Chemical Week articles from January 2010

Chemical Week archives from January 2010

2010 vision.(chemical production and demand)(Viewpoint essay)(Brief article)
January 4, 2010... All indications point to continued recovery this year, led by China. Producers are optimistic that the gradual demand improvement since second-quarter 2009 can be sustained in the new year. Forecasts call for global chemical output to increase...

Dow, Syngenta ink deal.(Dow AgroSciences L.L.C.)(Brief article)
January 4, 2010... Syngenta has licensed a number of its VipCot cotton varieties and access to its C0T102 transgenic cotton to Dow AgroSciences, the companies say. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. Dow AgroSciences will receive a global license to...

Cereplast extends deal.(A. Schulman Inc. (Akron, Ohio))(Brief article)
January 4, 2010... Cereplast says it has extended its existing distribution deal with A. Schulman to include all of Europe. Under the terms of a previous distribution deal, A. Schulman distributed Cereplast's products in France. The extended deal will enable the...

Koppers sells facility.(Koppers Company Inc. sold its facility to Beazer East Inc.)(Brief article)
January 4, 2010... Koppers has sold its wood treatment facility in Gainesville, Florida to Beazer East (Pittsburgh), a subsidiary of Hanson (London). The terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Momentive solar deal.(Momentive Performance Materials signed distribution deal with Targay Technology International)(Brief article)
January 4, 2010... Momentive Performance Materials has signed an agreement with Targay Technology International (Montreal) regarding the distribution of solar industry related products. Such products include silicone plotting, sealing and adhesive products for the...

Jury rules against BP.(British Petroleum Company PLC)(Brief article)
January 4, 2010... A federal jury awarded 10 plaintiffs more than $100 million in a lawsuit against BP for alleged exposure to toxic emissions at the company's Texas City, TX facility. The jury awarded $10 million in punitive damages to each plaintiff for four...

Mosaic's earnings tumble on lower prices, volumes.(Financial report)(Brief article)
January 4, 2010... Mosaic reported net earnings of $107.8 million (24 cts/share) in its fiscal second quarter ended November 30, down 88% from the year-ago period, due to lower phosphate and potash selling prices coupled with lower potash sales volumes. Excluding...

New York advances chemical avoidance list.(Brief article)
January 4, 2010... New York officials have forwarded a proposal recommending that state agencies avoid purchasing products containing 94 substances. The list includes chemicals that are persistent, bioaccumulative, cause reproductive harm, or are known or...

Bunge buys sugar, ethanol assets in Brazil.(Unisa Moema Participacoes)(Brief article)
January 4, 2010... U.S. agribusiness firm Bunge (White Plains, NY) says it has agreed to purchase Brazilian sugar and ethanol producer Unisa Moema Participacoes (Moema; Sao Paulo). The deal gives Bunge one wholly owned sugarcane mill and ownership interest in five...

Agrium must sell assets to acquire CF.(CF Industries Inc.)(Brief article)
January 4, 2010... Agrium has agreed to sell its ammonia distribution facility at Marseilles, IL and rescind rights to market anhydrous ammonia produced by Rentech's (Denver) East Dubuque, IL plant in order to gain FTC approval for its proposed acquisition of CF...

EPA proposes tighter standards for ground-level ozone.(United States. Environmental Protection Agency. Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee)(Environmental Protection Agency)(Brief article)
January 4, 2010... EPA has proposed strengthening ground-level ozone standards by reducing the eight-hour level to 0.060-0.070 parts per million (ppm), its strictest to date, from 0.075 ppm set in March 2008 under the Bush Administration. The agency says that the...

Ineos considers several options to boost its balance sheet.(Brief article)
January 4, 2010... Ineos says it is considering a number of options, including full or partial disposals and bringing in new partners, to strengthen its balance sheet and reduce debt, currently put at more than 7 billion [euro] ($10 billion). The company has...

Equipolymers to sell Italian units to Indorama.(Brief article)
January 4, 2010... Equipolymers (Horgen, Switzerland), a producer of purified terephthalic acid (PTA) and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottle resin is in advanced negotiations to sell its Equipolymers Srl (Ottana, Italy) subsidiary to a group headed by Paolo...

Teijin to divest polyester fiber subsidiary.(Teijin Indonesia Fibre Corporation P.T.)(Brief article)
January 4, 2010... Teijin says it will sell its 97.9% stake in polyester fiber manufacturing company Teijin Indonesia Fiber (Tifico; Jakarta) to four textile manufacturers. The four companies are Prospect Motor (Jakarta), Hermawan Sentral Investama (Bandung,...

Lanxess buys PTAP line.(Nipacide p-tert-amylphenol )(Brief article)
January 4, 2010... Lanxess says it has acquired Clariant's Nipacide p-tert-amylphenol (PTAP) product line. PTAP complements Lanxess's Material Protection Products (MPP) phenolic active ingredients business unit, Lanxess says. Financial terms of the deal were not...

China cuts BDO duty.(butanediol)(Brief article)
January 4, 2010... The Ministry of Commerce (Mofcom; Beijing) has announced a definitive antidumping duty of 4.5% on 1,4-butanediol (BDO) imported from Saudi Arabia, according to Sipchem. International Diol Co. (IDC), a Sipchem subsidiary, is the only producer of...

Bayer China gases pact.(Shanghai Chemical Industry Park Industrial Gases)(Bayer Polyurethanes Shanghai)(Brief article)
January 4, 2010... Air Liquide says its Shanghai Chemical Industry Park Industrial Gases (SCIPIG; Caojing, China) joint venture with Praxair has signed a 15-year contract to supply Bayer Polyurethanes Shanghai. SCIPIG will build a steam methane reformer to make...

EPA lays groundwork for new regulations under TSCA.(TOP OF THE WEEK)(Toxic Substances Control Act)(Toxics Release Inventory )
January 4, 2010... EPA's late December release of four chemical action plans under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) offers key details on how EPA intends to use its existing authority "to the fullest extent possible" to review and regulate chemicals of...

QP, ExxonMobil sign deal for Qatar Petchems project.(TOP OF THE WEEK)(ExxonMobil Chemical Co.)(Qatar Petroleum Corp.)(Brief article)
January 4, 2010... Qatar Petroleum (QP; Doha) and ExxonMobil Chemicat have signed an agreement to advance their plans to build a world-scale petrochemicals complex at Ras Laffan, Qatar. The complex will include a gas cracker with capacity for 1.6 million m.t./year...

Monsanto posts a loss, softens stance on patent expiration.(BUSINESS & FINANCE NEWS: UNITED STATES/AMERICAS)(Monsanto Co. Chemical Group)(Financial report)
January 4, 2010... Monsanto reported a fiscal first quarter loss, missing analyst estimates, but told investors it expects blockbuster product launches in 2010 to set the stage for continued strong growth. The company reported a net loss of $19 million (3...

Technip is awarded FEED contract for ethylene complex in Venezuela.(BUSINESS & FINANCE NEWS: UNITED STATES/AMERICAS)(front-end engineering design)(Polimerica )(Brief article)
January 4, 2010... Technip has been awarded a reimbursable contract by Polimerica (Caracas) to perform front-end engineering design (FEED) for a previously announced ethane cracker at Jose, Venezuela. The plant will be designed to produce 1.3 million m.t./year of...

Key LyondellBasell creditors back reorganization plan.(BUSINESS & FINANCE NEWS: UNITED STATES/AMERICAS)
January 4, 2010... LyondellBasell says that creditors representing a majority of its senior and bridge secured debt have agreed to support the company's reorganization plan. "Substantial holders" of LyondellBasell's secured debt have agreed to convert about $18...

Huntsman drops bid for Tronox as court approves bondholder deal.(BUSINESS & FINANCE NEWS: UNITED STATES/AMERICAS)(Huntsman Chemical Corp.)(Brief article)
January 4, 2010... Tronox has received an interim order from the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York authorizing the company to replace its existing senior secured financing and an order to enter into certain agreements as part of a...

OMG to acquire battery maker EaglePicher Technologies.(BUSINESS & FINANCE NEWS: UNITED STATES/AMERICAS)(Brief article)
January 4, 2010... OM Group (OMG) has signed a definitive agreement to purchase EaglePicher Technologies (EaglePicher; Joplin, MO), a maker of batteries and energy devices for defense, space, and commercial applications, for $172 million. "We believe...

Braskem merger advances; Petrobras links with PetroChina.(BUSINESS & FINANCE NEWS: UNITED STATES/AMERICAS)(PetroChina Company Ltd.)(Petroleo Brasileiro S.A.)
January 4, 2010... Discussions for a merger between Brazil's two largest polyolefins producers, Braskem and Quattor, had "significantly" advanced by CW presstime. However, Quattor's majority shareholder Petrobras (Rio de Janeiro), Brazil's state-controlled oil...

Senate panel passes bill overhauling STB; shippers file antitrust suit.(BUSINESS & FINANCE NEWS: UNITED STATES/AMERICAS)(Surface Transportation Board)
January 4, 2010... A U.S. Senate committee has passed legislation that would increase government oversight of railroads and give shippers access to more rail carriers and greater leverage in negotiating rates. Chemical firms have for years been urging Congress to...

PotashCorp slashes potash price.(BUSINESS & FINANCE NEWS: UNITED STATES/AMERICAS)(Brief article)(Statistical data)
January 4, 2010... PotashCorp says it has lowered the price of potash from U.S. warehouses to $390$400/m.t. through February. The company did not disclose the previous potash price, citing the absence of a published price list due to soft market conditions....

Cost cutting lifts profits at RPM and Schulman.(BUSINESS & FINANCE NEWS: UNITED STATES/AMERICAS)(RPM International Inc.)(Financial report)
January 4, 2010... RPM International and A. Schulman each posted gains in their most I recent fiscal quarters, despite revenue declines. RPM's net income for its fiscal second quarter ended November 30, 2009 rose 34%, to $55.9 million, on sales down 4%, to $859...

Borouge rolls out logistics as it gears up for Borouge 2.(BUSINESS & FINANCE NEWS: EUROPE/MIDEAST)(Borouge Pte)
January 4, 2010... Borouge Pte (Singapore), the marketing arm of Borouge (Abu Dhabi), is gearing up for the commissioning in mid-2010 of the Borouge 2 manufacturing complex at Ruwais, Abu Dhabi. The company is establishing three logistics hubs in Asia, has formed...

Merck to buy Avecia biologics.(BUSINESS & FINANCE NEWS: EUROPE/MIDEAST)(Merck & Company Inc.)(Brief article)
January 4, 2010... Merck & Co. says it has agreed to buy Avecia Biologics, the contract biologic drugs manufacturing business of Avecia (Manchester, U.K.). The business has expertise in microbial-derived biologics and its operations are at Billingham, U.K.

Vopak, Zamil plan storage JV.(BUSINESS & FINANCE NEWS: EUROPE/MIDEAST)(Brief article)
January 4, 2010... Vopak and Zamil Group (AI Khobar, Saudi Arabia) plan to form a joint venture for the Mideast and North Africa. The jv will develop bulk liquid and natural gas terminals.

Romania's Oltchim agrees to buy Arpechim Petchem assets.(BUSINESS & FINANCE NEWS: EUROPE/MIDEAST)(Brief article)
January 4, 2010... State-owned chemicals company Oltchim (Ramnicu Valcea, Romania) has agreed to acquire the Arpechim (Pitesti, Romania) petrochemicals business from oil and gas company Petrom (Bucharest). Oltchim will pay about 13 million [euro] ($19 million),...

Celanese acquires engineering plastics firm in Germany.(BUSINESS & FINANCE NEWS: EUROPE/MIDEAST)(Future Advanced Composites Technology )(Brief article)
January 4, 2010... Celanese says it has acquired Future Advanced Composites Technology (FACT; Kaiserslautern, Germany) from plastics distribution, compounding, and recycling firm Ravago (Arendonk, Belgium). Financial terms were not disclosed. FACT is a leading...

Nufarm-Sinochem talks end; Sumitomo to buy Nufarm stake.(BUSINESS & FINANCE NEWS: ASIA/PACIFIC)
January 4, 2010... Agchem firm Nufarm (Melbourne) says it has terminated discussions with Sinochem (Beijing) for the previously announced acquisition of Nufarm by Sinochem. Nufarm and Sinochem signed a heads of agreement in September 2009 for a nonbinding...

Ube to merge Caprolactam and Nylon subsidiaries in Thailand.(BUSINESS & FINANCE NEWS: ASIA/PACIFIC)
January 4, 2010... Ube Industries says it will merge its Thai Caprolactam (Bangkok) and Ube Nylon Thailand (Bangkok) subsidiaries effective February 1, 2010, and that the merged company will be named Ube Chemicals Asia (Bangkok). Ube holds 91% of Thai Caprolactam...

Ineos and Sinopec sign deal for phenol complex at Nanjing.(NEW CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS)(China Petroleum and Chemical Corp.)(Brief article)
January 4, 2010... Ineos and Sinopec have signed a letter of intent to study and negotiate a joint venture that would build and operate a phenolacetone complex at the Nanjing Chemical Industrial Park at Nanjing, China. The partners' respective Ineos Phenol and...

Saudi Kayan, Ma'aden place plant orders with Daelim.(NEW CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS)(Daelim Industrial Company Ltd.)(Brief article)
January 4, 2010... Saudi Kayan, a Sabic subsidiary, has signed a letter of intent with Daelim Industrial (Seoul) for construction of a low-density polyethylene (LDPE) plant at Al Jubail, Saudi Arabia. The plant will be designed to produce 300,000 m.t./year of LDPE...

Bids expected shortly for Sabic-ExxonMobil elastomers complex.(NEW CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS)(ExxonMobil Chemical Co.)(Saudi Basic Industries Corp.)(Brief article)
January 4, 2010... Invitations to bid are expected to be issued this month for some units that will form part of a previously announced elastomers joint venture between Sabic and ExxonMobil Chemical at Al Jubail and Yanbu, Saudi Arabia, local sources say. The...

Tosoh to construct second PVC manfacturing plant in China.(NEW CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS)(polyvinyl chloride )(Brief article)
January 4, 2010... Tosoh has announced plans to invest [yen]10 billion ($109 million) to build a second polyvinyl chloride (PVC) plant in China. The unit will be located at Guangzhou and be operated by the Tosoh Guangzhou Chemical Industries subsidiary. Tosoh says...

Kuwaiti Firms Make Progress with Vietnam, China Plans
January 4, 2010... Kuwait Petroleum International (KPI), Idemitsu Kosan, Mitsui Chemicals, and PetroVietnam (Hanoi) are finalizing plans for a previously announced $6-billion refinery and petrochemical project at Nghi Son, Vietnam (CW, April 21, 2008, p. 25). The...

Forecast 2010: what to expect in a year of recovery.(Cover story)(Statistical data)
January 4, 2010... While the outlook for 2010 is optimistic, industry sentiment remains cautious as producers hope that recent demand improvement-spurred largely by huge global stimulus programs--can be sustained. Global chemical industry output is forecast to...

Ready for recovery.(PETROCHEMICALS)(petrochemical industry growth)
January 4, 2010... Petrochemical producers expect another challenging year for the industry, as demand begins to rebound just as the market prepares for an onslaught of new capacity to come onstream in the Mideast. Conditions, however, are improved and less dire...

Uneven recovery anticipated for polyolefins.(PLASTICS)
January 4, 2010... Rapidly changing co-monomer prices and availability are keeping linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE) markets in suspense while low-density polyethylene (LDPE) is showing promising signs. High-density polyethylene (HDPE) prices are expected to...

Restocking drives growth.(SPECIALTIES)
January 4, 2010... Specialty chemical makers are cautious but say they expect demand to improve compared to 2009. Customers, especially those exposed to consumer markets, have completed or are nearly finished destocking their inventories, which will most likely...

Striking a balance.(FEEDSTOCKS)(Petrochemicals price and demand)
January 4, 2010... Oil prices will likely remain stable at around $80/bbl as demand growth averages about 3% this year, says Purvin & Gertz (Houston). "The global energy balance is more comfortable," says Ron Gist, consultant at Purvin & Gertz. "OPEC has a...

Uncertainty reigns.(CHLOR-ALKALI)
January 4, 2010... Demand will be the driver for recovery in the chlor-alkali industry this year after volatile prices in 2009, market players say. "The outlook for this year hinges on caustic soda demand levels," says an industry insider. "If it strengthens, then...

Crop pricing not enough to lift seeds.(AGRICULTURE)(Brief article)
January 4, 2010... Stronger commodity and specialty crop pricing in 2010 will help crop protection markets "see some rebound" this year, although grower backlash from 2009 pricing initiatives will keep downward pressure on seeds, says Jim Loar, senior...

Fertilizer demand to normalize.(FERTILIZERS)(Brief article)
January 4, 2010... Fertilizer market conditions are expected to log steady improvements this year as attractive agricultural commodity prices encourage farmers to increase crop production, according to the International Fertilizer Industry Association (IFA;...

Muted market trends.(INDUSTRIAL GASES)(Air Products and Chemicals Inc.)
January 4, 2010... Industrial gases firms were slower than their customers to suffer the effects of the economic downturn and will likely ,be slower to benefit as the economy recovers this year, analysts say. Onsite nitrogen and oxygen, which are heavily reliant...

Prospects improving.(FINE CHEMICALS)
January 4, 2010... The global pharmaceutical industry is expected to grow 40-6% this year, and sales will exceed $825 billion, says consulting firm IMS Health (Norwalk, CT). IMS Health also expects the global pharma industry to grow at a compound annual growth...

A long, slow climb.(FINANCE)
January 4, 2010... While overall financial markets and M&A deal volume has recovered a bit from the bottom during the first half of 2009, the road to full recovery will be long, bankers say. There were a total of four chemical M&A deals worth more than $25...

Regulatory agenda overload for Congress and EPA.(WASHINGTON)(Environmental Protection Agency)
January 4, 2010... Chemical industry representatives in Washington are busy after lawmakers last year pushed legislative action on every top industry priority--climate and energy, the Toxics Substances Control Act (TSCA), chemical plant security, and railroad...

EU focuses on climate, reach.(EUROPEAN UNION)
January 4, 2010... Activities relating to the European Union's (EU) Registration, Evaluation and Authorisation of Chemicals (Reach) program and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions trading plans are set to dominate the regulatory agenda across Europe this year. Other...

Export pressure to continue.(CANADA)(Brief article)
January 4, 2010... Canadian chemical producers expect sales values to post a modest increase of 2% in 2010, with overall sales volumes remaining unchanged from very low levels in 2009, according to results of a survey conducted by the Canadian Chemical Producers...

Activity picks up in Brazil and Mexico.(LATIN AMERICA)(Braskem S.A. to merge with Quattor )
January 4, 2010... The economic downturn has not halted plans for several major projects, and Braskem (Sao Paulo) has a hand in nearly all of them. Braskem at CW press time was said to be close to a deal to merge with Quattor, Quattor is a joint venture between...

Recovery is likely to be slow.(EUROPE)
January 4, 2010... Economic recovery is spreading across Europe following the dramatic slump in activity in late 2008 and early 2009. Growth is expected to continue into 2010 bur is likely to remain fragile because consumer demand is still weak. Much of the...

Emerging from recession.(RUSSIA)(Brief article)
January 4, 2010... The Russian government is steering the economy out of recession with a package of stimulus measures that should bear fruit in 2010. "After an initial sharp rebound from the deep recession of the past year," GDP growth is projected to return to...

Capacity surge is coming.(MIDEAST)
January 4, 2010... The Mideast petchems sector remains in a phase of phenomenal growth. The Mideast is expected to add more than 4 million m.t./year of ethylene capacity this year, following the commissioning of several steam crackers in 2009. Plants to be added...

Fiscal stimulus underpins economic strength.(CHINA)
January 4, 2010... Continuation of the Chinese government's fiscal stimulus, and moderate recovery in the global economy will help generate GDP growth in China of 8.9% in 2010, compared with 8.2% in 2009, the Asian Development Bank (ADB; Manila) says. "The massive...

Exports offset domestic weakness.(JAPAN)(Brief article)
January 4, 2010... Modest recovery is expected to continue in Japan, driven by export demand, particularly from China. Domestic demand remains weak, weighed down by rising unemployment and appreciation of the yen. Japanese chemical makers have generally lowered...

Growth reaccelerates as slowdown comes to an end.(INDIA)
January 4, 2010... India's economic growth slowed with the global economic crisis, but GDP is forecast to accelerate in 2010. The Indian economy is expected to grow 7% this year, compared with 6% in 2009, according to a recent report by the Asian Development Bank...

Economies rebound strongly across region.(ASIA)(Statistical data)
January 4, 2010... Emerging Asian economies are performing better than anticipated thanks to swift policy responses to the economic downturn and an improved external environment, the Asian Development Bank (ADB; Manila) says. "The region is set for a speedy...

Chemtura plans to sell PVC assets to SK Capital.(ADDITIVES)(polyvinyl chloride)
January 4, 2010... Chemtura says it plans to sell its polyvinyl chloride (PVC) additives business to private equity firm SK Capital Partners (New York). As required by bankruptcy law, Chemtura has filed a motion with the court overseeing Chemtura's reorganization...

Gulf Resources boosts pesticide, water treatment additives.(ADDITIVES)(Brief article)
January 4, 2010... Gulf Resources (Shouguang, Chiua), one of China's largest manufacturers of bromine, crude salt, and specialty chemical products in China, says it has completed an upgrade of its pesticide additives production line and broken ground on a...

PolyOne acquires NEU.(SPECIALTIES)(New England Urethane )(Brief article)
January 4, 2010... PolyOne says it has acquired New England Urethane (NEU; North Haven, CT) for $12 million. NEU is a custom compounder of high-performance engineering thermoplastics for the healthcare market. The purchase price includes an earn-out payable in...

Personal care booms in India.(SPECIALTIES)(Brief article)
January 4, 2010... The market for personal care active ingredients in India is expected to grow to $330 million in sales by 2014, up from $190 million last year, says a new report by Frost & Sullivan (London). "UV ingredients in particular are fuelling the...

Arch antidumping duty lowered.(SPECIALTIES)(Arch Chemicals Inc.)(Brief article)
January 4, 2010... Arch Chemicals says it expects to record a $1-million pre-tax benefit in the fourth quarter of 2009 as a result of the U.S. Department of Commerce's decision to reduce Arch's antidumping duty rate from 76%, to 20%. The duty relates to...

European crackers poised to start up following outages.(OLEFINS)
January 4, 2010... BASF says it restarted its 1-million m.t./year ethylene plant at Antwerp in early January. The unit was taken offline on December 20 following a fire, which was caused by a leakage in a naphtha pipeline, the company says. The Antwerp steam...

Eastman files suit over PET technology.(PLASTICS)
January 4, 2010... Eastman Chemical has filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware against Indorama Polymers (Bangkok) over Indorama's alleged unauthorized use of Eastman's IntegRex technology for manufacturing polyethylene...

Albemarle completes PAO unit.(BASIC CHEMICALS & PLASTICS)(polyalphaolefins )(Brief article)
January 4, 2010... Albemarle says its has started up a 15,000 m.t./year high-viscosity polyalphaolefins (PAO) unit at Pasadena, TX in a previously announced supply agreement with ExxonMobil Chemical. The plant will produce ExxonMobil's SpetraSyn-brand PAO, a high...

Inergy acquires Liberty Propane.(BASIC CHEMICALS & PLASTICS)(MGS Corp.)(Brief article)
January 4, 2010... Propane distributor Inergy LP (Kansas City) says it has acquired Liberty Propane LP for about $223 million and agreed to buy the propane assets of MGS Corp. (Hackensack, NJ) for an undisclosed sum. The deal will make Inergy the fourth-largest...

Commentary.(CW PRICE REPORT)(Statistical data)
January 4, 2010... Surging crude oil prices pushed North American feedstock prices higher. ETHANE gained about 5 cts/gal, while NAPHTHA and PROPANE both rose about 8 cts/gal. BUTANE gained about 5 cts/gal. U.S. spot olefins mostly moved higher, as ETHYLENE and...

CW75 stock performance.(Statistical data)
January 4, 2010... The CW75 Index rose 1.2% for the week ending January 5, in line with broader market indexes. Basic chemical shares increased 2.1%, and diversified and specialty chemical stocks were flat. Forty-seven companies rose, three were flat, and 25 fell...

Ramesh Ramachandran has been elected president and CEO of MEGlobal and Equipolymers, Dow Chemical's joint ventures with Petrochemical Industries Company.(KEY CHANGES--LEADING INDICATOR)(Brief article)
January 4, 2010... Ramesh Ramachandran has been elected president and CEO of MEGlobal and Equipolymers, Dow Chemical's joint ventures with Petrochemical Industries Company. Ramachandran replaces Henry Roth, who has been appointed president of Dow Chemical Middle...

Amyris Biotechnologies.(KEY CHANGES--LEADING INDICATOR)(appointments of Peter Boynton and Mario Portela )(Brief article)
January 4, 2010... Amyris Biotechnologies has appointed Peter Boynton chief commercial officer and Mario Portela COO. Portela was v.p./corporate development for LyondellBasell until 2008, while Boynton was most recently senior v.p./bio-products and fermentation...

Foster Wheeler.(KEY CHANGES--LEADING INDICATOR)(Brief article)
January 4, 2010... Foster Wheeler has made several management changes. Robert Flexon, president/Foster Wheeler USA, will become CEO on June 1. On that date, Raymond Milchovich will retire as CEO but remain non-executive chairman of the board and consultant through...

Polymer Group.(KEY CHANGES--LEADING INDICATOR)(appointments of Dennis Norman and Keith Hall)(Brief article)
January 4, 2010... Polymer Group has named Dennis Norman CFO. Norman was previously v.p./strategy and corporate development. He first joined the company in 1999, working in investor relations and financial analysis. Polymer Group has also named Keith Hall chief...

China Direct Industries.(KEY CHANGES--LEADING INDICATOR)(appointment of Andrew Wang )(Brief article)
January 4, 2010... China Direct Industries has named Andrew Wang executive v.p. and CFO. He was previously a consultant with the company's subsidiaries in China. Wang was international accounting and project manager for Healthways from 2006 to 2008.

Tredegar.(KEY CHANGES--LEADING INDICATOR)
January 4, 2010... Kevin O'Leary has been named v.p., CFO and treasurer of Tredegar. The company has also appointed Frasier Brickhouse as controller.

Indicator advances.(KEY CHANGES--LEADING INDICATOR)(chemical price and demand)(Statistical data)
January 4, 2010... The leading indicator for the chemical industry rose 1.5% in December and is now 5% above the most recent low in July. Since that low point, output of chemical products has gained 5.5%, compared with a 3% rise for overall manufacturing. For...