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U.S. specialty chemical markets rebound after winter storms, ACC says

U.S. specialty chemicals market volumes are experiencing a rebound following the winter storms, rising 3.1% in March, after a 4.5% decline in February, according to data from the American Chemistry Council (ACC; Washington, D.C.; www.americanchemistry.com). Of the 28 specialty chemical…

ACC issues policy recommendations on GHG emissions

The American Chemistry Council (ACC; Washington, D.C.; www.americanchemistry.com) today issued a set of policy recommendations to enable dramatic reductions in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The plan is built around three imperatives – developing and deploying clean manufacturing technologies, pricing carbon,…

2021 CEPCI updates: February (prelim.) and January (final)

The preliminary value for the CE Plant Cost Index (CEPCI) for February 2021 (the most recent available) indicates another large monthly rise, the fifth consecutive monthly increase. The large uptick in February seems to be tied largely to significant increases…

Plant Watch: Business News for April 2021

Plant Watch Thermo Fisher Scientific plans $600-million bioprocessing expansion March 12, 2021 — Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. (Waltham, Mass.; www.thermofisher.com) plans to invest more than $600 million in capital investments to expand its bioprocessing production capabilities through 2022. These investments…

Technology Profile: Suspension Polymerization of Polyvinyl Chloride

This column is based on “Polyvinyl Chloride Production from VCM (Suspension Polymerization) – Cost Analysis,” a report published by Intratec. It can be found at: www.intratec.us/analysis/polyvinyl-chloride-production-cost. Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) is the third most commonly produced synthetic polymer, after polyethylene and…

Chemical Activity Barometer up slightly in March, ACC says

The Chemical Activity Barometer (CAB), a leading economic indicator created by the American Chemistry Council (ACC; Washington, D.C.; www.americanchemistry.com), rose 1.2% in March on a three-month moving average (3MMA) basis, following a 1.0% increase in February. On a year-over-year (Y/Y)…

U.S. specialty chemical markets curbed by winter storms, ACC says

After a solid start to the year, winter storms dampened U.S. specialty chemicals market volumes in February, according to the American Chemistry Council (ACC; Washington, D.C.; www.americanchemistry.com). Volumes fell 4.1% in February, bringing activity back to 3Q 2020 levels. Of…

U.S. chemical production dropped in February, ACC says

The U.S. Chemical Production Regional Index (U.S. CPRI), fell 3.6% in February, following a 0.7% gain in January and a 1.3% gain in December, according to the American Chemistry Council (ACC; Washington, D.C.; www.americanchemistry.com). During February, chemical output fell in…

Clariant opens new R&D center in China

Clariant Catalysts (Munich, Germany; www.clariant.com) has opened a new, state-of-the-art R&D center at its “One Clariant Campus” (OCC) in Shanghai. This R&D Center is integrated into the brand new Clariant Innovation Center China within the One Clariant Campus, and will…

2020 annual CEPCI average value

Since its introduction in 1963, the Chemical Engineering Plant Cost Index (CEPCI) has served as an important tool for chemical-process-industry (CPI) professionals when adjusting process plant construction costs from one time period to another. The CEPCI consists of a composite…