Solvay S.A. (Brussels, Belgium) and Orbia (Mexico City, Mexico) announced their entry into a joint venture framework agreement to create a partnership for the production of suspension-grade polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), creating the largest capacity in North America. The total investment…
LyondellBasell Industries N.V. (Rotterdam, the Netherlands) announced that its leading polypropylene (PP) technology has been selected by Stavian Quang Yen Petrochemical, Ltd. (Stavian) for a new world-scale production facility. The facility will include a 600,000 metric tons per year (m.t./yr)…
As part of its third-quarter financial results update, Phillips 66 Inc. (Houston) announced that is has completed an expansion of its Sweeny, Tex. petroleum refininey. The company added fractionation capacity (Sweeny Frac 4), adding 150,000 barrels/day (bbl/d) of capacity. Frac…
Momentive Technologies (Strongsville, Ohio) announced it has completed the acquisition of CoorsTek’s (Lakewood, Colo.) crucibles business. This acquisition enables Momentive Technologies to provide semiconductor wafer and fabrication customers with a full range of crucible sizes to meet their advanced materials…
BASF SE (Ludwigshafen, Germany) is expanding its high oleic canola seed production and processing business in North America through the completed acquisition of Cargill’s Idaho Falls seed production facility. This acquisition will expand the production capacity and reliability for InVigor…
DuPont (Wilmington, Del.) completed the previously announced divestiture of the majority of its former Mobility & Materials segment (the M&M Business) to Celanese Corp. (Dallas, Tex.) for a purchase price of $11 billion in cash, subject to customary transaction adjustments…
Hexpol AB (Malmö, Sweden) has signed an agreement to acquire 100% of the shares in McCann Plastics LLC from the McCann family. The company is specialized in niche thermoplastic compounds, with special focus on roto molding applications. The acquisition is…
Clariant AG (Muttenz, Switzerland) has completed the acquisition of BASF’s U.S. based Attapulgite business assets for $60 million in cash. Structured as an asset deal, the transaction includes the transfer of land as well as mining rights, the processing facility,…
Sandvik AB (Stockholm, Sweden) has completed the previously announced acquisition of the mining related business of Schenck Process Group (SP Mining). SP Mining is one of the market leaders in screening, feeding, screening media and train loading solutions in the…
During vessel breakout activities, plants should pay close attention to the design of the washers used on bolted flanges. A simple change in this area can help to reduce downtime and improve safety Bolted flanges on vessels, and their associated…