Asia Africa Intelligence Wire articles from September 2002, page 2

Asia Africa Intelligence Wire archives from September 2002

Atofina to cut workforce.
September 30, 2002... (From Chemical Business NewsBase - Kemivarlden) Atofina, France, has drawn up plans for a 10% reduction in its 1086-strong workforce over a 3-year period. The aim is to increase productivity and safety at plants. Employees have responded...

Sodra Cell unable to cut nitrogen oxide emissions.
September 30, 2002... (From Chemical Business NewsBase - Kemivarlden) Sodra Cell of Monsteras, Sweden, is having difficulty in reducing its atmospheric emissions of nitrogen oxides and therefore wants an increase in the permitted emissions of these substances...

New fertilizer plant for Nigeria.
September 30, 2002... (From Chemical Business NewsBase - Kemivarlden) Nigeria is planning to build a fertilizer plant in the state of Akwa Ibom. This will use gas which is currently burned off in the process of oil production. A study is to be funded in part...

Swedish environmental institute moves to Lund.
September 30, 2002... (From Chemical Business NewsBase - Kemivarlden) The Swedish environmental institute IVL is opening new offices at Lund. Staff will begin moving in from Oct 2002 onwards. To begin with the institute will work with the Centre for...

On fatality in Hindustan Antibiotics gas leak.
September 30, 2002... (From Chemical Business NewsBase - Kemivarlden) One person died and several were seriously injured as a result of a gas leak from a Hindustan Antibiotics facility at Pimbri, south of Mumbai (Bombay) in India. The plant manufacturers a...

Neste Engineering sells ETBE production licence.
September 30, 2002... (From Chemical Business NewsBase - Kemivarlden) Fortum's daughter company Neste Engineering has sold a licence for the production of ETBE (ethyl tert-butyl ether) to the Spanish company ETBE Huelva. A 34,200 tonne/y facility will be...

Major clean up cost for Spolana.
September 30, 2002... (From Chemical Business NewsBase - Kemivarlden) It will be Dec 2002 before the Spolana PVC plant in the Czech Republic is reopened following the major flooding in Aug. The repair costs are estimated at SKR 220 M and lost income will...

Chemcon Industries 'loses' ethanolamines in Nigeria.
September 30, 2002... (From Chemical Business NewsBase - Kemivarlden) The Nigerian government has discovered that Chemcon Industries is unable to account for all the ethanolamines despatched from its warehouse at Lagos. Although these substances are largely...

Alcan closes Scottish plant.
September 30, 2002... (From Chemical Business NewsBase - Kemivarlden) Alcan is closing its facility in Scotland for the production of 100,000 tonne/y aluminium oxide and trihydrate. These substances are used in flame retardants and other products. All 370...

Borealis sells French compounding plant.
September 30, 2002... (From Chemical Business NewsBase - Kemivarlden) Borealis has sold its compounding facility at Cublize, France, with the workforce of 60. The plant makes products for use mainly in vehicles and household machines. It is Borealis' policy...

Depilatories under investigation in Denmark.
September 30, 2002... (From Chemical Business NewsBase - Kemivarlden) The Danish environmental authorities are investigating all depilatory agents on the Danish market. Although no banned substances have been found in foam from these agents the government...

Pyrosequencing acquires rights to RNase gene.
September 30, 2002... (From Chemical Business NewsBase - Kemivarlden) The research company Bioimics has granted Pyrosequencing, Sweden, patent rights for the gene which codes for RNase P, an enzyme involved in protein synthesis. The gene has both stable and...

Germany to remove biofuels tax.
September 30, 2002... (From Chemical Business NewsBase - Kemivarlden) The German government has decided to abolish tax on biofuels from 2003 to 2008. Approval must be obtained from the EU council of ministers before the necessary change in law can be...

Biovitrum and Biofocus collaborate.
September 30, 2002... (From Chemical Business NewsBase - Kemivarlden) Biovitrum (Sweden) and Biofocus (UK) are starting collaborative research into G protein-linked receptors, which are an important category of target proteins. Biofocus has a comprehensive...

CONNECTING INDIA, FINALLY! (Government allows operators to offer mobile and WLL services in Jammu and Kashmir and the northeastern States).
September 30, 2002... (From India Business Insight) The Ministry of Telecommunications, Government of India, has decided to allow operators to offer mobile and wireless in local loop (WLL) services in Jammu and Kashmir and the northeastern States. There were...

START-UPS: ACL WIRELESS (is a provider of wireless application services for mobile service providers).
September 30, 2002... (From India Business Insight) ACL Wireless of New Delhi, a provider of wireless application services for instant messaging for mobile service providers, was started in 2000. Sanjay Goyal is the Chief Executive Officer of the company,...

START-UPS: ADVENTNET (commenced operations in 1996).
September 30, 2002... (From India Business Insight) AdventNet of Chennai, a provider of solutions in the telecommunication service provider market, commenced operations in 1996. Shridhar Vembur is the Chief Executive Officer of the company, headquartered in...

START-UPS: ALOPA NETWORKS (started operations in 1999).
September 30, 2002... (From India Business Insight) Alopa Networks of Bangalore, a provider of solutions for broadband service providers, started operations in 1999. MP Foley is the Chief Executive Officer of the company, headquartered in Sunnyvale,...

START-UPS: APLION NETWORKS (Aplion's Network Virtuoso integrated platform reduces operating costs for service providers).
September 30, 2002... (From India Business Insight) Aplion Networks of Noida, a provider of service creation platforms for service providers, was set up in 1998. John Holobinko is the Chief Executive Officer of the company, which is headquartered in New...

START-UPS: BAY PACKETS TECHNOLOGIES (provides solutions that are targeted at all voice and converged service providers).
September 30, 2002... (From India Business Insight) Bay Packets Technologies (BPT) of Noida, a provider of application and mediation services, started operations in 2000. Ken Epps is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the company, which is headquartered in...

START-UPS: BLUEFONT (is a provider of embedded solutions for semiconductors and system-on-chip companies).
September 30, 2002... (From India Business Insight) Bluefont of Bangalore is a provider of embedded solutions for semiconductors and system-on-chip companies. It commenced operations in 2000 and employs 20 people. S Nagarajan is the Chief Executive Officer...

START-UPS: COMPONENT INSIGHTS (has products to handle different operating support system requirements).
September 30, 2002... (From India Business Insight) Component Insights (CI) of Bangalore is a provider of network management and mediation solutions to service providers. It commenced operations in 1998. Ramesh Maganti is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO)...

START-UPS: CYGSOFT (provides network management to service providers).
September 30, 2002... (From India Business Insight) Cygsoft of Mumbai provides network management to service providers who want to easily configure multiple devices. It commenced operations in 2000. Cygsoft's Constel platform helps manage a number of...

START-UPS: DECCANET (manufactures IP cores and testing tools for equipment manufacturers in embedded solutions).
September 30, 2002... (From India Business Insight) Deccanet of Bangalore makes Inter protocol (IP) cores and testing tools for equipment manufacturers in embedded solutions. Started in 1994, it has 175 employees. MT Karunakaran and RV Rajendran are the...

START-UPS: IMPULSESOFT (manufactures protocol stacks in both Bluetooth and 802.11b).
September 30, 2002... (From India Business Insight) Impulsesoft is a provider of embedded solutions in short-range wireless to original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and chip manufacturers. K Srikrishna is the Chief Executive Officer of the company, which...

START-UPS: INFOZECH SOFTWARE (provides next generation billing systems to IP service providers).
September 30, 2002... (From India Business Insight) Infozech Software of New Delhi, which commenced operations in 1992, provides next generation billing systems to IP service providers. Ankur Lal is the Chief Executive Officer of the company, which has over 50...

START-UPS: IONIC MICROSYSTEMS (provides residential gateways in the embedded solutions segment to chip manufacturers and OEMs).
September 30, 2002... (From India Business Insight) Ionic Microsystems of Bangalore provides residential gateways in the embedded solutions segment to chip manufacturers and original equipment manufacturers (OEMs). G Mohan is the Chief Executive Officer...

START-UPS: IPDIALOG (makes SIPPhone Ethernet phones for service providers).
September 30, 2002... (From India Business Insight) iPDialog of Gurgaon makes SIPPhone Ethernet phones for service providers with special features like CLI, speakerphone, volume control, ringer level control and speed dial from phonebook. Hardish Singh is the...

START-UPS: IPGEN INC (provides open system architecture for next-generation wireless and wireline networks).
September 30, 2002... (From India Business Insight) iPGen Inc of Bangalore, a subsidiary of Axes Technologies, commenced operations in 1999. It has 125 employees. The company provides open system architecture for next-generation wireless and wireline...

START-UPS: IPOLICY NETWORKS (is a provider of security solutions for service providers).
September 30, 2002... (From India Business Insight) ipolicy Networks of Noida, a provider of security solutions for service providers, commenced operations in 1992. Vimal Vaidya is the Chief Executive Officer of the company, which is headquartered in the...

Ticona increases engineering plastics capacity.
September 30, 2002... (From Chemical Business NewsBase - Kunststoffe) Ticona significantly increased production capacities for almost all engineering plastic compounds in North America. The company invested in new plant aggregates to achieve a higher...

Degussa restructures European distribution activities.
September 30, 2002... (From Chemical Business NewsBase - Kunststoffe) The Filler Systems & Pigments Division of German Degussa AG in Dusseldorf restructured the European distribution activities. The newly-established distribution centre in Frankfurt is...

Bayer concentrates production facilities.
September 30, 2002... (From Chemical Business NewsBase - Kunststoffe) Bayer AG invested EUR 20 M in the rubber production at La Wantzenau in France since 1999. These activities were relocated from the Leverkusen unit in Germany in Jul 2002. The new facility...

GE Plastics cooperates with GLS Corp.
September 30, 2002... (From Chemical Business NewsBase - Kunststoffe) US companies GE Plastics in Pittfields, MA and GLS Corp in McHenry, IL in the US formed a partnership to develop new types of engineering plastics and elastomers. Any products resulting...

BASF Future Business GmbH. Strategic partnership.
September 30, 2002... (From Chemical Business NewsBase - Kunststoffe) BASF Future Business GmbH and Teco Optronics Corp in Taiwan established a strategic partnership for the development of OLED displays. BASF will participate in the company capital of Teco...

BASF and Dow. Joint process technology.
September 30, 2002... (From Chemical Business NewsBase - Kunststoffe) German BASF and US Dow Chemical Co plan to jointly develop a new technology for the manufacture of propylene oxide based on hydrogen peroxide. Both companies already own significant...

Drugmaker partnerships.
September 30, 2002... (From Chemical Business NewsBase - Chemical and Engineering News) Roche and Kosan Biosciences have signed a deal to develop and commercialize Kosan's new generation anticancer drug candidate KOS-862 (epothilone D), which is currently in...

Asbestos trial sinks.
September 30, 2002... (From Chemical Business NewsBase - Chemical and Engineering News) Only around a dozen companies are still left out of the 250 original defendants in an asbestos trial currently in progress in a West Virginia state court. Honeywell has...

Dow to add PET in Europe.
September 30, 2002... (From Chemical Business NewsBase - Chemical and Engineering News) Dow Chemical is to erect a second PET plant at the Buna SOW Leuna Olefins site in Schkopau, eastern Germany. The unit is expected to come onstream towards the end of 2004...

BASF limits nylon supplies.
September 30, 2002... (From Chemical Business NewsBase - Chemical and Engineering News) An explosion and fire at its plant at Freeport, TX, has led BASF has declared force majeure in nylon production in N America. Production has been cut and it is not known...

More Dyneema set for DSM.
September 30, 2002... (From Chemical Business NewsBase - Chemical and Engineering News) DSM is to increase capacity for its superstrong Dyneema PE fibre by 40% with two new lines at Greenville, NC. The additions will have combined capacity of up to 1600...

Pharma protein venture formed.
September 30, 2002... (From Chemical Business NewsBase - Chemical and Engineering News) Novozymes and US biotechnology company Neugenesis are to engage in a joint research project to develop a new method for producing monoclonal antibodies. It is hoped to use...

Bayer adds, may subtract.
September 30, 2002... (From Chemical Business NewsBase - Chemical and Engineering News) Bayer has invested around $6 M in a new unit in La Felguera, Spain, that produces p-hydroxybenzoic acid. The compound is used in the production of parabens, used as...

Bayer floats chiral synthesis technology.
September 30, 2002... (From Chemical Business NewsBase - Chemical and Engineering News) Bayer has begun marketing a chiral hydrogenation technology for research in advanced chiral intermediates and active pharmaceutical ingredients. The technology allows the...

Rohm and Haas builds coatings tech centre.
September 30, 2002... (From Chemical Business NewsBase - Chemical and Engineering News) Rohm and Haas' automotive coatings unit has started erecting a technical centre in Lansing, IL, that is due to open in 2003. The facility will cost $12-15 M and will...

Chemical output retreats.
September 30, 2002... (From Chemical Business NewsBase - Chemical and Engineering News) US chemicals output in Aug was down 0.5% on Jul but up 3.3% on Aug 2001. Operating rates were 77.9% in Aug, compared with 78.1% in Jul and 76.5% in 2001.

Custom polymers now available from new plant.
September 30, 2002... (From Chemical Business NewsBase - Chemical and Engineering News) Speciality and custom polymers maker Polymer Chemistry Innovations (PCI) has opened a new facility in Chocolate Bayou, TX. The site offers a unique combination of process...

Business roundup: Dow Corning breast implant payout authorized.
September 30, 2002... (From Chemical Business NewsBase - Chemical and Engineering News) A federal judge has authorized Dow Corning to pay $9.8 M to the US government to satisfy silicone breast implant claims. The agreement removes an obstacle to the former...

Business roundup: China investigating MDI dumping.
September 30, 2002... (From Chemical Business NewsBase - Chemical and Engineering News) China is to investigate allegations of MDI dumping by S Korea and Japan, following a complaint by China's only MDI maker Wanhua Polyurethane.

Business roundup: Clariant bulk drugs expansion completed soon.
September 30, 2002... (From Chemical Business NewsBase - Chemical and Engineering News) Clariant will complete the $3.5 M expansion of its sterile bulk drugs operation in Tonneins, France, this month, with full production reached in Nov. The company has also...

Business roundup: new Eastman carbonylation technology.
September 30, 2002... (From Chemical Business NewsBase - Chemical and Engineering News) Eastman Chemical has developed know-how for introducing a carbonyl unit into select organic molecules, enabling the carbonylation of alcohols, esters, ethers, and halides.

A renaissance in fluoroelastomers. [1 figure].
September 30, 2002... (From Chemical Business NewsBase - Chemical and Engineering News) The demands being placed on fluoroelastomers are rising and suppliers have invested in new technology and capacity to help launch the next generation of fluoroelastomers....

A difficult union.
September 30, 2002... (From Chemical Business NewsBase - Chemical and Engineering News) Sumitomo Chemical and Mitsui Chemicals will come under a single roof in a year's time, though the process of creating the $20 bn merged operation will not be completed...

Solutia and Pharmacia to reimburse EPA.
September 30, 2002... (From Chemical Business NewsBase - Chemical and Engineering News) Under a proposed agreement published on 26 Sep, Solutia and Pharmacia are to reimburse the EPA over $6 M for costs the agency has incurred in cleaning up waste sites at...

New products: UV absorber.
September 30, 2002... (From Chemical Business NewsBase - Chemical and Engineering News) The UV absorber from Ciba Specialty Chemicals is for powder coatings such as catalyzed acrylic or polyester resins. The compound has an ideal melting point, excellent...

New products: epoxies.
September 30, 2002... (From Chemical Business NewsBase - Chemical and Engineering News) The epoxies from Devcon are formulations that mix and pour easily. The have low viscosity, fill voids completely, faithfully reproduce intricate details, cure with minimum...

New products: sealant.
September 30, 2002... (From Chemical Business NewsBase - Chemical and Engineering News) The one-component solvent-free, multifunction product from Bostik Findley combines the best performance and aesthetic features of silicone and urethane compounds. The...

New products: metallized film.
September 30, 2002... (From Chemical Business NewsBase - Chemical and Engineering News) The metallized film from Goodfellow is designed for a range of research and industrial applications. The product is coated with a layer of metal, the thickness of which is...

Pre-assessment of a difficult year. [3 tables; 1 figure].
September 30, 2002... (From Chemical Business NewsBase - Macplas) The performance of the plastics industry in Italy in 2002 is considered. Tables give data on Italian production and trade in machinery for plastics and rubber processing for 2000, 2001 and 2002...

Specialist work-force. (plastics, Italy) [3 tables].
September 30, 2002... (From Chemical Business NewsBase - Macplas) The European Union and the Italian Ministry of Labour set up the Excelsior System in 1998 to keep track of employment and training. The Scheme covers 100,000 public and private firms. A table...

A world overview (plastics). [1 table].
September 30, 2002... (From Chemical Business NewsBase - Macplas) A table gives world predictions for performance in the plastics sector. This is derived from the Annual meeting of CIPAD (Council of International Plastics Association Directors), Quebec, Aug...

European news (Belgium, plastics).
September 30, 2002... (From Chemical Business NewsBase - Macplas) According to the Belgian association of plastics producers and processors, there was a slow-down of 2% in the 2H 2001. The most important sectors are packaging (28%) and building (22%). In 2001...

Algerian demand (plastics).
September 30, 2002... (From Chemical Business NewsBase - Macplas) Demand for plastics continued to grow in Algeria in 2001 but at a slower rate than in 2000. Most processors need to invest in new machinery in 2002. Machinery suppliers in Taiwan and Korea have...

Poland not doing badly (plastics).
September 30, 2002... (From Chemical Business NewsBase - Macplas) {Poland's gross industrial product (GIP) slowed to 1% in 2001 compared to 7% in the preceding 2 years. However the new government has contained inflation at 3% ready for entry into the EU....

Blowing technology in Europe (plastics).
September 30, 2002... (From Chemical Business NewsBase - Macplas) According to Applied Market Information there are 50 important European plastics processing companies using blowing technology on behalf of third parties. By the end of 2002, this sector will...

Biorientated polypropylene film in the world. [2 figures].
September 30, 2002... (From Chemical Business NewsBase - Macplas) According to Applied Market Information, the world market for BOPP (biorientated Polypropylene film) was 3 M tonnes in 2001. World consumption of BOPP grew at 10%/y through the 1990s and...

USA electronics(plastic components).
September 30, 2002... (From Chemical Business NewsBase - Macplas) According to Freedonia Group, demand for plastic electronic components in the USA should grow by 6.4%/y to reach a value of $3.5 bn by 2005. TO satisfy this demand, consumption of 220,000...

World consumption of rubber (1 table].
September 30, 2002... (From Chemical Business NewsBase - Macplas) According to the Freedonia Group, world consumption of rubber should grow at 3.8%/y to reach 21 M tonnes by 2006 starting from a relatively poor year in 2001. China will show the greatest...

Anti-flame expanded materials.
September 30, 2002... (From Chemical Business NewsBase - Macplas) Beele Engineering has introduced a new expanded rubber, Actifoam, which has fire retardant and thermal insulation properties. During a fire the new rubber is able to adapt to deformation of...

Alliance: BASF - Dow Chemical.
September 30, 2002... (From Chemical Business NewsBase - Macplas) BASF and Dow Chemical will integrate their efforts on development of technology for production of propylene oxide (PO) from hydrogen peroxide (HP). Both companies have run pilot plants in this...

World news: Eindhoven University (heart valve research).
September 30, 2002... (From Chemical Business NewsBase - Macplas) Eindhoven University of Technology, Netherlands, has developed a prototype heart valve from polymeric materials. The aim is to recreate the composite structure of the human valve by using a...

Kemira Kemwater halts waste phosphorus recovery project.
September 30, 2002... (From Chemical Business NewsBase - Kemivarlden) Kemira Kemwater has abandoned its development of the Krepro process for recovering phosphorus from sewage plant waste slurry after the environmental authority Naturvardsverket announced...

Sweden contracts out disposal of mercury batteries.
September 30, 2002... (From Chemical Business NewsBase - Kemivarlden) The Swedish environmental authority Naturvardsverket may have to invite tenders in the EUs official newspaper for the disposal of around 2000 tonnes mercury battery waste currently stored...

Hoganas Interim report for 1H 2002.
September 30, 2002... (From Chemical Business NewsBase - Powder Metallurgy) Hoganas posted a 3% rise in turnover to SKR 1.704 bn in 1H 2002, while sales for the period increased by 6% compared to 2001. Volume dropped by 5% in Europe and by 7% in Japan, but...

DuPont Fluoroproducts completes expansion programme.
September 30, 2002... (From Chemical Business NewsBase - Powder Metallurgy) DuPont Fluoroproducts has reported the completion of a $50 M capacity expansion programme worldwide in its DuPont Teflon PTFE fluoropolymer unit, which has boosted capacity worldwide...

Shell licenses desulphurisation.
September 30, 2002... (From Chemical Business NewsBase - Process Engineering (London)) The NATCO Group has been awarded a licence by Shell Global Solutions for the marketing of its Shell-Paques biodesulphurisation process in the USA. The process eliminates...

Nihon Nohyaku purchases fungicides from Tomono.
September 30, 2002... (From Chemical Business NewsBase - Farm Chemicals) Nihon Nohyaku Co of Tokyo has forged a deal to acquire Tomono Agrica's organocopper fungicide operation. Officials of both firms expect the deal to be completed by 1 Oct 2002, although...

Nutra-park signs deal with Dongbu Hannong.
September 30, 2002... (From Chemical Business NewsBase - Farm Chemicals) Dongbu Hannong Chemical Co and Nutra-Park Inc have forged a research testing deal involving the use of Nutra-Park's Lysophosphatidylethanolamine (LPE) product line for one year on...

Engro Chemical opens new Pakistan plant.
September 30, 2002... (From Chemical Business NewsBase - Farm Chemicals) Engro Chemical Pakistan has commenced production of fertilizer at a new plant in Daharki, Pakistan. The plant will have an initial production of 100,000 tonnes/y of nitrogen, potash and...

BASF investigates fire.
September 30, 2002... (From Chemical Business NewsBase - Oil and Gas Journal) An explosion and fire at BASFs petrochemical plant at Freeport, TX on 13 Sep 2002 is still being investigated. Xylohexanone oxime, an intermediate in the manufacture of nylon was...

Shanghai Cabot Chemical expands carbon black.
September 30, 2002... (From Chemical Business NewsBase - Oil and Gas Journal) Shanghai Cabot Chemical is spending $25 M to expand carbon black capacity by 50,000 tonnes/y, at Shanghai, China. The plant will use proprietary technology, developed by Cabot Corp...

Sunoco builds sulfur recovery plant.
September 30, 2002... (From Chemical Business NewsBase - Oil and Gas Journal) Sunoco Inc plans to build a sulfur recovery plant at its refinery at Marcus Hook, PA. Waste gases from the 175,000 bbl/day refinery are currently treated at a neighbouring plant...

US oil industry seen playing key role in greenhouse gas emissions cuts.
September 30, 2002... (From Chemical Business NewsBase - Oil and Gas Journal) A joint project investigating the potential uses for carbon dioxide sequestration in the oil industry will be carried out by the Interstate Oil and Gas Compact Commission and the US...

CALL CENTRES BECOME BIGGER (Indian contact centre industry registered revenues of around Rs18 billion in 2001-2002).
September 30, 2002... (From India Business Insight) The Indian contact centre industry registered revenues of around Rs18 billion in 2001-2002, growing at a rate of around 100 percent and employing about 34,000 people. The back-office operation market...