Chemical Business Newsbase articles from June 2009, page 6

Chemical Business Newsbase archives from June 2009

Indian Oil to complete Paradip refinery in Orissa by 2012.
June 30, 2009... Indian Oil Corp Ltd (IOCL) expects to complete its Rup 29,777 crore refinery in Paradip, India by Mar 2012. The 15 M tonne/y refinery project will be financed by a group of 21 lenders, which have agreed to extend a loan of Rup 14,900 crore. The...

BPCL 4Q FY 2009 zooms 62.12 times. [1 table in original article].
June 30, 2009... Bharat Petroleum Corp (BPCL) reported a standalone net profit of Rup 36,280.20 M for 4Q ended 31 Mar 2009, 62.12 times higher than the Rup 584 M net profit posted by the company a year ago. Net sales dropped 18.58% to Rup 265,253 M, while...

CPCL net down 20%: 4Q FY 2009.
June 30, 2009... Chennai Petroleum Corp Ltd (CPCL) has posted net profit of Rup 272 crore for 4Q ended 31 Mar 2009, down 20% from Rup 343 crore in the corresponding year-ago quarter. Net sales dropped 42% to Rup 4089 crore. For the entire 2008-2009 period, the...

Uhde wins major polymer contract in Qatar.
June 30, 2009... Qatar Petrochemical Co (QAPCO) has awarded Uhde a lump-sum turnkey contract to build a 300,000 tonne/y low-density polyethylene (LDPE) facility as part of its LDPE-3 project. The $550 M contract calls for Uhde to provide project management,...

BASF presents concept for Basel site.
June 30, 2009... BASF is utilizing the former headquarters of Ciba in Basel, Switzerland as part of a restructuring that resulted from their Apr 2009 merger. BASF's Paper Chemicals, Coatings & Starch Europe and West End Chemicals divisions will be...

China's chemical output down, says CPCIA.
June 30, 2009... China produced Yuan 498.35 bn ($73.015 bn) worth of chemicals, including petroleum, in Mar 2009, a drop of 8.4% from the year-ago level, according to China Petroleum and Chemical Industry Association. By sector, chemical production (excluding...

Sichuan Hongda to invest RMB Yuan 960 M in chemical projects.
June 30, 2009... Sichuan Hongda Co Ltd, through its subsidiary Sichuan Mianzhu Chuanrun Chemical Co Ltd, will invest RMB Yuan 960 M in several chemical projects. Once completed, the projects will produce 300,000 tonnes/y of compounds fertilizers, 300,000...

Thai PTT Chemical turns to net loss in 1Q 2009.
June 30, 2009... Thai olefins manufacturer PTT Chemical PCL (PTTCH) posted a net loss of Baht 392 M ($11 M) in 1Q 2009, compared with a net profit of Baht 5.72 bn in a similar period in 2008. The loss was attributed to foreign exchange losses and weak margins....

Wacker completes Shanghai Technical Centre expansion.
June 30, 2009... German chemicals maker Wacker has doubled the size of its technical centre at Shanghai Zhangjiang Hi-Tech Park in China to 3400 sq m. New laboratories were added while existing labs were upgraded. The expansion also provided the centre...

ExxonMobil launches China Chemical Tech Centre.
June 30, 2009... ExxonMobil Chemical has begun construction of a 27,000 sq m chemical technology centre at Zizhu Industrial Park in Shanghai, China. The $70 M centre will comprise laboratories that will provide product application support and customer service....

New plant positions Dow Oxygenated Solvents for growth in Asia Pacific.
June 30, 2009... The Dow Chemical Co has finished construction of a propylene oxide-based glycol ether plant in Zhangjiagang, Jiangsu province, China. The 120,000 tonne/y facility will produce P-Series Glycol Ethers for Asia's expanding electronics industry....

ECHA recommends strict control for seven substances of very high concern.
June 30, 2009... The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) has recommended tighter restrictions on the use of seven substances of very high concern, namely, musk xylene, MDA, SCCPs, HBCDD, DEHP, BBP and DBP. The agency said the substances should only be used with...

Kuraray in India: change expected in chemical market.
June 30, 2009... Japan-based chemical firm Kuraray Co Ltd is making its way into the $30 bn Indian chemical market with a planned initial investment of Rup 72 M. The company is now supplying the Indian market with POVAL, a specialized chemical PVA (polyvinyl...

Benzene prices threatened by imminent US and Asian imports.
June 30, 2009... Spot benzene prices in Northwest Europe reportedly dropped $30/tonne in Jul 2009 from the previous month when bids went up as high as $760/tonne for 1000 tonne CIF ARA barges. The weakening of the market was attributed to a shortage in material...

Asian phenol-acetone supplies tighten.
June 30, 2009... The scheduled maintenance of several phenol-acetone plants in Asia during Jun 2009 is expected to tighten supply of the material in the region. Mitsui Phenols Singapore will close its plant on Pulau Sakru for a scheduled turnaround, while Kumho...

Chemical imports: India initiates probe against China.
June 30, 2009... The Indian Commerce Ministry has launched an investigation into allegations of dumping of sodium nitrite by Chinese companies into India. Acting on a complaint filed by domestic companies, the authorities will investigate whether dumping...

More than 250 new jobs at Japanese Pharma's new HQ.
June 30, 2009... Eisai is to create over 250 new jobs following the opening of its GBP 100 M European Knowledge Centre at the Hatfield Business Park, UK. The centre will be Eisai's new strategic base for Europe.

Dow Coating Materials introduces high performance aqueous stain-blocking binder with Avanse technology to North American Coatings market.
June 29, 2009... The Dow Chemical Co has announced the introduction of Rhoplex PR-295 with Avanse technology, a highly-innovative, high-performance, environmentally-advanced, aqueous binder to the North American coatings market. Rhoplex PR-295 binder was...

Life science industry welcomes announcement of GBP 150 M cornerstone investment.
June 29, 2009... The UK life sciences industry welcomes Lord Mandelson's announcement of the creation of an Innovation Fund which will be corner-stoned by Government with investment from private investors. Clive Dix, Chairman of the BioIndustry Association...

MedImmubne expands access for eligible premature infants to receive Synagis at no cost.
June 29, 2009... MedImmune today announced the expansion of the MedImmune Assistance Program for Synagis (palivizumab) designed to provide the antibody at no cost to qualifying patients who lack health insurance and whose family household income falls within a...

Saudi Arabia's NCC forms tanker JV with Odfjell.
June 29, 2009... Riyadh-based National Chemical Carriers (NCC) and Odfjell of Bergen, Norway, have agreed to create a Dubai-based 50-50 joint venture (JV) that will combine their largest chemical tankers. Tankers to be operated by the new company include those...

Omnova records profit in second quarter.
June 29, 2009... Compared with a net loss of $3.1 M in Mar-May 2008, Omnova Solutions achieved profits of $5.1 M in Mar-May 2009, its second fiscal quarter. Restructuring and other charges totalled $800,000 in the quarter, but the firm gained $700,000 from...

Huntsman deal value lies in debt.
June 29, 2009... A financial settlement of $1.73 bn for Huntsman, from banks involved in the unsuccessful $10.6 bn merger with Hexion Specialty Chemicals, falls well short of the $4 bn plus that the company was expecting via a court in Texas. However, the $632 M...

Dow, Gazprom partner on carbon dioxide reduction.
June 29, 2009... Dow Chemical and Gazprom, the Russian energy firm, have agreed to jointly develop projects aimed at lowering greenhouse gas emissions. According to a memorandum of agreement signed by the two companies, Gazprom will use Dow technology in the...

PetroChina to make $1.2 bn offer for SPC.
June 29, 2009... During Jul 2009, PetroChina, the state-owned oil and gas firm, was expected to offer $1.21 bn for the 54.49% of Singapore Petroleum Corp (SPC) that it not already own. On 29 Jun 2009, the company informed the Shanghai Stock Exchange that it had...

France's Orbeo to acquire OneCarbon.
June 29, 2009... Orbeo, the French carbon emissions trading firm, is to acquire OneCarbon International, a company based in the Netherlands. Rhodia and Societe Generale, the French investment bank, own the Orbeo joint venture.

Bankruptcy looms for US custom moulders.
June 29, 2009... Plante & Moran, the US-based consultancy, estimates that 15% of custom moulding firms in the country are faced with bankruptcy of some sort. Custom moulders in the US total 7800 with sales of about $100 bn. However, declining sales and...

Hitting a sustainable note. [5 figures in original article].
June 29, 2009... More than half (57%) of the 800-plus respondents to a survey on sustainable chemistry reported that their company had implemented sustainable practices and would continue to do so, despite the recession. The economic advantages of switching to...

Germany gears up for biotech future.
June 29, 2009... On 3 Apr 2009, the Chemical and Biotechnological Process Centre (CBP) at the Leuna chemical site in Germany was officially launched. The aim of the centre will be to provide scale-up facilities for biotechnology-based processes that utilize...

Golden garbage: methyl halides from biomass.
June 29, 2009... Researchers at the University of California San Francisco (UCSF) have succeeded in combining landfill bacteria with genetically modified yeast to enable production of methyl halides from biomass, including switchgrass, corn stover, sugarcane...

Around 65% of the 2008 dividend will be reinvested.
June 29, 2009... Saint-Gobain shareholders responded favourably to the dividend reinvestment option, with 64.8% of the total dividend to be paid in stock. This high reinvestment rate, which attests to shareholders' confidence in the Group's strategy and...

Spartech receives Material Content Certification Systems (SCS).
June 29, 2009... Spartech Corporation, a leader in the development and design of green packaging materials, has received Material Content Certification for three products in the UltrosRenu line from one of the most respected green certification companies in N...

Newly adopted Marketing Authorisation Decisions (25 Jun 2009): Leucofeligen FeLV/RCP.
June 29, 2009... On 29 Jun 2009 the European Commission (EC) announced decision number C(2009)5258 of 25 Jun 2009, the approval of EU/2/09/097 for Leucofeligen FeLV/RCP. The product is indicated for active immunisation of cats from eight weeks of age against...

Deal helps Mark IV cash woes.
June 29, 2009... The US bankruptcy court for the southern district of New York has approved a $90 M debtor-in-possession financing deal between Mark IV Industries Inc and a loan syndicate led by JP Morgan Chase. Mark IV, a major rubber product maker in North...

The next round: ITC must send president remedy for Chinese tyres.
June 29, 2009... The US International Trade Commission (ITC) will vote on a remedy for the disruption in the domestic tyre market caused by Chinese passenger and light truck imports on 29 Jun 2009. The remedy may be the implementation of quotas on Chinese tyre...

Climbing to the top: EPDM roofing shares slide while TPO grows. [1 table in original article].
June 29, 2009... EPDM has been dominating the low-slope, commercial roofing market as a roofing membrane material for over 40 years now, but its market share has been dropping by around 5%/y over the last five years, as thermoplastic polyolefin (TPO) membranes...

Bridgestone expects flat profits.
June 29, 2009... Japanese firm Bridgestone Corp anticipates breaking even on a net basis in FY 2009 due to lower unit sales, stronger yen currency and higher fixed costs associated with lower production. The company anticipates operating income to plummet by...

Mantaline to consolidate.
June 29, 2009... Mantaline Corp, a manufacturer of polymer-based sealing products for the transportation sector, is shutting down its facility in Aurora, OH, USA, and consolidating the operation into its headquarters unit in Mantua. Having a single plant will...

Recession? what recession? Limtech makes investment despite troubled economy.
June 29, 2009... Silicon moulder Limtech Inc has expanded its plant in Sturtevant, WI, USA by constructing a 1850 sq ft class 8 clean room and installing three new Engel presses. The company, which invested $1 M for the expansion, is determined to expand its...

Foamex revives with new owners, name.
June 29, 2009... US polyurethane foam product manufacturer Foamex International Inc has emerged from Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection as a privately held firm after being acquired by MatlinPatterson Global Opportunities Partners III LP and Black Diamond Capital...

May buys sealant line to build base.
June 29, 2009... US firm May National Associates Inc has acquired a licence to manufacture the PRC insulating glass sealants range of PPG Industries Inc. The purchase is part of May's efforts to boost its residential and commercial window product business. The...

NR output falling.
June 29, 2009... Natural rubber (NR) output in leading producing countries continues to drop, according to the Association of Natural Rubber Producing Countries. NR production in Thailand, which accounts for 33% of global NR supply, fell by 21.6% year on year in...

Firestone Polymers to cut output.
June 29, 2009... Firestone Polymers LLC plans to indefinitely cut around 25 hourly jobs at its Orange, TX, USA synthetic rubber facility by 27 Jun 2009 due to falling demand in the plastics and tyre markets. The output reduction will continue throughout 2009,...

Chemtura selects sales partner.
June 29, 2009... ChemPoint.com has been chosen by Chemtura Corp to manage the marketing, customer service and sales of its Fomrez polyester polyols in the USA and Canada.

Scrap shortage means uncertainty for MEI.
June 29, 2009... US rubber recycler Midwest Elastomers Inc (MEI) is facing uncertainty as a result of the increasing scarcity of post-industrial scrap rubber. Poor economic conditions have adversely affected MEI. Some portion of its business is down, but the...

Titan facing additional set of OSHA fines at OTR site.
June 29, 2009... The US Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has proposed additional penalties totalling $140,000 against Titan Tire Corp over alleged safety violations at its off-the-road tyre facility in Bryan, OH, USA. The new fines were...

Neff-Perkins shutters Ohio production site.
June 29, 2009... Rubber products maker Neff-Perkins Co has shut down its plant in Perry, OH, USA due to declining orders and poor economic conditions. The company cut around 15 jobs at the Perry facility, which mainly moulded rubber goods for automotive...

Widening up the web: Dow Corning expands Xiameter silicones platform.
June 29, 2009... US firm Dow Corning's Xiameter web-based business will now offer over 2100 silicone-based products for sale. The online portal will make available all of Dow Corning's Xiameter-brand traditional silicone products such as rubber bases and...

US rubber product deficit tumbles in Feb 2009. [1 table, 3 figures in original article].
June 29, 2009... US rubber product deficit fell by 28.6% year on year to $407.4 M in Feb 2009. Exports dropped 25.7% to $465.4 M while imports were down 27.1% to $872.7 M, based on figures from the US Commerce Department. The trade deficit for tyres and related...

Introducing Agilon 400 performance silica for tyres.
June 29, 2009... PPG Silica Products' Agilon 400 performance silica reduces the rolling resistance and enhances handling and traction in tyres. The material supports the need for safer, more eco-friendly products, and makes the tyre production process more...

ExxonMobil introduces high-flow thermoplastic vulcanizate.
June 29, 2009... ExxonMobil Chemical Co has launched Santoprene TPV M350, a high-flow, colourable thermoplastic vulcanizate for use in car interiors. The material provides excellent scratch and mar resistance, and less fogging and odour emissions.

3M introduces electrical insulating tape.
June 29, 2009... 3M Co has launched a polyester composite electrical insulating tape called 3M Electrical Tape 44HT, which is ideal for hard-to-hold applications. The high-tack material has durable backing that offers a strong, puncture-resistant protective...

Sartomer Co improves retarder technology.
June 29, 2009... Sartomer Co has developed a less volatile and odourless retarder process for use in the firm's crosslinking coagents. The retarder technology persists in the compound even at elevated processing temperatures.

GLS introduces new thermoplastic elastomers.
June 29, 2009... GLS Corp has commercialized flame resistant and zero-halogen thermoplastic elastomers that can be employed as replacement for conventional flexible vinyl jacketing and insulation in consumer electronics uses. The phthalates-free OnFlex TPE...

DSM introduces low viscosity EPDM.
June 29, 2009... DSM NV has launched a very-low viscosity EPDM for application in petroleum additives or processing additive for rubber uses. Keltan 1200A offers outstanding wetting properties for fibres and fillers, and has better adhesion in rubber compounds.

Bluestar has new solvent-less silicon polymer.
June 29, 2009... Bluestar Silicones USA Corp has developed a solvent-free silicon polymer called Silcolease Poly 336, which provides flat release coating system for liners and laminators. Silcolease Poly 336 can be modified for quick cure, low-temperature cure...

Chinese tyre makers seek new customers.
June 29, 2009... A number of Chinese tyre producers are already searching for new export markets, after the US International Trade Commissioned ruled in favour of the United Steelworkers' appeal to limit Chinese tyre imports into the USA. Several producers such...

In the doldrums: industrial, speciality tyre businesses struggling in down economy.
June 29, 2009... Industrial and speciality tyre producers, dealers and distributors, just like the rest of the industry, have been hit by the current economic slump. St Louis, Missouri-based Wedge Tire Co continues to enjoy a good amount of distribution for its...

Alliance Tire goes against tide, doing well in 2009.
June 29, 2009... US firm Alliance Tire Co USA Ltd, unlike other players in the tyre industry, is performing well and has already surpassed its North American sales target for 2009. The company's objective was to increase its 2008 North American sales of $25 M by...

SNF to build new polyacrylamide plant.
June 29, 2009... France's SNF Holdings plans to construct a polyacrylamide facility in Iberville Parish, LA, USA, at a cost of $362 M. The water-soluble polymers firm will bring the plant online in phases starting in 2011. The facility, when completed, will...

Monsanto weighs future of Roundup.
June 29, 2009... A separate division will be established by Monsanto for its herbicide products, including the Roundup glyphosate herbicide. An analyst said that the initiative could lead to the divestiture of the Roundup platform. The firm's sales of Roundup...

Arkema plans methacrylates cuts.
June 29, 2009... Arkema plans to shutter a 90,000 tonne/y methyl methacrylate facility at its site in Carling, France and focus production at its site in Rho, Italy because of overcapacity worldwide. The company will lay off 163 employees, contingent upon...

Invista enters engineering plastics.
June 29, 2009... Invista unveiled a new nylon 6,6 engineering polymers business at the recent NPE 2009 plastic trade show in Chicago, IL, USA. Several lawsuits have been filed between Invista and former parent company, including a suit charging Invista of...

Clariant plans further job cuts.
June 29, 2009... Speciality chemical maker Clariant is initiating its second round of job cuts in 2009, with plans to cut a further 500 jobs, mainly in the administrative area. The latest job cuts are on top of the roughly 1350 cuts announced in Jan 2009. Of the...

Chinese firm goes public in USA.
June 29, 2009... China's Chemspec International generated $57 M via an initial public offering on the New York Stock Exchange. The bulk of the money will be used to expand operations and R&D facilities in China's industrial sites in Shanghai, Jiangsu and...

Helsinn revamps manufacturing units.
June 29, 2009... Helsinn has restructured its active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) manufacturing operations in Switzerland and Ireland. The firm's advanced synthesis plant in Biasca, Switzerland will be expanded following an investment in the company's...

Microencapsulation aids insecticides.
June 29, 2009... A microencapsulation technology developed in UK and Australian government labs that could lessen pesticide resistance in insects has been licensed by Italian chemical manufacturer Endura. The technology hinders the release of insecticides to...

Protein Sciences gets HHS vaccine contract.
June 29, 2009... The Department of Health and Human Services has awarded a $35 M contract to US firm Protein Sciences Corp (PSC) for the development of a new route for influenza vaccine production. The value of the contract could reach $147 M if extended up to...

Merck joins DNDi in tropical disease fight.
June 29, 2009... Merck & Co will collaborate with the nonprofit Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative (DNDi) to develop advance treatments for tropical diseases, such as visceral leishmaniasis and Chagas disease. Merck will donate small-molecule assets...

BASF to close PS plant in Germany.
June 29, 2009... BASF's polystyrene (PS) facility in Ludwigshafen, Germany will be shuttered by end-Jun 2009 because of a drop in demand. As a result, the firm's capacity in Europe will be cut by 80,000 tonnes/y to 540,000 tonnes. BASF's expandable PS facility...

Frutarom acquires Hansen's savory flavours.
June 29, 2009... Israel-based Frutarom will acquire Chr Hansen's savory flavours business in Germany for $7 M. Hansen's Holdorf, Germany manufacturing operations will be closed and moved to Frutarom's plants in Germany.

Lonza, DSM extend partnership in Switzerland.
June 29, 2009... Lonza and DSM Nutritional Products will continue a partnership at their Visp and Lalden factories in Switzerland. Lonza provides services and raw materials for the production of DSM vitamins, carotenoids and aroma chemicals. The partners are...

GSK, Chroma Therapeutics to develop compounds.
June 29, 2009... Macrophage-targeted compounds will be developed by GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) and UK-based Chroma Therapeutics using Chroma's esterase-sensitive motif technology. Chroma could get over $1 bn if all projects with GSK do well. GSK also participated in...

Chemical security bill advances in House.
June 29, 2009... A bill that would grant the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) permanent authority to control security at chemical plants has been passed by the House Homeland Security Committee. The legislation would mandate facilities to use safer...

Safety board seeks accident data.
June 29, 2009... A measure that would require reporting of accidental chemical leaks to the Chemical Safety & Hazard Investigation Board (CSB) or to the Federal National Response Center has been presented by the CSB. At present, CSB gets chemical accident...

US targets China export restrictions.
June 29, 2009... A petition claiming that China is unfairly assisting its domestic industries, such as chemical and steel, through restrictions on the exports of various raw materials, namely, bauxite, coke, fluorspar, magnesium, manganese, silicon metal,...

Glufast, Urief to drive Kissei's growth: Dr Ajisawa.
June 29, 2009... Kissei Pharmaceutical is conducting phase I clinical trials for a fixed dose combination of the anti-diabetes drugs Glufast (mitiglinide) and Basen (voglibose) as part of its long-term growth strategy, according to company official Yukiyoshi...

Accelerating R&D of biosimilars: Kissei Pharmaceutical.
June 29, 2009... Kissei Pharmaceutical has allocated Yen 12.8 bn for drug discovery and R&D in FY 2009, with the aim of expediting development of biosimilars. The company hopes that its erythropoietin biosimilar JR-013, a treatment for renal anaemia, will be...

Eli Lilly Japan to increase sales of anticancer drugs to 30% of total sales.
June 29, 2009... Eli Lilly Japan targets to raise the sales share of its oncology business to 20% of total sales in 2009. By 2012 at the earliest, the company aims to increase the proportion of anticancer drug sales to more than 30%. To realize these objectives,...

Injectable Risperdal to change treatment of schizophrenia: Janssen.
June 29, 2009... Janssen Pharmaceutical will actively promote its antipsychotic agent Risperdal Consta for IM Injection (risperidone) as a new model for the treatment of schizophrenia. Administered every two weeks, the injectable medication will improve patient...

Zithromac leaps to top place in Apr 2009: rep track survey. [2 tables in original article].
June 29, 2009... Pfizer Japan's Zithromac (azithromycin) was the most heavily promoted drug in both Japan's GP and hospital markets in Apr 2009, according to a survey by TM Marketing. The 40% increase in the number of calls follows the launch on 6 Apr 2009 of...

Sanofi-aventis to lead diabetes drug market with Apidra.
June 29, 2009... Sanofi-aventis introduced the ultra fast-acting insulin analogue Apidra (recombinant insulin glulisine) on 24 Jun 2009 in Japan. Sales of the drug are predicted to reach Yen 470 M in the first year and Yen 10,720 M after 10 years. In 5-10 years,...

ASKA takes over five products from Wyeth.
June 29, 2009... ASKA Pharmaceutical will replace Wyeth as marketer of the following five products: oral contraceptive Tridiol (ethinylestradiol + levonorgestrel), NSAID Osteluc (etodolac), anthraquinone anti-tumour agent Novantron (mitoxantrone), sleep inducer...

Toyobo develops new expression vector to manufacture antibody pharmaceuticals at high yield.
June 29, 2009... Toyobo will start licensing in Sep 2009 an expression vector it has developed for the high-yield production of antibody pharmaceuticals. Jointly developed with Osaka University, the vector allows the quick and easy culturing of animal cells,...