The results of a recent survey (2018 Pulse of Engineering Survey*) give a snapshot of how over 2,200 survey respondents view their current work environments. The respondents were predominantly design engineers (37%), followed by those in research and development, consulting,…
The kilogram is the last of the SI units (International System of Units) still defined by a physical object, rather than defined in terms of universal fundamental constants of nature. However, this will change in November 2018, as a multi-year…
The preliminary value for the June 2018 CE Plant Cost Index (CEPCI; most recent available) once again increased compared to the previous month’s value, continuing a string of monthly increases since the beginning of 2018. All four of the major…
Intelligent Sensor Management (ISM) is an innovative solution for analytical process parameters that simplifies sensor handling and improves maintenance management. This translates into increased process reliability and reduced operating costs. ISM’s wide parameter breadth (pH, ORP, O2, CO2, conductivity, turbidity,…
pH is a critical parameter in many aspects of production: from setting the conditions for a reaction to happen, to the management of the reaction’s process quality, and from sustaining process equipment integrity, to avoiding environmental pollution and health…
I first visited Achema some years ago, while I was working in Europe as an R&D project leader for a large, international chemical company. It was my first year living in the Netherlands on an expatriate assignment from the U.S.,…
Plant Watch BASF to expand global antioxidant production capacities July 10, 2018 — BASF SE (Ludwigshafen, Germany; www.basf.com) plans to increase the global production capacity for its antioxidant Irganox 1010 by 40% with production expansion projects at its sites in…
The American Chemistry Council (ACC; Washington, D.C.; www.americanchemistry.com) reported that U.S. specialty chemicals market volumes ended the second quarter on a solid note, increasing 0.4 percent in June after a slightly revised 0.4 percent gain in May, and a 1.0…
Data collected and tabulated by the American Chemistry Council (ACC; Washington, D.C.; www.americanchemistry.com) show that the global chemical industry ended the second quarter on a good note. ACC’s Global Chemical Production Regional Index (Global CPRI) shows that global chemicals production…
The Chemical Activity Barometer (CAB), a leading economic indicator created by the American Chemistry Council (ACC; Washington, D.C.; www.americanchemistry.com), rose 0.1 percent in July on a three-month moving average (3MMA) basis, improving upon June and May performances which were essentially…