Petrochemicals
PPG to acquire Colombia coatings business
PPG Industries has agreed to purchase the coatings businesses of Colpisa Colombiana de Pinturas, a privately-owned Colombian coatings company, and its affiliates, including Colpisa Ecuador. The transaction is expected to close no later than the end of the first quarter 2012, subject to regulatory approvals and customary closing conditions, the company said.
Dow to produce stadium wrap for London Olympics
Olympic partner Dow Chemical will produce a sustainable, fabric wrap that will encircle London’s Olympic Stadium during the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, home to several athletic events, and the opening and closing ceremonies. The wrap will comprise 336 individual panels – each approximately 25 meters high and 2.5 meters wide - and will help the stadium become the visual centerpiece of the London 2012 Games, according to Olympic officials.
Dow to build plants for polyolefin encapsulant films in Thailand, Germany
Dow Chemical will build two new manufacturing plants in 2012 for its ENLIGHT polyolefin encapsulant films, with one in Map Ta Phut, Thailand, and another in Schkopau, Germany. Together, these sites will more than triple capacity for making specialty films used in photovoltaic modules, and will significantly expand Dow’s ability to supply encapsulant films worldwide, the company said.
Eastman buys US specialty chemical firm Dynaloy
Eastman Chemical has acquired the assets of Dynaloy, a specialty chemical business based in Indianapolis, Indiana. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
Honeywell UOP to design, provide technology for China propylene project
Honeywell’s UOP has been selected by Zhejiang Julong Petrochemical Co. Ltd (ZJLPC) to provide key technology for a new unit to produce propylene at its facility in Pinghu City, Zhejiang Province, China. UOP will provide engineering design, technology licensing, catalysts, adsorbents, equipment, staff training and technical service for the project, it said.
Sinopec, Syntroleum open China coal-to-liquids unit
China Petroleum & Chemical Corp. (Sinopec) and Syntroleum Corp. announced the grand opening of the Sinopec/Syntroleum demonstration facility (SDF) located in Zhenhai, China. SDF is an 80 bpd facility utilizing the Syntroleum-Sinopec Fischer Tropsch technology for the conversion of coal, asphalt and petroleum coke into high value synthetic petrochemical feedstocks.
Cabot to expand US inkjet capacity by 100%
Cabot will invest $10 million to increase production capacity at its inkjet facility in Haverhill, Mass., by the end of 2012, company officials said on Monday. The expansion, which started earlier this year, will enable Cabot to increase the capacity of its CAB-O-JET color pigment dispersion and polymer product lines by 100%, the company said.
Momentive opens new US oilfield technology plant
The oilfield technology group (OTG) of Momentive Specialty Chemicals has started up a new manufacturing plant in Batesville, Ark., to provide additional resin coated proppants to fracturing service companies and operators in the oil and gas industry.
Amyris partners with Kuraray for development of renewable polymers
Renewable products firm Amyris has signed a collaboration agreement with Kuraray to develop innovative polymers from Biofene, a renewable hydrocarbon building block made using Amyris technology. Under the agreement, Kuraray will use Biofene to replace petroleum-derived feedstock such as butadiene and isoprene in the production of specified classes of high-performing polymers.
KBR wins technology, process design deal on China coal-based ammonia plant
KBR was awarded a contract by China National Coal Group Corp. to provide ammonia technology, process design package and technical services for two 1,660 tpd ammonia synloop units at a complex in Tuke Industrial Park, Erdos, Inner Mongolia, China.
- Nextchem (Maire) awarded feasibility studies contract for two plastic upcycling projects in Africa and Asia 3/24
- Ketjen and Aramco collaborate to support the development of next-generation FCC catalyst innovation 3/24
- UK government pledges £9 MM for new development projects at Mossmorran ethylene plant in Fife 3/24
- PetroChina reaches milestone on $10-B Dalian refining and chemical integration project 3/24
- Valero shuts Texas refinery after explosion 3/24
- ABB bolsters flow measurement portfolio with Ethernet-APL connectivity 3/24

