Global Bioenergies and Clariant are proud to announce the first isobutene production from a wheat straw hydrolysate, in the industrial pilot of Pomacle Bazancourt. This success is the result of a collaboration initiated more than 18 months ago, and has…
BASF SE (Ludwigshafen, Germany; www.basf.com) celebrated the opening of a new complex for the manufacturing of polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) located at the BASF site in Shanghai, China. The new plant will produce PVP K30 powder, a polymer used as a base for…
Specialty chemicals company Lanxess AG (Cologne, Germany; www.lanxess.com) announced plans to acquire Chemtura Corp. (Philadelphia, Pa., www.chemtura.com), one of the major global providers of flame-retardant and lubricant additives. With the largest acquisition in its history, Lanxess is building on its…
The Institution of Chemical Engineers (IChemE; Rugby, U.K.; www.icheme.org) has confirmed the appointment of Jon Prichard as its new Chief Executive Officer. Jon succeeds David Brown, who stepped down in July. Jon currently leads the regulatory body for the engineering…
Linde LLC, a member of The Linde Group (Munich, Germany; www.linde.com), announced that it will spend over $100 million to increase the production of its industrial gases plant in Claymont, Del. The expansion project includes installing a new air separation…
Borealis AG (Vienna, Austria; www.borealisgroup.com) will study the feasibility of a new, world-scale propane dehydrogenation (PDH) plant. The plant would be located at the existing Borealis production site in Kallo, Belgium. The feasibility study will be carried out over the…
Honeywell UOP (Des Plaines, Ill.; www.uop.com) announced that its Callidus Technologies business has inaugurated a new state-of-the-art facility for the testing of gas combustion flares at its manufacturing facility in Beggs, Okla. The new flare field was built to develop…
Celanese Corp. (Irving, Tex.; www.celanese.com) has started production at its newest vinyl acetate ethylene (VAE) production unit. The unit is located at the Celanese manufacturing facility on Jurong Island, Singapore, and will support the growing demand for ecologically friendly materials…
PPG Industries, Inc. (Pittsburgh, Pa.; www.ppg.com) has reached an agreement to divest its 50% ownership interests in its two PFG Fiber Glass joint ventures (PFG) to Nan Ya Plastics Corp., which currently controls the other 50 percent ownership interest in…
ALTIVIA Petrochemicals, LLC (Houston; www. altivia.com) announced that Frank J. Hayes will join the company as Chief Financial Officer (CFO), effective October 3, 2016. Hayes will replace the company’s current CFO, Fred Stahelin, who is retiring after 16 years of…