Global chemical mergers and acquisitions (M&A) activity in 2018 is expected to remain strong, as higher valuations continue to be mitigated by improving global economic conditions, continued inexpensive financing, and an appetite amongst industry participants for growth and transformative M&A…
Teijin Ltd. (Tokyo, Japan; www.teijin.com) announced that it will establish a resin compound plant and a related R&D facility at Bang Pa-in Industrial Estate in Ayutthaya, Thailand. The 10,000-metric tons per year (m.t./yr) plant will be built at a cost…
Haldor Topsoe A/S (Lyngby, Denmark; www.topsoe.com) has signed a shareholder agreement with Jiangsu Industrial Technology Research Institute (JITRI; www.jitri.org) and Xiangcheng Suzhou District for a joint R&D company in the Jiangsu Province of China. Based on Topsoe’s insight into the…
Sasol Ltd.’s (Johannesburg, South Africa; www.sasol.co.za) Inorganics and Catalyst division announced the completion of its alumina capacity expansion at Sasol’s Brunsbüttel site in Germany. The expansion will increase Sasol’s alumina hydrate production capacity in Brunsbüttel by approximately 15,000 metric tons…
Evonik Industries AG (Essen, Germany; www.evonik.com) has opened another production line for specialty polyamide 12 powders (PA 12) of its VESTOSINT brand at its largest global production site in the Marl Chemical Park. The new facility primarily produces high-performance powders…
Jacobs Engineering Group Inc. (Dallas, Tex.; www.jacobs.com) has been awarded a contract to complete a feasibility study for the expansion of Borealis AG’s (Vienna, Austria; www.borealisgroup.com) polypropylene plants in Belgium. The study was awarded under the terms of the existing…
Data collected and tabulated by the American Chemistry Council (ACC; Washington, D.C.; www.americanchemistry.com) shows that growth in global chemical production ended the fourth quarter on a strong upward trend, boosted by a synchronized upswing in the global economy. ACC’s Global…
Yara International ASA (Oslo, Norway; www.yara.com) and Arab Potash Co. (APC), the Jordan-based potash producer, recently signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for mutual cooperation in the field of potassium nitrate production and sales. The parties will explore and evaluate…
Neolyse Ibbenbüren GmbH, a joint venture of AkzoNobel Specialty Chemicals (Amsterdam, the Netherlands; www.akzonobel.com) and Evonik Industries AG (Essen, Germany; www.evonik.com) at the AkzoNobel site in Ibbenbüren (Germany), has successfully started operations. The plant, which features new membrane technology, has…
The American Chemistry Council (ACC; Washington, D.C.; www.americanchemistry.com) announced today that The Chemours Co. president and CEO Mark Vergnano became the Council’s newest officer, effective January 1, 2018. As its newest officer, Vergnano will first assume the role of Vice Chairman…