Chemical Engineering
Covestro completes polycarbonate capacity expansion in Thailand
With the mechanical completion of new production lines at the Map Ta Phut Industrial Park in Thailand, Covestro AG (Leverkusen, Germany) has further increased its global capacity for polycarbonate (PC) specialty films. The investment is in the higher double-digit million…
ADNOC and OMV to create $60-billion polyolefins powerhouse via Nova acquisition and merger of Borouge and Borealis
Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) P.J.S.C. and OMV AG (Vienna, Austria) have agreed to terms of a binding Framework Agreement regarding the proposed combination of shareholdings in joint venture Borouge plc and Borealis Group AG (Vienna, Austria). ADNOC has…
Honeywell to acquire pump and compressor manufacturer Sundyne for $2.16 billion
Honeywell International, Inc. announced that it has agreed to acquire Sundyne (Arvada, Colo.) from private equity firm Warburg Pincus for $2.16 billion in an all-cash transaction. This represents approximately 14.5x 2024 EBITDA on a tax-adjusted basis. Sundyne is a leader…
Idemitsu Kosan to construct new lithium sulfide plant in Japan
Idemitsu Kosan Co.,Ltd. (Tokyo) has decided to construct a large-scale production facility for lithium-sulfide (Li2S), a material used in all-solid-state lithium-ion rechargeable batteries. The company will expand production capacity of lithium sulfide, an important intermediate raw material for solid electrolytes,…
LyondellBasell to expand propylene production capacity at Channelview complex
LyondellBasell Industries N.V. (LYB; Rotterdam, the Netherlands) announced an investment to expand propylene production capacity at its Channelview Complex near Houston. Groundbreaking and construction are expected to begin in the third quarter of 2025, with a projected startup in late 2028.…
A Guide to Biological Air Scrubbers
Biological air-cleaning systems are an effective alternative to filtration and activated carbon in many industrial applications, especially those with ultrafine particles or highly toxic contaminants Companies must maintain high air-quality standards, both indoors and outdoors, to ensure continued quality control…
Cybersecurity Implications of IT and OT Convergence
As the “Industry 4.0” revolution progresses, the convergence of IT systems with OT systems presents significant security risks. Presented here are strategies to bridge the divide between the two areas and secure plant operations The convergence of information technology (IT)…
Editor’s page: The expanding role of AI in process operations
Respondents to a Q4 2024 survey of industrial leaders conducted by the ARC Advisory Group (Dedham, Mass.; www.arcweb.com) ranked artificial intelligence (AI) first, by a relatively large margin, among the digital technologies that they expect to be the most impactful…
Aerogel insulation
A pilot plant intended to manufacture silica aerogel products for different applications, including spray insulation, is being planned by the company Aeroskin Tech AG (Zurich, Switzerland; www.aeroskintech.com). Aerogels are dried gels that maintain their volume when dried, and have nanoscale…
Expanded database tool for olivine samples
Olivine, a magnesium-iron silicate mineral, is common in the earth’s subsurface, and can sometimes contain other valuable elements, such as cobalt, manganese and nickel. Olivine has been explored as a possible sink for atmospheric carbon dioxide in carbon-capture methods that…