Genomatica (San Diego, Calif.; www.genomatica.com) has announced that major nylon intermediates — including hexamethylenediamine, caprolactam and adipic acid (HMD, CPL and ADA, respectively) — are the focus of its third publicly-disclosed development program. Genomatica is developing complete process technologies for…
Mexichem S.A.B. de C.V. (Tlalnepantla, Mexico; www.mexichem.com) has signed a definitive agreement to acquire polyvinyl chloride (PVC) specialist Vestolit GmbH (Marl, Germany; www.vestolit.de) from Strategic Value Partners LLC, acting on behalf of its managed funds and accounts. The acquisition of…
As part of its procurement policy for strategic raw materials, Arkema (Colombes, France; www.arkema.com) has reached an agreement for the supply of propylene with Enterprise Products Partners L.P., a leading U.S. midstream Energy Company. Taking advantage of the development of…
Ashland Inc.’s (Covington, Ky.; www.ashland.com) Ashland Specialty Ingredients commercial unit has announced that it plans to expand capacity at its Natrosol hydroxyethylcellulose (HEC) production facility in Nanjing by 4,000 metric tons (m.t.), or approximately 40%, over the next 18 months.…
NORTH AMERICA 5th Biobased Chemicals Conference: Commercialization & Partnering. Global Tech Community (Monrovia, Calif.). Phone: 626-256-6405; Web: gtcbio.com San Francisco, Calif. Sept. 18–19 43rd Turbomachinery and 30th Pump Users’ Symposia. Texas A&M University (College Station, Tex.). Phone: 979-845-7417; Web:…
Baumann Ghasemi Guy Quinn Blackburn Gerhard Baumann becomes managing director for Brookfield GmbH (Lorch, Baden-Wuerttemberg, Germany), a maker of laboratory instrumentation. Specialty gas company Air Products (Lehigh Valley, Pa.) appoints Seifi Ghasemi chairman, president and CEO, succeeding John McGlade,…
The preliminary value for the May CE Plant Cost Index (CEPCI; the most recent available) rose 0.1% from the final April value, after a slightly larger rise the previous month. All subcategories of the index saw slight increases, except for…
Plant Watch ExxonMobil invests in new delayed coker unit at Belgium refinery July 7, 2014 — An affiliate of ExxonMobil (Irving, Tex., www.exxonmobil.com), Esso Belgium, a division of ExxonMobil Petroleum & Chemical B.V.B.A., plans to install a new delayed coker…
Hangzhou Hangding Nylon Tech. Co. and Uhde Inventa-Fischer GmbH (Berlin, Germany; www.uhde-inventa-fischer.com) have successfully commissioned a plant for the production of high-performance polyamide 6 for textile grade applications. The plant is located in the Economic Technical Development Area of Hangzhou…
Borealis AG (Vienna, Aurstia: www.borealisgroup.com) announces the divestment of its Biosuper business in France. The Biosuper brand, a phosphate-based dryer used in animal stables, and the related production equipment will be transferred to the new owner, Eliard SPCP, during the…