Petrochemicals
Technip wins EPC deal on Thailand elastomer plant
Michelin Siam Co. awarded Technip with a lump sum turnkey engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract for a new elastomer composite plant to be built in Thailand. Technip’s operating center in Bangkok, Thailand will execute the contract, which is scheduled to be completed in early 2013.
Compounder A Schulman opens UAE sales office
US-based plastics compounder A Schulman has opened a sales office in Ras al-Khaimah, United Arab Emirates (UAE), part of what the company says is a global expansion effort to serve growing markets for value-added niche products.
BASF to move dispersions, pigments headquarters to Hong Kong
BASF plans to move the global headquarters of its dispersions and pigments division to Hong Kong, the company said on Monday. The portfolio of the dispersions and pigments division includes pigments, resins, dispersions and additives such as photoinitiators, light stabilizers and formulation additives.
Russia joining World Trade Organization will create export opportunities – Dow CEO
Dow Chemical said on Monday that it applauded the work of the Russian and US governments as well as all members of the World Trade Organization (WTO) in finalizing the technical details of Russia’s joining of the WTO. “This is a tremendous step forward in creating more export opportunities, access to the latest goods, technologies and services, and most importantly, partnerships with foreign investors in the further growth of Russia’s thriving business community,” said Andrew Liveris, Dow CEO.
IHS acquires downstream market research firm Purvin & Gertz
Consultancy group IHS has acquired Purvin & Gertz, a global advisory and market research firm that provides technical, commercial and strategic advice to international clients in the petroleum refining, natural gas, natural gas liquids, crude oil and petrochemical industries.
Sinopec confirms deal with Galp Energia to buy 30% of Brazil assets
China Petrochemical Corp. said Friday that it has signed an agreement to buy a 30% stake in the Brazilian unit of Portuguese oil company Galp Energia SA for $3.54 billion. Galp's assets in Brazil include four deep-water blocks in the Santos Basin, it said.
Celanese to buy polyvinyl acetate lines of Ashland
US-based specialty chemicals firm Celanese has agreed to acquire polyvinyl acetate assets from Ashland, including its Vinac and Flexbond product lines, to support strategic growth of Celanese’s emulsion polymers business. Revenues of Vinac and Flexbond were approximately $45 million in 2010.
Cristal, Outotec to partner on TiO2 feedstock plant in Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia-based titanium dioxide (TiO2) producer Cristal Global announced what it called a groundbreaking partnership with Outotec, a leading provider of metals processing solutions. Outotec has been selected to build a new fully scalable ilmenite-processing plant for Cristal in Yanbu, Saudi Arabia, estimated to become operational in the fourth quarter of 2013.
US paints, coatings demand to grow 8%/yr - study
US demand for paints and coatings is forecast to increase 7.8 percent annually to $26.2 billion in 2015, according to a new study from US-based market research firm The Freedonia Group. The US paints and coatings market will continue to be impacted by the trend toward sustainability, the study says.
Rhodia completes silica expansion at Illinois plant
Rhodia on Wednesday inaugurated its expansion of highly-dispersible silica production at its Chicago Heights site in Illinois, furthering its commitment to support the future growth of its customers. The expansion increases Rhodia’s North American capacity by 33%.
- BASF’s Intermediates division produces entire portfolio of acid chlorides and chloroformates at its Ludwigshafen site using renewable electricity credits 3/23
- LG Chem shuts down 800,000-tpy Yeosu naphtha cracker 3/23
- French Energy Ministry considers increasing oil refining capacity 3/23
- Schneider Electric global study shows energy industry ramping up investment in autonomous operations by 2030 as AI reshapes performance 3/23
- Middle East shock gives Dangote refinery leverage as cheap imports dry up 3/23
- HWI officially opens state-of-the-art Fulton (U.S.) lightweight monolithics facility 3/23
