Business & Economics
U.S. chemical production fell in July, ACC says
According to the American Chemistry Council (ACC; Washington, D.C.; www.americanchemistry.com), the U.S. Chemical Production Regional Index (U.S. CPRI) fell by 0.9 percent in July following revised declines of 0.8 percent in June and 0.6 percent in May. During July, chemical…
Clariant opens High-Throughput Experimentation lab in Houston
Clariant (Muttenz, Switzerland; www.clariant.com) has opened its next High Throughput Experimentation (HTE) laboratory in Houston, Tex. The location is key as the new facility will be the first of its kind supporting the oil & gas industry, offering new and…
Recently Published Books for the CPI: September 2019
September 2019 Booklist: The following recently published titles may be relevant to various sectors of the chemical process industries (CPI) Clean Ironmaking and Steelmaking Processes: Efficient Technologies for Greenhouse Emissions Abatement. By Pascuale Cavaliere, Springer International Publishing, 2019, 596 pages,…
Addressing water scarcity
The threat of water scarcity may not be a top concern for those who have readily available freshwater to meet their daily needs. But for about two billion people who currently live in areas experiencing high water stress and the…
Business News: September 2019
Plant Watch Ineos breaks ground for Bayport ASA plant August 12, 2019 — Ineos Styrolution GmbH (Frankfurt, Germany; www.ineos-styrolution.com) hosted a groundbreaking ceremony for its new acrylonitrile styrene acrylate (ASA) plant in Bayport, Tex. The new site, which is designed…
Technology Profile: Ethanolamines Production from Ethylene Oxide and Ammonia
This column is based on “Ethanolamines from Ethylene Oxide and Ammonia – Cost Analysis,” a report published by Intratec. It can be found at the following URL: www.intratec.us/analysis/monoethanolamine-production-cost. Ethanolamines are a family of compounds that are used as feedstocks for…
Monitoring of Water and Steam Chemistry for Steam Generators
Online monitoring of steam and water chemistry in a steam system is important for safe and reliable operation of steam generators High-pressure, high-temperature steam is a critical commodity at power plants and at many chemical process industries (CPI) facilities. Examples…
Chemical Activity Barometer down in August, ACC says
The Chemical Activity Barometer (CAB), a leading economic indicator created by the American Chemistry Council (ACC; Washington, D.C.; www.americanchemistry.com), fell 0.1 percent in August on a three-month moving average (3MMA) basis, following a similar drop in July and four months…
NOVA Chemicals names new director of sustainability
NOVA Chemicals Corporation (Calgary, Alberta; www.novachem.com), a leading supplier of polyethylene in the Americas, is pleased to announce that Sarah Marshall has been appointed to a newly-created role of Director of Sustainability. Marshall will be responsible for leading cross-functional efforts…
U.S. specialty chemical markets start Q3 on soft note, ACC says
The American Chemistry Council (ACC; Washington, D.C.; www.americanchemistry.com) reported that reflecting soft manufacturing production, U.S. specialty chemicals market volumes eased 0.1 percent in July, after a 0.2 percent gain in June, small gains in April and May and a generally…