Entegris, Inc. (Billerica, Mass.; www.entegris.com) announced $700 million in domestic R&D spending over the next several years to accelerate semiconductor innovation. This investment in R&D projects and related capital expenditures will span its two divisions, Materials Solutions and Advanced…
Diversified global manufacturer Asahi Kasei (Tokyo, Japan; www.asahi-kasei.com) will increase PIMEL™ photosensitive polyimide (PSPI) production capacity at its Fuji City facility in Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan. PSPI is a key material for the global electronics industry, mainly used for buffer coatings…
Sekisui Chemical Co. Ltd. (Osaka City, Japan; www.sekisuichemical.com) and Velocys Inc. (Houston, Tex.; www.velocys.com) have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) establishing a strategic partnership to advance production technology for electro-Sustainable Aviation Fuel (e-SAF), a CO2-derived synthetic fuel. This partnership…
A recent Wall Street Journal article [1] described numerous job postings in which employers bluntly describe that they expect employees to hustle and work long hours. The article quotes, for example, a listing that says “If you’re looking for work-life…
Plant Watch Wacker commissions new ultra-pure polysilicon plant in Burghausen, Germany July 17, 2025 — Wacker Chemie AG (Munich, Germany; www.wacker.com) commissioned its new production line for the manufacture of ultra-pure semiconductor-grade polysilicon at its Burghausen production site in Germany.…
In this exclusive interview, Stephen Reynolds, industry principal for Chemicals at AVEVA, offers his perspective on the goals, challenges and accomplishments of the company A chemical engineer by training, Reynolds worked in chemical operations throughout his career, focusing on continuous…
The preliminary value for the CE Plant Cost Index (CEPCI) for May 2025 (most recent available) rose compared to the previous month’s value. The May value is the highest in the past two years. The jump in the May CEPCI…
Air Liquide (Paris, France; www.airliquide.com) has been awarded a long-term contract to build new state-of-the-art industrial gas production units in the heart of “Silicon Saxony” in Dresden, Germany. Under this new long-term contract, Air Liquide will supply large volumes of…
Indian caustic soda major TGV SRAAC Ltd. (formerly Sree Rayalaseema Alkalies and Allied Chemicals Ltd.; Kurnool, India; www.tgvgroup.com), has commissioned thyssenkrupp nucera (Dortmund, Germany; www.thyssenkrupp-nucera.com) to expand its chlor-alkali plants in Kurnool in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. The…
Shell Catalysts & Technologies (Houston, Tex.) and Technip Energies (Paris, France) have signed their global alliance agreement to work exclusively together to deliver a post-combustion amine-based carbon capture solution using Shell’s CANSOLV* CO₂ Capture System. The alliance combines Shell Catalysts…