employs some 860 people
and operates 7 production sites
(4 in Europe and 3 in North America),
will thus be joining Trinseo,
a company specialized in
the production of plastics, synthetic rubber
and latex binders.
The net proceeds of the divestment,
based on an enterprise value of €1,137 million,
will take into account a capital gains tax
estimated at around 15% of this amount.
The Group thus takes another major step
in its transformation,
with the ambition to become a pure player
in sustainable and innovative Specialty Materials
by 2024, focused on
the three complementary segments of
Adhesive Solutions,
Advanced Materials
and Coating Solutions.
29 April 2021
Aramco and SABIC announce plans
to realign marketing and sales,
commercial and supply chain activities
to drive efficiency and add customer value.
Aramco and SABIC today announce their intention
to transfer the marketing and sales responsibility
for a number of Aramco petrochemicals
and polymers products to SABIC,
and the offtake and resale responsibility
of a number of SABIC products
to Aramco Trading Company (ATC).
About the marketing and sales
transfers and changes
Responsibility for the global marketing and sales
of certain Aramco petrochemicals and polymers products
and those of its joint ventures and affiliates
will transfer to SABIC,
initially focused on:
PRefChem (Pengerang Petrochemical Company Sdn. Bhd.);
SADARA (Sadara Chemical Company); and,
S-Oil Corporation (S-Oil Corporation, South Korea).
After completing the consolidation of petrochemical products,
SABIC will market the following products,
which include
both existing products and extensions to its portfolio:
HDPE, LLDPE, LDPE,
PP copolymer, PP homopolymer, PP terpolymer,
ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer(EVA),
PMMA, PA6, MEG, DEG, TEG,
Mono-Ethanolamine (MEA), Di-Ethanolamine (DEA),
Tri-Ethanolamine (TEA),
Ethylene diamine (EDA), DiEthyleneTriamine (DETA),
ortho-Toluenediamine,
Polymeric Methylene Diphenol Diisocyanate (PMDI),
Toluene diisocyanate (TDI),
Propylene Glycols, Polyols,
Propylene Oxide,
MMA, Butyl Glycol Ether, Acetone and Phenol.
In parallel, responsibility for offtake, resale and sourcing
of a number of existing SABIC fuel products globally
(Benzene, MTBE, gasoline blending components
and EU cracker feedstocks) will transfer
from SABIC to ATC.
Sales of Aramco Para-Xylene will remain with ATC.
A number of marketing and sales transfer exclusions
currently apply, and there are therefore
no changes planned to the following:
- Aramco: excess production of Olefins.
- ARLANXEO: portfolio products (rubber and elastomer).
- Motiva: portfolio products
(cyclohexane, propylene and ethylene). - S-Oil: responsibility
for domestic marketing and sales in Korea.
28 April 2021
LyondellBasell (NYSE: LYB) today announced
that Shandong Yulong Petrochemical Co. Ltd
will use the LyondellBasell
LupotechT high-pressure polyethylene technology
in two separate production lines at a new facility.
The process technology will be used for
a 200 KTA low density polyethylene (LDPE) line and
a 300 KTA LDPE and
ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer (EVA) line
to produce LDPE with vinyl acetate comonomer.
The facility will be located in Longkou, Yantai,
Shandong Province, P.R. of China.
23 April 2021
SIBUR and TAIF
to merge their petrochemical businesses
Today, SIBUR and TAIF
have initiated a number of steps
to combine their petrochemical businesses.
Existing TAIF shareholders will receive
a 15% stake in PJSC SIBUR Holding
in exchange for the transfer
of a controlling interest in
TAIF’s group of petrochemical and energy companies.
The remaining stake in JSC TAIF
can be subsequently purchased
by the combined company.
The deal will be closed subject to completion
of the relevant corporate procedures
and receipt of necessary regulatory approvals.
This combination will make
the new company’s petrochemical operations
more competitive in the global market,
improve its resilience to market fluctuations, and
also unlock further growth potential
of Russia’s petrochemical industry
through joint realization of capital intensive projects,
and also boost chemical non-commodity exports.
The transaction will also bring new jobs and opportunities
for sustainable development and environmental management.
Furthermore, the new combined company
will benefit from
improved resource base diversification,
distribution and logistics optimisation,
joint R&D development,and
sharing operational best practices
to maximize the efficiency of its assets.
Upon realization of SIBUR’s and TAIF’s
already approved investment projects,
the combined company will be
one of the world’s top 5 producers
of polyolefin and rubber products.
- Anna Lebed
- Tel.: +7 (495) 937-17-26
Fax: +7 (495) 777-55-00 - E-mail: LebedAI@sibur.ru
23 April 2021
Covestro expands films production in Germany
This building at the Dormagen site
in Germany houses
Covestro's new production lines for
polycarbonate specialty films. © Covestro
Covestro has started up additional production lines
for high-quality specialty films
at its Dormagen site in Germany.
The new coextrusion lines are designed
to meet a rising demand worldwide.
View inside one of the new production lines
for polycarbonate specialty films in Dormagen.
© Covestro
The project is part of a global program
to expand film capacity
with a total investment of
more than 100 million euros
and was completed as planned
despite restrictions due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Around 30 new jobs will be created
to operate the new lines.
The new lines will mainly produce
multilayer flat films.
These products, for example, play an important role
in identity documents
in order to embed security features
and ensure the best possible protection
against counterfeiting.
They are also used in
medical technology and car interiors.
21 April 2021
Kumho Mitsui Chemicals’ Yeosu Plant
Kumho Mitsui Chemicals to increase
MDI production capacity
Mitsui Chemicals, Inc. today announced plans
to bolster the methylene diphenyl diisocyanate (MDI)
production capacity of affiliate
Kumho Mitsui Chemicals Inc.
Overview of Kumho Mitsui Chemicals Ownership
Mitsui Chemicals & SKC Polyurethanes Inc. (MCNS): 50%
Kumho Petrochemical Co., Ltd.: 50%
Kumho Mitsui Chemicals manufactures and sells
high-performance monomeric MDI
used for making elastic fibers and synthetic leather,
as well as
used for making insulation materials.
Capacity increase
200,000 tons/year
(410,000 tons/year → 610,000 tons/year)
Schedule (tentative)
Start of construction in April 2021
Start of operations in January 2024
The upcoming capacity increase is intended
to accommodate an expanded growth
in demand for high-performance MDI –
employed primarily in electric vehicles
for the purposes of noise, vibration
and harshness (NVH) mitigation,
as well as the growing demand for insulation materials.
In addition to expanding its production facilities,
Kumho Mitsui Chemicals will install
recycling facilities
that can reuse the by-products created
during the manufacturing process as raw materials.
This will improve self-sufficiency for raw materials,
and reduce wastewater emissions
from the plant and greenhouse gas emissions
from the overall supply chain.
15 April 2021
Plasticizers for the PVC industry
are now also available based on
renewable and chemically recycled feedstock.
Biomass balanced plasticizers
based on renewable feedstock
BASF has launched biomass balanced (BMB) plasticizers
based on renewable raw materials
under the names
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Palatinol® N BMB,
Palatinol® 10-P BMB
and Plastomoll® DOA BMB.
Instead of fossil resources, the required amount of
bio-naphtha or biogas is used.
These materials are derived from
organic waste or vegetable oils.
Biomass balanced plasticizers
have a lower carbon footprint
than the conventional ones
and help save fossil resources.
Both, BASF’s mass balance approach
and BMB plasticizers are certified according to
REDcert2.
9 April 2021
Effective as of April 15th 2021,
or as contract terms allow,
Arkema will raise its price across its
Hydrogen Peroxide range in Europe
and for the export markets by 50 €/DMT.
This price adjustment is necessary to cover
increasing raw materials and utilities costs
Contact
Julien LEROY
Business manager Oxygenates
& Derivatives
+33 (0)1 49 00 71 17
2 April 2021
Solvay releases Integrated Report and Annual Report
In 2020, Solvay overcame headwinds
to deliver strong financialperformance, as well as
significant progress on sustainability goals.
26 March 2021
BASF presents roadmap to climate neutrality
◼ Target of net zero CO2emissions globally by20501
◼ Significant 25percent reduction in CO2 emissions
already by 2030
◼ Investments of up to €4billion planned by 2030
24 March 2021
>DOWNLOAD CELANESE UHMW-PE BROCHURE
Celanese Corporation today announces
its intent to expand its GUR®
ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMW-PE)
production capacity in Europe.
Celanese intends to invest in additional capacity
for GUR® in Europe.
The expansion in Europe is expected
to be online beginning in 2024
with an annual nameplate capacity
of approximately 34KT.
Site selection for this new European facility
is underway, and Celanese is considering
both existing and greenfield locations
for a GUR® production unit.
The addition of a new UHMW-PE production facility
in Europe will support the significant growth
in the company’s
high-value GUR® engineered materials portfolio.
With this investment, Celanese will be able
to support
the double-digit growth for LIBS
(Lithium Ion Battery Separators)
in the electric vehicle (EV) market.
The new facility will also have the option
to produce medical grade GUR®.
22 March 2021
Clariant opens state-of-the-art catalyst China R&D center
at its new Shanghai “One Clariant Campus".
Clariant Catalysts has opened
a new, state-of-the-art R&D center
at its “One Clariant Campus” (OCC) in Shanghai.
This R&D Center is integrated into the brand new
Clariant Innovation Center China
within the One Clariant Campus, and will foster
Clariant’s R&D capabilities in China.
To date, Clariant is one of the only international companies
to have built
a full-fledged comprehensive catalyst research unit
in China.
Clariant Catalysts set up its first footprint in China
nearly 50 years ago, when it provided
full catalytic solutions to
Chinese nitrogen fertilizer producers.
Since then, Clariant Catalysts has established
two plants in Shanghai and Panjin,
with a further one in Jiaxing currently under construction.
19 March 2021
Grace Comments on Effects of Gulf Coast Freeze
and Updates First Quarter 2021 Guidance
W. R. Grace & Co. (NYSE: GRA) today commented on
that impacted Texas and Louisiana in mid-February.
Winter Storm Uri was a major storm that
caused widespread manufacturing disruption
across the region
because of freezing temperatures
and loss of electricity, gas, water, and other utilities.
Most polyolefin manufacturers and refineries
in the region were forced
to shut down or operate at reduced rates
following the storm.
Grace operates four manufacturing facilities in the region.
All sites experienced interruptions,
with extended downtime at three plants
ranging from 8 to 24 days.
All sites have resumed operations.
Most of our customers have restarted operations
though many are still operating at reduced rates.
19 March 2021
Printed solid-state batteries impress
with their long cycle life
Evonik and InnovationLab
bring new battery technology to the market
•Evonik presents a sustainable battery concept
at LOPEC fair
•New materials enable thin and flexible energy storage
Evonik presents at the virtual exhibition LOPEC
a new material technology for printable batteries.
Together with the company InnovationLab,
the specialty chemicals group
proves the integration of
TAeTTOOz® technology
in printed electronics to open up new applications.
TAeTTOOz® was develop based on
so-called redox polymers
from Creavis,
the strategic innovation unit from Evonik.
What Is Organic Electronics?
Organic electronics is a future-oriented green technology
involving environment-friendly energy generation,
economical energy utilization,
and the manufacture of electronic components
in a way which saves resources
while using conducting and semi-conducting plastics.
Applications of Printed Organic Electronics
Printed Organic Sensors
Until recently, companies have manufactured sensors
using conventional semiconductor foundries,
which rely on a nine-step process to fabricate each sensor.
While well-established, this approach has several downsides:
Design-to-production cycles are slow, iteration is costly
— as is the per-sensor price —
and choice of substrate is limited to rigid materials,
for instance
silicon,
making such sensors unsuitable for many use cases.
In contrast,
printing sensors using roll-to-roll printing methods
provides greater choice in
functional materials, substrates
and deposition methods, offering flexibility of design
to accommodate thousands of different applications.
Credit > www.Innonvationlab.de
19 March 2021
Eastman and GP Cellulose provide critical support
for longleaf pine restoration in Florida.
In celebration of the International Day of Forests on March 21,
Eastman, Eastman Foundation and GP Cellulose
worked with The Longleaf Alliance (LLA)
to provide 60,000 longleaf pine seedlings
to Torreya State Park in Northwest Florida.
This conservation collaboration is intended
to help protect forest ecosystems,
support delicate wildlife communities,
and help repair the planet for future generations.
The planting is part of a larger effort to restore
important longleaf habitats that provide homes
to endangered, threatened and at-risk species
such as the gopher tortoise and the eastern indigo snake.
Restoring longleaf pine forests can also help
protect Florida's water quality.
18 March 2021
AGC to Integrate and Reorganize
the 3 Chlor-Alkali Companies
in Thailand and CLMV Markets
AGC President
AGC announces that its Board of Directors,
at a meeting held on March 18, 2021,
passed a resolution
to integrate and reorganize
its 3 consolidated subsidiary companies,
AGC Chemicals (Thailand) Co., Ltd
(hereinafter “ACTH”),
Vinythai Public Company Limited
(hereinafter “VNT”),
and AGC Chemicals Vietnam Co., Ltd
(hereinafter “ACVN”),
and to form
a new company which will promote
the business development of
chlor-alkali products and services in
Thailand and Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, and Vietnam
(hereinafter”CLMV”) markets,
with a target completion by first half of 2022
(hereinafter”Decision”)
Note
Caustic soda and polyvinyl chloride resin (PVC)
markets in Southeast Asia are expected
to grow approximately 4% per year.
AGC Chemicals (Thailand) production capacity
350,000 tons/year Caustic Soda or Sodium Hydroxide
Vinythai production capacity
370,000 tons/year Caustic Soda or Sodium Hydroxide
300,000 tons/year PVC resin
400,000 tons/year VCM
120,000 tons/yeaar Epichlorohydrin
P.T. Asahimas Chemical capacity
700,000 tons/year Caustic Soda or Sodium Hydroxide
550,000 tons/year PVC resin
900,000 tons/year VCM
10 March 2021
WACKER is to raise prices for
its entire silicones product range.
The price increases vary between 10 and 20 percent
and will be effective for material shipped
from April onwards, as customer contracts allow.
Additional volume requests outside of agreed ranges
are also subject to the new price setting.
The measure has been necessitated by
the increase in strategic raw material costs,
rising costs for support- and packaging materials
and multiple corona pandemic measures
in order to improve
the service of WACKER SILICONES.
WACKER’s complete silicones portfolio, including
silicone fluids, silicone emulsions,
silicone rubber, silicone resins, silanes,
silane-terminated polymers and
is subject to the price adjustment.
With this, WACKER SILICONES will continue
to strongly invest in innovation,
support global asset development
and strive to achieve high customer service levels.
9 March 2021
Solvay starts new production unit for highpurity
H2O2 for the semiconducto rindustry
at its Bernburg site in Germany.
Maik Diederich, Business Manager EMEA
" What is now obvious to everyone
- especially after the recent impact of COVID-19 on our lives -
is that our worldis heading towards
extensive digitalization in all areas:
homeschooling, home office, Internet ofThings, 5G,
cloud computing, smart home,
industry 4.0, electromobility etc.
The European semiconductor industry plays a crucial role
in these developments.
"The new production line (“EG20”) has been finalized on time,
and it incorporates innovations andbenefits
from the additional know-how acquired
with the several H2O2 purification units
that Solvay completed in Asia and Europe in recent years.
It accommodates the semiconductor industry’s requirements
in quality and volume of today and years to come.
The product from the new line hasbeen successfully qualified
with Solvay’s customer population.
High purity hydrogen peroxide is a key chemical
in the manufacture of semiconductor chips.
With EG20, Solvay is laying the foundation
for the next 20 years
as the leading supplier to thesemiconductor industry in Europe
- with high-purity hydrogen peroxide produced in Bernburg.
9 March 2021
MEGlobal announces ACP for March 2021
Mar 09, 2021
Dubai, U.A.E.— March 9, 2021
MEGlobal today announced that
its Asian Contract Price (ACP)
for monoethylene glycol (MEG)
will be US$930/MT CFR Asian main ports
for arrival April 2021.
The April 2021 ACP reflects
the short term supply/demand situation in the Asian market.
For more information on the company,
visit www.meglobal.biz.
4 March 2021
Dow (NYSE: DOW) today signed
a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with
the Zhanjiang Economic and Technological Development
Zone Administrative Committee (Zhanjiang EDZ)
to build
the Dow South China Specialties Hub,
a multi-year project providing customers local access
to Dow’s portfolio of
high value products and innovative technologies.
- World-class manufacturing base will enhance
Asia Pacific customers’ local access
to innovative material science solutions - Further positions Dow to capture growth
in world’s largest chemicals market
Aligned to Dow’s focus on
low capital intensive, fast payback
and high return growth projects,
under the MOU the Company would invest
approximately $250 million to construct
specialty polyurethanes and alkoxylates facilities,
with a total product capacity
of approximately 250,000 tons.
The site also offers opportunity
for future development and expansion
at the Specialties Hub.
4 March 2021
BASF achieved its 2020 Palm Commitment
◼ 227,213 metric tons of certified palm oil
and palm kernel oil sourced
representing 100 percent of procured material
◼ Almost 95 percent of global palm footprint
traceable back to the oil mill level
◼ More than 300,000 metric tons CO2in 2020
avoided by sourcing
certified sustainable palm kernel oil
2 March 2021
Mitsui Chemicals, Inc. has agreed to transfer
its 100 percent ownership of
Mitsui Chemicals Nonwovens (Tianjin) Co., Ltd. (MCNT),
a Chinese subsidiary
for the production and sales of nonwovens, to
Foshan Nanhai Beautiful Nonwoven Co., Ltd.*1
(Foshan, Guangdong;President: Weiqi Deng; BTF).
BTF is a prominent manufacturer of
medical and sanitary nonwovens
with production facilities
not only in China but also in the U.S.
1 March 2021
BASF to increase prices for
butanediol and derivatives in Europe
With immediate effect,
or as existing contracts permit,
BASF SE will increase its
European selling prices for
1,4 Butanediol (BDO) and its derivatives:
1,4-Butanediol (BDO) + 800 EUR/mt
Tetrahydrofuran (THF) + 1.050 EUR/mt
Polytetramethylene ether glycol (PolyTHF®) + 1.050 EUR/mt
N-Methyl-2-Pyrrolidone (NMP) + 800 EUR/mt
N-Ethylpyrrolidone (NEP) + 800 EUR/mt
14 February 2021
LANXESS signs contract to acquire
Acquisition with sales of USD 425 million
and EBITDA of USD 90 million to strengthen
Consumer Protection segment
Enterprise value of USD 1.075 billion
High-margin new application fields
in food industry and animal health
Rapid integration expected
11 February 2021
SIBUR reports Q4 and FY 2020 IFRS results.
the largest integrated petrochemicals
one of the fastest-growing companies
in the global petrochemical industry,
today announces
its operating and financial results
for the fourth quarter and full year
ended 31 December 2020
in accordance with
International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS).
Highlights for FY 2020:
Resilient earnings
- Revenue of RUB 523 bln.
- EBITDA of RUB 179 bln,
an increase of 5.4% year-on-year. - Adjusted profit net of FX of RUB 93 bln.
11 February 2021
The Chemours Company Reports Strong Fourth Quarter
and Full Year 2020 Results
with Solid Momentum Across Core Markets
Full Year 2020 Results & Highlights
- Net Sales of $5.0 billion
- Net Income of $219 million with EPS of $1.32
- Adjusted Net Income* of $329 million with
Adjusted EPS* of $1.98 - Adjusted EBITDA* of $879 million
- Free Cash Flow* of $540 million
9 February 2021
partner on electric air-taxi program
Solvay will supply composite
and adhesive technologies
as well as technical support to Vertical Aerospace.
9 February 2021
LG Chem is putting spurs to switching RE100
at its domestic workplaces by participating in
the Korean RE100 (Renewable Energy 100) system.
On the 9th, LG Chem announced that the company
participated in the Green Premium Program
that has come into effect for the first time this year
and awarded an order
for 120GWh annual renewable energy per year.
The RE100 converts 100% of the electricity
used by companies into Renewable Energy,
which replaces petroleum fossil fuels
such as solar and wind power.
Green premium is a system that allows
electricity consumers to issue a
"confirmation on the use of renewable energy"
and use it for
RE100 certification
if they pay green premium to KEPCO.
9 February 2021
Indorama Ventures Reports 2020 Third Quarter Results
3Q 2020 Performance Summary:
Reported net profit is
THB 380 million in 3Q20 and
THB 1,104 million for 9M20.
9 February 2021
DuPont Reports Fourth Quarter 2020 Results
• 4Q20 GAAP EPS from continuing operations of $0.37;
adjusted EPS of $0.95
• 4Q20 Net Sales of $5.3 billion, up 1 percent;
organic sales flat with the year-ago period
• 4Q20 GAAP Income from continuing operations
of $279 million and Operating EBITDA of $1.3 billion
9 February 2021
BASF and Siemens Energy to cooperate
in the field of Carbon Management
Strategic partnership for industrial use
of low-CO2 technologies
Study of concrete projects
for BASF’s Ludwigshafen site
Focus on hydrogen production,
heat pumps and power grid upgrade
4 February 2021
Borealis announces a solid full-year 2020 result
with a net profit of EUR 589 million
despite a market environment heavily impacted
by the COVID-19 pandemic.
4 February 2021
Borealis has decided to start
a process divesting
its nitrogen business unit
including
fertilizer, technical nitrogen and melamine products.
Such a divestment would be subject to
information and consultation requirements
with employee representatives
as may be required under applicable laws.
3 February 2021
Trinseo Fourth Quarter 2020 Summary
- Net income of $67 million and diluted EPS of $1.71;
Adjusted EBITDA* of $149 million
and Adjusted EPS* of $1.84,
inclusive of a pre-tax favorable net timing
impact of $29 million - Cash from operations of $128 million;
Free Cash Flow* of $106 million
29 January 2021
LyondellBasell Reports 2020 Earnings
Full Year 2020 Highlights
Resilient Earnings
- Net Income: $1.4 billion, $1.9 billion
excluding LCM and Impairment 1 - Diluted earnings per share: $4.24 per share,
$5.61 per share excluding LCM and Impairment - EBITDA: $3.3 billion, $3.9 billion
excluding LCM and Impairment
Read more
28 January 2021
Celanese Corporation today announced
that its board of directors has approved
a 10 percent increase in
the company’s quarterly common stock cash dividend.
The dividend increase from
$0.62 to $0.68 per share of common stock
on a quarterly basis and from
$2.48 to $2.72 per share of common stock
on an annual basis.
The new dividend rate will be effective immediately.
26 January 2021
LyondellBasell and Sinopec finalize joint venture
to manufacture
propylene oxide and styrene monomer in China.
The JV will construct
a new PO and SM unit in Zhenhai Ningbo, China.
This new unit will have
275 kilotons per annum (KTA) capacity of PO and
600 KTA capacity of SM.
The unit will use LyondellBasell's leading
PO / SM technology.
Products produced by the JV will be
marketed equally by both partners,
significantly expanding their respective participation
in the Chinese market for PO and SM.
Startup is expected at the end of 2021.
21 January 2021
BASF has signed
a global, exclusive supply agreement with
Caregen, for four cosmetic peptides.
With this expansion in its portfolio, BASF plans
to launch four peptides
with anti-aging and anti-pigmentation properties,
for prone-atopic and prone-acneic skins,
in the course of 2021.
19 January 2021
INEOS donates £100 Million
to create new Oxford University Institute
to fight Antimicrobial Resistance.
18 January 2021
INOVYN BICHLOR™ electrolysers
selected by Koyuncu Group
for major investment in Konya, Turkey.
As one of the world's leading
chlor alkali technology solution providers,
with over 100 years of
electrolysis experience and electrolyser design,
INOVYN will provide state of the art
BICHLOR™ bipolar electrolysers
for a new 33,000m2 facility that will produce
chlorine, caustic, sodium hypochlorite
and hydrochloric acid.
The new facility will have
an annual production capacity of 50,000 tonnes,
with potential for further investment
in the production of derivatives in the future.
Engineering, construction and start-up
for the project will be provided by
an experienced supplier of process equipment
for chemical and industrial plants,
both domestically and internationally.
The project duration is 15 months
and production is planned
to start by the beginning of 2022.
14 January 2021
Covestro receives ISCC Plus certification
for its Antwerp and Uerdingen sites
•More sustainable polycarbonates and polyurethane raw materials
•Gradual conversion of production in Europe planned
•Drop-in solution for customers with constant product quality
Covestro has now received
ISCC Plus mass balance certification
for its Antwerp and Krefeld-Uerdingen sites.
This means the company can now offer its customers
large product volumes of
the high-performance plastic polycarbonate
made from renewable attributed raw materials
in the same good quality as fossil-based polycarbonate.
The polyurethane raw material
methylene diphenyl diisocyanate (MDI)
from Krefeld-Uerdingen and its precursor aniline
from the Antwerp plant are now also available
with ISCC Plus certification
12 January 2021
Products : Salt, Chlorine, Caustic, Chloromethanes
Nouryon announces renaming of
Industrial Chemicals subsidiary to
as next step in growth and branding strategy.
12 January 2021
Celanese to Build World Class
Liquid Crystal Polymer Plant in China
Celanese Corporation today announced its intent
to build a world-scale, multi-phase
Liquid Crystal Polymer (LCP) polymerization plant
in China to support the significant growth
in its high-value Vectra® and Zenite® LCP product lines.
Site selection is underway, and Celanese is considering
both existing and greenfield locations
to place its new LCP facility.
The total scope of the investment is intended
to support approximately
20 kilotons of LCP production per year
with the first phase of the project expected
to come on-line in 2024.
The addition of LCP polymerization capacity
in China
will make Celanese the only LCP producer
with assets in
both Asia and the Western Hemisphere,
giving the company the unique ability
to work closely with customers in multiple regions.
Celanese currently has L
CP polymerization capability
in Shelby, North Carolina, and
LCP compounding in North America, Europe and China.
5 January 2021
Solvay to sell its North American and European
amphoteric surfactant business to
OpenGate Capital
The Solvay Group agreed to sell
its North American and European
amphoteric surfactant business to
OpenGate Capital,
a private equity firm with headquarters
in Los Angeles.
The sale includes the three main production sites
supporting the amphoteric product lines
located in
University Park, Illinois (USA),
Genthin, Germany,
Halifax, United Kingdom, and
a tolling business in Turkey.
The agreement also includes
tolling and service agreements
between Solvay and OpenGate
to ensure a seamless transition
and minimal customer disruption.
In OpenGate Capital, Solvay has identified
a strong buyer for
the North American and European
amphoteric surfactant business
while the sale will generate additional resources
for Solvay to invest in
its strategic growth segments
as part of its portfolio simplification journey.
4 January 2021
Kuraray
2021 New Year's Greeting
from President (Hitoshi Kawahara)
To be "a strategically indispensable company"
for people around the world
Importance of "a safe workplace and a company
in which everyone can work with confidence"
To be a vigorous and creative corporate entity
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