The preliminary value for the CE Plant Cost Index (CEPCI; the most recent available) for August 2019 decreased from the previous month’s value. The decline is the sixth within the last seven months. While the Construction Labor subindex rose in…
Plant Watch Total-Corbion JV inaugurates PLA bioplastics plant in Thailand September 13, 2019 — Total Corbion PLA, a 50/50 joint venture (JV) between Total S.A. (Paris, France; www.total.com) and Corbion N.V. (Amsterdam, the Netherlands; www.corbion.com), has inaugurated its polylactic acid…
This column is based on “2-Propylheptanol Production Process - Cost Analysis,” a report published by Intratec. It can be found at: www.intratec.us/analysis/2-propylheptanol-production-cost. Also known as 2-PH and 2-propylheptyl alcohol, 2-propylheptanol is a branched fatty alcohol, primarily used in the production…
New self-service data analytics tools allow plants to create an analytics-enabled workforce that can readily address production issues and continuously improve processes The specialty chemicals sector of the chemical process industries (CPI) is highly complex, from both a production and…
According to the American Chemistry Council (ACC; Washington, D.C.; www.americanchemistry.com), the U.S. Chemical Production Regional Index (U.S. CPRI) fell 0.3 percent in August following revised declines of 0.7 percent in July and 0.6 percent in June. During August, chemical output…
Global engineering and technology company Emerson (St. Louis, Mo.; www.emerson.com) announced yesterday that it has established a dedicated organization focused on digital transformation technologies and programs. The new Digital Transformation business – announced at the annual Emerson Global Users Exchange…
The Chemical Activity Barometer, a leading economic indicator created by the American Chemistry Council (ACC; Washington, D.C.; www.americanchemistry.com), was up 0.1 percent in September on a three-month moving average (3MMA) basis following a 0.1 percent decline in August and gains…
Reflecting a rebound of manufacturing production, U.S. specialty chemicals market volumes rose 0.2 percent in August after falling 0.1 percent in July, rising 0.2 percent in June and a generally weak early 2019, according to the American Chemistry Council (ACC;…
Air Liquide (Paris, France; www.airliquide.com) announces an agreement with Methanex Corp. (Vancouver, B.C.; www.methanex.com) to supply oxygen, nitrogen and utilities to its upcoming methanol plant expansion project in Geismar, La. To serve Methanex and its other customers in the industrial…
Yesterday, Dow (Midland, Mich.; www.dow.com) announced the winners of the 2019 Packaging Innovation Awards, which recognize the packaging industry’s top achievements in innovative packaging design, materials, technologies and processes. The highest honor, the Diamond Award, went to Dai Nippon Printing…