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BASF starts up emulsion polymers plant in Freeport, Tex.

BASF SE (Ludwigshafen, Germany; www.basf.com) started operations in a new emulsion polymers plant at its integrated Verbund site in Freeport, Tex. The acrylic emulsion polymers manufactured at this new plant are used for architectural coatings, construction chemicals, adhesives and applications…

LanzaTech secures $60 million in funding from New Zealand investors

The New Zealand (NZ) Superannuation Fund has made a $60-million equity investment in leading gas-fermentation company LanzaTech (Skokie, Ill.; www.lanzatech.com).  Founded in New Zealand in 2005, and now headquartered in in the U.S., LanzaTech turns waste gas from steel mills…

A. Schulman to double masterbatches capacity in Dongguan

A. Schulman, Inc. (Akron, Ohio; www.aschulman.com) has added equipment in its manufacturing facility in Dongguan, China to accommodate increasing demand in the company's Masterbatch Solutions business. This new production line, which the company expects will ramp up in volume over the next…

Vertellus acquires sodium borohydride business from Dow

Vertellus (Indianapolis, Ind.; www.vertellus.com) has signed a definitive agreement to acquire the Sodium Borohydride (SBH) business, including associated assets, from The Dow Chemical Company (Midland, Mich.; www.dow.com). Vertellus is a portfolio company of Chicago-based private-equity firm Wind Point Partners.  Wind…

Yara to build new nitric acid plant, increase ammonium nitrate capacity in Sweden

The Board of Yara International ASA (Oslo, Norway; www.yara.com) has approved an investment of SEK 1,747 million ($220 million) to sustain and increase technical ammonium nitrate (TAN) capacity in the Köping site in Sweden. The investment includes the construction of…

Linde names two new executive board members

The Linde Group’s (Munich, Germany; www.linde.com) Supervisory Board has appointed Christian Bruch (44) and Bernd Eulitz (49) as new members of its Executive Board, effective from 1 January 2015. Bruch and Eulitz will succeed Professor Aldo Belloni (64), who will…

Johnson Matthey acquires pharmaceuticals manufacturing site in Scotland

Johnson Matthey (London; www.matthey.com) has announced completion of an acquisition of pharmaceutical manufacturing capacity in Scotland, U.K. The 109,000 m2 site was acquired to meet increasing demand for custom pharmaceutical services and active ingredients utilizing enhanced manufacturing capabilities. Located in…

Global CPRI rises in October, driven by North America, ACC report says

The Global Chemical Production Regional Index (Global CPRI) rose 0.2% in October on a three-month-moving-average basis, according the latest Weekly Chemistry and Economics Report from the American Chemistry Council (ACC; Washington, D.C.; www.americanchemistry.com). The gain indicates that fourth-quarter chemical production…

ACS names DuPont’s Thomas Connelly as new CEO

The American Chemical Society (ACS; Washington D.C.; www.acs.org) Board of Directors has named Thomas M. Connelly, Jr., Ph.D., executive vice president and chief innovation officer at DuPont, the Society’s next executive director and chief executive officer (CEO), effective February 17,…

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KBR signs ammonia technology alliance with PT Rekayasa Industri  

KBR Inc. (Houston; www.kbr.com) has signed an agreement with PT Rekayasa Industri (REKIND) to provide ammonia technology in the Indonesian, Southeast Asian and Asian markets. Under this agreement, REKIND will exclusively promote and license KBR’s proprietary ammonia technology, along with…