Chemical Week articles from April 2006

Chemical Week archives from April 2006

Ethylene: going south.(viewpoint)
April 26, 2006... Naysayers have been predicting the decline and fall of the U.S. petrochemical industry ever since the price of natural gas started going up. Most petchem investment is being targeted at the Mideast, which has plenty of cheap feedstocks but...

Chao family to cut Westlake stake.(Brief article)
April 26, 2006... Westlake Chemical has filed with the SEC for a proposed sale of 5.5 million shares, an 8.5% stake in the company, by its controlling stockholder, the Chao family. The offering will be made through underwriters led by J.P. Morgan, Credit...

Hercules expects strong earnings.(Hercules Chemical Specialties Co.)(Brief article)
April 26, 2006... Hercules reported estimated first-quarter earnings of 13 cts/diluted share, compared to 4 cts/diluted share in the year-ago quarter. The preliminary results were reported at Hercules annual meeting on April 20. Preliminary earnings from...

Kraton invests in Asia.(Kraton Polymers)(Brief article)
April 26, 2006... Kraton Polymers says it plans to build a new styrenic block copolymer (SBC) plant and a customer service center in the Asia-Pacific region. Kraton has not yet decided on a specific location. The 30,000-m.t./year hydrogenated SBC plant is due...

Albemarle to close site in France.(Brief article)
April 26, 2006... Albemarle plans to close its site at Thann, France with the loss of 300 jobs, according to trade union representatives at the site. The closure is due to be announced at a meeting of the plant's works council on April 26, union...

DuPont lifts Ti[O.sub.2] force majeure at Delisle.(Brief article)
April 26, 2006... DuPont says it has lifted force majeure at its 300,000-m.t./year DeLisle, MS titanium dioxide (Ti[O.sub.2]) plant, after months of reconstruction following Hurricane Katrina. "Although we are lifting our force majeure declaration, we are...

3M posts strong earnings, raises 2006 guidance.(Brief article)
April 26, 2006... 3M reported first-quarter net income of $899 million ($1.17/share), a 20.6% increase compared to the year-ago period. The current quarter included stock option-related costs of 2 cts/share, while the year-ago quarter included stock...

Honeywell specialty materials posts sharp earnings advance.(Brief article)
April 26, 2006... Honeywell says its specialty materials unit posted first-quarter segment profit of $162 million, a 175% gain over the same year-ago quarter. Sales were $1.2 billion, a 44% increase compared to the year-ago quarter, which comprises 37% growth...

Huntsman forms "green" chemistry unit.(Brief article)
April 26, 2006... Huntsman says it has formed a new business unit to focus on developing "green" chemistry products and processes that "reduce or eliminate the use or generation of hazardous substances." Huntsman says it "green" products include: propylene...

Bayer makes Schering offer official; Schering recommends bid.(Brief article)
April 26, 2006... Bayer has made official its cash offer to acquire Schering (Berlin) for 16.5 billion [euro] ($19.5 billion), equivalent to 86 [euro]/share (CW, April 5, p. 18). Schering's executive and supervisory boards recommended the bid to the company's...

Brussels warns EU member states for violating climate change laws ...(Brief article)
April 26, 2006... The European Commission says it has warned several European Union (EU) member states that they face possible legal action for violating EU climate change legislation. The commission has taken "infringement procedures" against Cyprus, Greece,...

... Charges EU states with failing to liberalize energy markets.(Brief article)
April 26, 2006... The European Commission says it has begun legal action against 17 of the European Union's (EU) 25 member states for failing to open up their domestic energy markets to competition. EU member governments and the commission agreed in 2003 on...

Mitsui buys Avecia out of resins JV.(Mitsui Chemicals, Avecia Ltd., Image Polymers Europe)(Brief article)
April 26, 2006... Mitsui Chemicals says it has acquired Avecia's 500/0 stake in the companies' Image Polymers (Boston) joint venture. Financial terms were not disclosed. Image Polymers makes bimodal styrene acrylic copolymers for use as toner resins in...

Bidders line up for Cognis.(Brief article)
April 26, 2006... BASF and Croda, as well as private equity companies Apollo Management, Bain Capital, BC Partners, Blackstone, and CVC Capital Partners, are interested in acquiring Cognis, reports say. Cognis's private equity owners, Goldman Sachs Capital...

Uhde bags Chlor-Alkali contract.(Uhde GmbH, Lukoil Chemical )(Brief article)
April 26, 2006... Uhde says it has been awarded a contract by Lukoil Chemical (Moscow) to engineer and supply a chlor-alkali plant at Kalush, Ukraine. The plant will have capacity for 177,000 m.t./year of chlorine and 200,000 m.t./year of caustic soda. It is...

CNOOC plans fertilizer IPO.(China National Offshore Oil Corp., Initial public offerings)(Brief article)
April 26, 2006... China National Offshore Oil Corp. (CNOOC) plans to float 25% of its fertilizers business via an initial public offering (IPO) of shares on the Hong Kong stock exchange, local press reports say. J.P. Morgan Chase and UBS will manage the IPO,...

Borealis plans R&D investments.(Brief article)
April 26, 2006... Borealis says it will invest 25 million [euro]-30 million [euro] ($30 million-$36 million) over the next five years to expand its Linz, Austria innovation facility. The company also will spend 6 million [euro]-7 million [euro] this year to...

Kemira acquires R&D firm.(IFAC GmbH & Co)(Brief article)
April 26, 2006... Kemira says it has agreed to acquire privately owned R&D firm Ifac (Oberhausen, Germany) for an undisclosed amount. Ifac specializes in nanotechnology applications in the cosmetics industry.

Westlake to build ethane cracker in Trinidad.(Westlake Chemical Corp.)
April 26, 2006... Westlake Chemical says it is evaluating plans to build a $1.5-billion, ethane-based ethylene and derivatives complex in Trinidad and Tobago for startup in 2010. Westlake says it has signed a memorandum of understanding with the government of...

Braskem takes up Jose project plans.(Braskem contracts with Petroquimica de Venezuela S.A.)
April 26, 2006... Braskem (Sao Paulo) says it will conduct a feasibility study to forma 50-50 joint venture with Venezuelan state chemical company Pequiven (Caracas) to build an ethylene and derivatives complex at Jose, Venezuela. The project will require...

Diversified specialty firms beat forecasts, basics struggle.(Specialty chemicals industry)
April 26, 2006... PPG Industries says its first-quarter 2006 income rose 12%, to $213 million ($1.28/share), excluding after-tax charges of $23 million (14 cts/share) for business restructuring and $6 million (3 cts/share) related to an asbestos settlement...

BASF extends Engelhard bid again.(Brief article)
April 26, 2006... A deadline imposed on BASF for a final takeover offer for Engelhard passed last week without comment by either company. BASF says it received a letter from Engelhard's financial adviser on April 11 requesting a firm offer no later than April...

Linde signs hydrogen contract.(Linde Gas AG, Shell Chemical Co.)(Brief article)
April 26, 2006... Linde says that it will build and operate an on-site hydrogen steam methane reformer at Shell Chemical's plant at Mobile, AL. Linde says it will supply industrial-grade hydrogen to enable gasoil hydrotreating by Shell. The scheduled start-up...

Chemtura plans bond offering.(Brief article)
April 26, 2006... Chemtura says it plans to raise $400 million through an offering of senior notes, due 2016. The company says it will use the net proceeds to redeem its outstanding aggregate principal amount of senior floating rate notes of $164.8 million;...

Ethanol requirement contributing to gasoline price rises?
April 26, 2006... New federal laws requiring the addition of more ethanol in gasoline could be contributing to rising gasoline prices, analysts say. Last year's energy bill requires refiners to begin using more ethanol in gasoline blends this year, up to 7.5...

KBR files for an IPO.(Kellogg Brown and Root, initial public offerings)(Brief article)
April 26, 2006... Kellogg Brown and Root (KBR), the engineering and construction subsidiary of Halliburton, says it has filed a registration statement with the SEC for a planned initial public offering (IPO) of $550 million in common stock. Proceeds would go...

Hurricanes cut plastics demand in 2005.(Brief article)
April 26, 2006... U.S. GulfCoast hurricane impacts curbed plastics demand last year despite a strong start to the year and healthy economic growth, ACC says. Plastic resin production fell 4.7%, to 110 billion lbs, and demand contracted 2.9%, to 110.6 billion...

Paintmakers in Rhode Island lead paint suit ask for retrial.(Brief article)
April 26, 2006... Three former makers of lead-based paint say they have asked a Rhode Island judge to dismiss the case against them, or hold a new trial. A Rhode Island jury found NL Industries; Millennium Holdings, now a subsidiary of Lyondell Chemical; and...

Chemtura plans bond offering.(Brief article)
April 26, 2006... Chemtura says it plans to raise $400 million through an offering of senior notes due 2016. The company says it will use the net proceeds to redeem its outstanding aggregate principal amount of senior floating-rate notes of $164.8 million; and...

Abu Dhabi Melamine JV formed.(Abu Dhabi National Oil Co., Agrolinz Melamine International)(Brief article)
April 26, 2006... Abu Dhabi National Oil Co. (Adnoc) and Agrolinz Melamine International (AMI; Linz, Austria) have signed a contract for a previously announced 60-40 melamine joint venture at Ruwais, Abu Dhabi (CW, May 11, 2005, p. 11). The $185-million plant...

Fluor lands Saudi acetyls deal.(Fluor Daniel Arabia, Saudi International Petrochemical Co.)(Brief article)
April 26, 2006... Saudi International Petrochemicals Co. (Sipchem; Al Khobar) says it has awarded Fluor Cariada a contract to build previously announced units producing 460,000 m.t./year of acetic acid and 300,000 m.t./year of vinyl acetate monomer (VAM), as...

Brenntag's sales and profits rise.(Brief article)
April 26, 2006... Brenntag posted an 11% increase in 2005 Ebitda, to 301 million [euro] ($365 million), on sales up 15%, to 5.3 billion [euro]. Fourth-quarter figures were not disclosed. Growth was achieved despite "slightly restrained dynamics in the...

Univar acquires in Spain.(Univar Europe accquires JSM Chemicals (Chiva, Spain))(Brief article)
April 26, 2006... Univar says it has acquired JSM Chemicals (Chiva, Spain) from JSM's management for an undisclosed amount. JSM is a distributor of solvents and inorganic chemicals, and has sales of about 13 million [euro]/year ($16 million). It operates a...

Industry alarmed by Europe's proposed GM approval process.(Genetically engineered foods)
April 26, 2006... Biotechnology industry group EuropaBio (Brussels) says it is concerned that the authorization process for genetically modified (GM) crops and foods in Europe could get tougher under a new authorization system being planned by the European...

Israel Chemicals eyes Haifa Chemicals.(Israel Chemicals Ltd., Haifa Chemicals )(Brief article)
April 26, 2006... Israel Chemicals Ltd. (ICL; Tel Aviv) says it is interested "in studying the possibility of acquiring business and assets" of Haifa Chemicals (Haifa, Israel). ICL says it has submitted a nonbinding letter to Haifa Chemicals covering the...

Australian firm plans urea unit, starts up ammonia plant.(Brief article)
April 26, 2006... Burrup Fertilisers (Perth, Australia) says it is considering plans for a $1.1-billion urea project. The company says it is evaluating locations, including Australia and the Mideast, for the 2.2-million/year plant. Burrup Fertilisers expects...

Toray plans ABS hike in Malaysia.(Toray Industries, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene)(Brief article)
April 26, 2006... Toray Industries says it plans to increase capacity for acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) at Penang, Malaysia from 220,000 m.t./year, to 330,000 m.t./year. Toray Plastics (Malaysia), a Toray subsidiary, will invest about [yen] 10 billion...

Tosoh raises isocyanates stake.(increases its stake in Nippon Polyurethane Industry from Hodogaya Chemical Company Ltd.)(Brief article)
April 26, 2006... Tosoh says it will increase its stake in Nippon Polyurethane Industry (NPU) from 35%, to 51%, by acquiring shares from its partner, Hodogaya Chemical. Tosoh will also increase its stake in Hodogaya from 24%, to 33%, via a share issue by...

Mitsui expands nonwovens.(Mitsui Hygiene Materials Thailand)(Brief article)
April 26, 2006... Mitsui Chemicals says it has decided to expand capacity for polypropylene spunbonded nonwoven fabrics (PSNF) at Rayong, Thailand. Mitsui Hygiene Materials Thailand, a Mitsui subsidiary, will increase capacity for PSNF from 14,000 m.t./year,...

Indian Oil and Haryana State sign petchem hub deal.(Indian Oil Corporation Ltd. contracts with Haryana State Industries Development Corp.)(Brief article)
April 26, 2006... Indian Oil says it has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Haryana State Industries Development Corp. (New Delhi) to establish a petrochemical manufacturing hub at tndian Oil's Panipat site in the state of Haryana, India (CW, April...

Rhodia builds nylon plant in Korea.(Brief article)
April 26, 2006... Rhodia says it will invest close to 40 million [euro] ($48.5 million) to build a nylon-6,6 manufacturing complex at Onsan, Korea. The complex will be Rhodia's first nylon polymerization unit in Asia. It will include facilities producing nylon...

Stone & Webster lands YanSab aromatics, butene order.(Yanbu National Petrochemical Co. contracts with Stone and Webster Construction Company Inc.)(Brief article)
April 26, 2006... Sabic says that its Yanbu National Petrochemical Co. (YanSab; Yanbu, Saudi Arabia) affiliate has signed a letter of intent with Stone & Webster to build previously announced aromatics and butene-1 facilities at Yanbu. The butene plant will...

Dow builds glycol ether unit in China.(Dow Chemical Co.)(Brief article)
April 26, 2006... Dow Chemical says it will build a 120,000-m.t./year, propylene oxide-based glycol ether plant at Zhangjiagang, China by late 2008. Dow's Dowanol glycol ethers have applications in the electronics, and paints and coatings industries. The plant...

Mosaic signs Coke gasification ammonia plant LOI.(letter of intent )(with US Syngas )(Brief article)
April 26, 2006... Mosaic says it has signed a nonbinding letter of intent (LOI) with US Syngas (USS) to develop a world-scale petroleum coke gasification project that will produce 1.3 million m.t./year of ammonia at Mosaic's Faustina, LA phosphate...

Mitsui and Sinopec proceed with BPA near Shanghai.(Mitsui Chemicals, China Petroleum and Chemical Corp.)(bisphenol A)(Brief article)
April 26, 2006... Mitsui Chemicals and Sinopec say they have obtained a license from the Chinese government to form a joint venture to build a previously announced bisphenol A (BPA) plant at Caojing, near Shanghai (CW, April 7, 2004, p. 20). The partners have...

Arkema ups molecular sieves capacity in Poland.(Ceca )(Brief article)
April 26, 2006... Arkema says its wholly owned subsidiary Ceca will add capacity at its synthetic zeolites molecular sieves manufacturing plant at Inowroclaw, Poland, raising its worldwide total by 30%. The expansion will cost 7 million [euro] ($8.4 million)...

Japan: blossoming profitability.
April 26, 2006... Steady domestic demand for chemicals, increased selling prices, strong exports, and a focused effort to contain costs are helping Japanese chemical producers improve their earnings and recover along with the domestic economy, producers and...

In pursuit of stable high growth through creative hybrid chemistry.(Sumitomo Chemical Company Ltd.)(Company overview)
April 26, 2006... About Sumitomo Chemical Sumitomo Chemical is one of Japan's leading chemical companies, offering a diverse range of products in the fields of basic chemicals, petrochemicals, fine chemicals, IT-related chemicals, agricultural chemicals,...

Focused on growth.(Asahi Kasei Corp.)(Company overview)
April 26, 2006... About Asahi Kasei Asahi Kasei provides innovative solutions based on chemistry and materials science to a diverse range of markets including fibers, chemicals, consumer products, housing, construction materials, electronics, and health...

Japan's chemical Industry: current state and outlook.(Japan Chemical Industry Association)(Industry overview)
April 26, 2006... Japan's chemical industry produced generally good results in 2005 despite higher-than-expected crude oil and naphtha prices. The achievement was due to a gradual recovery in the Japanese economy that began in mid-2005. The recovery reflects...

Facing the challenges ahead from a position of strength.(Japan Petrochemical Industry Association)
April 26, 2006... Looking back on the past year, the Japanese economy continued its moderate pace of recovery and gradually began to emerge from its deflationary state. It was the second good year in a row for petrochemicals too, with ethylene production...

Focused on increasing corporate value and ensuring profitable growth.(Dainippon Ink and Chemicals Inc.)(Company overview)
April 26, 2006... About DIC Dainippon Ink and Chemicals (DIC) is a diversified manufacturer of specialty chemicals with a leading position in key markets. DIC is also a multinational group with a global network comprising more than 230 subsidiaries and...

Global strategy drives progress of specialty chemicals business.(Ube Industries Ltd.)(Company overview)
April 26, 2006... About Ube Ube Industries is one of Japan's leading chemical manufacturers, and has a history dating back more than 100 years. Its global business is focused on five segments. Chemicals are at the core of Ube's activities. The company...

Toward exciting innovation and outstanding earnings recognized throughout the world, a sustainably growing diversified specialty chemical company.(Kuraray Chemical Company Ltd.)(Company overview)
April 26, 2006... About Kuraray Kuraray has developed a host of technological applications based on its expertise in polymerization and synthetic chemistry, and diversified technology. Our range of highly original products, evolved from this solid...

Original technology, competitive products.(Mitsubishi Gas Chemical Company Inc.)(Company overview)
April 26, 2006... About Mitsubishi Gas Chemical Mitsubishi Gas Chemical Company, Inc. (MGC) is a unique chemicals company, working from a strong base of proprietary technology to pursue businesses ranging from resource development and basic chemicals such...

Responsible care in Japan: a partnership between the chemical industry and government.
April 26, 2006... At a side event at the International Conference on Chemicals Management, held in Dubai by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) from February 4-6, the International Council of Chemical Associations (ICCA) announced the launch of two new...

Suppliers capitalize on high LCD demand.(chemical companies expands capacities and facilities to supply electronics materials)(liquid crystal display)
April 26, 2006... World demand for polarizing films, sputtering targets, and other electronics materials used to produce liquid crystal displays (LCDs) is booming, Japanese suppliers say. They cite continued high growth for LCD products including flat-panel...

Reach legislation looms in Europe: industry rallies against authorization constraints.(Registration, Evaluation, and Authorisation of Chemicals)
April 26, 2006... The Registration, Evaluation, and Authorisation of Chemicals (Reach)--the largest single body of environmental legislation in the history of the European Union (EU)--will be finalized within several months. Reach is due to be introduced in...

Legislative battles loom: state defends against federal preemption.
April 26, 2006... New Jersey chemical makers say they are monitoring changes that the state government, headed by newly elected Governor Jon Corzine (D.), has proposed regarding plant security and environmental issues. As new appointees take their places in...

Indian firms to double share of contact sector.(MANUFACTURING)
April 26, 2006... India will have a 15% share of the world custom research and manufacturing (CRAM) outsourcing market for bulk drugs by 2009-10, more than double its current share of 6%-7%, according to speakers at a conference in Mumbai held earlier this...

Europe draws up GMP law for excipients.(pharmaceutical industry regulation, good manufacturing practice)(Brief article)
April 26, 2006... The European Commission says it is advancing previously announced plans to introduce legislation requiring certain pharmaceutical excipients to be manufactured according to GMP quality procedures. The legislation is likely to be introduced...

Equity firm buys Lubrizol API unit.(pharmaceuticals & fine chemicals)(Auctus Management, active pharmaceutical ingredient)(Brief article)
April 26, 2006... Private equity firm Auctus Management (Munich) says it has agreed to acquire Lubrizol's active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) and intermediate compounds business, which has facilities at Raubling, Germany and Chennai, India. Financial terms...

Shasun completes Rhodia deal.(pharmaceuticals & fine chemicals)(Shasun Chemicals and Drugs to acquire Rhodia Pharmaceutical Services)(Brief article)
April 26, 2006... Shasun Chemicals and Drugs (Chennai, India) says it has completed the previously announced acquisition of custom fine chemicals manufacturer Rhodia Pharmaceutical Services, from Rhodia (CW, Jan. 18, p. 25). Shasun says the acquisition cost...

Watson buys Indian API Firm.(pharmaceuticals & fine chemicals)(Watson Pharmaceuticals Inc., Sekhsaria Chemicals, active pharma ingredients )(Brief article)
April 26, 2006... Specialty pharma company Watson Pharmaceuticals (Corona, EA) says it has completed the acquisition of pharma process R&D and contract manufacturing firm Sekhsaria Chemicals (Mumbai) for an undisclosed sum. "Sekhsaria's unique capabilities in...

Kerry buys two food ingredient makers.(M&A)(Kerry Group PLC acquires Custom Industries L.P. and Nuvex Ingredients Inc.)
April 26, 2006... Food ingredients maker Kerry Group (Tralee, Ireland) says it has acquired Custom Industries (St. Louis) and Nuvex Ingredients (Blue Earth, MN) for a total of $83 million. The businesses have combined revenues of $83.7 million/year, Kerry...

Ciba forms electronic chemicals deal.(specialties)(Ciba Specialty Chemicals, Novaled)(Brief article)
April 26, 2006... Ciba Specialty Chemicals says it has agreed to produce organic light-emitting diode (OLED) materials for Novaled (Dresden, Germany). Novaled will market the materials, Ciba says. The companies will also collaborate in the development of...

Cognis to expand solvent output.(specialties)(Brief article)
April 26, 2006... Cognis says it has commissioned an oleochemical dimethylamides plant near Barcelona, Spain. The solvents are used in agchem formulation, the company says. Capacity and the cost of the plant were not disclosed.

Specialty price watch.(ICL Industrial Products to raise flame retardants prices)(Huber Engineered Materials to raise silicates prices)(Brief article)
April 26, 2006... ICL Industrial Products (Beer-Sheva, Israel) says it will raise flame retardant by up to 10%, effective May 1 J.M. Huber's Huber Engineered Materials says it will raise prices for precipitated silica and silicate, primarily used in industrial...

Dow ups cooking oil production.(DIGEST)(Dow AgroSciences L.L.C.)(Brief article)
April 26, 2006... Dow AgroSciences says it is increasing production of its Natreon-brand, low-linolenic canola and sunflower oil by 35% in North America. Dow says its oils can be used to replace those that change to trans fatty acids (trans fats), which have...

Hopax expands PU additives.(Hopax Fine Chemicals, polyurethane)(Brief article)
April 26, 2006... Hopax Fine Chemicals (Kaohsiung, Taiwan) says it is expanding capacity for its hydrophilizing agent for water-borne polyurethane (WBPU) at Kaohsiung. The company did not disclose the size of the expansion, or the plant's current capacity, but...

OxyChem to convert Louisiana chlor-alkali plant to KOH.(potassium hydroxide )
April 26, 2006... OxyChem says it will convert its 195,000-tons/year membrane-cell chlor-alkali plant at Taft, LA to produce potassium hydroxide (KOH), and close its Muscle Shoals, AL mercury cell chloralkali plant when the conversion is complete in 2008. The...

Margin contraction expected in the second quarter.(polymers)(Brief article)
April 26, 2006... Polymer margins are expected to slide in the second quarter as polymer prices fall in the midst of steady feedstock prices, analysts say. Margins for major polymers had been improving through the first quarter despite falling prices as a...

DSM doubles engineering plastics.(plans to open new facility in China)(Brief article)
April 26, 2006... DSM says it will open an engineering plastics compounding site at Jiangsu, China this week that will double capacity to produce its nylon-4, 6, nylon-6, and polybutylene terephthalate compounds. The company did not disclose specific...

Kinder Morgan buys terminals.(Kinder Morgan Energy Partners L.P. acquires ethanol rail terminals from U.S. Development Corp.)(Brief article)
April 26, 2006... Kinder Morgan Energy Partners (Houston) says it has the bought an ethanol rail terminal at Carson, CA, as well as a rail terminal at Deer Park, TX from U.S. Development (Pasadena, TX) for $63 million. The Carson facility is the largest...

Solution Dispersions picks distributors.(ChemCentral Corp.)(Brief article)
April 26, 2006... Solution Dispersions (Cynthiana, KY) says it has picked ChemCentral and ChemCentral joint venture partners as distributors for its carbon black dispersions for all markets outside the U.S.

CW price report.(petrochemicals prices)
April 26, 2006... Crude oil spiked past $70/bbl last week, pushing cracker feedstocks and gasoline prices higher. The rise in feedstock prices reversed the recent declines in U.S. ethylene spot prices and led to a surge in aromatics prices. U.S. benzene surged...

2006 ISO & responsible care profiles.(International Standardization Organization)
April 26, 2006... CHEMICALS AIR PRODUCTS AND CHEMICALS, INC. 7201 Hamilton Boulevard Allentown, PA, USA 18195-1501 Tel: 610-481-4911 E-mail: info@airproducts.com WWW: www.airproducts.com Air Products (NYSE:APD) serves customers in...

EPA adds Olin site in Massachusetts to superfund list.(Environmental Protection Agency)
April 26, 2006... EPA says it has added six new hazardous waste sites to the Superfund National Priorities List, including Olin's former site at Wilmington, MA. EPA officials say the addition of the Olin site will "ensure a complete and thorough investigation"...

Schwarzenegger joins fight to retain Prod. 65.(governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, food labeling legislation)(Brief article)
April 26, 2006... California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger (R.) says he opposes federal legislation that would streamline requirements for regulating food product labels because the bill would interfere With the state's rights to have its own consumer...

Court orders EPA to release mercury documents.(Environmental Protection Agency)(Brief article)
April 26, 2006... A federal judge has ordered EPA to hand over documents to Massachusetts state officials pertaining to the agency's analysis of two competing approaches to reducing mercury emissions. The case centers on EPA's decision in 2004 to develop a...

CW75 stock performance.(chemical industry stock market statistics)
April 26, 2006... The CW75 Index rose 3.3% for the week ending April 19, following news of analysts' and producers' positive first-quarter chemical earnings expectations (CW, April 12/19, p. 8). Investors are confident about the sector despite high oil prices,...

DuPont restructures senior management.(promotions at E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Co.)(Brief article)
April 26, 2006... DuPont has made promotions: Mathieu Vrijsen to senior v.p./operations and engineering; Ian Hudson to president/DuPont Europe, Middle East, and Africa; W. Donald Johnson to chairman and representative director of DuPont K.K.; Diane M. Gulyas...

Fitz Chem.(key changes)
April 26, 2006... FITZ CHEM has appointed Blair Oldfield technical industry manager for the construction industry.

Lonza.(key changes)
April 26, 2006... Joseph Colleluori has been appointed head of corporate development for LONZA.