Latest News
Cabot completes sale of specialty fluids business
Cabot Corporation (Boston, Mass.; www.cabotcorp.com) announced that the company has successfully closed the previously announced transaction to divest its specialty fluids business to Sinomine (Hong Kong) Rare Metals Resources Co. Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of Sinomine Resource Group…
Celanese initiates shutdown of acetate manufacturing facility in Mexico
Celanese Corporation (Dallas, Tex.; www.celanese.com), a global chemical and specialty materials company, today announces a further consolidation of its global acetate manufacturing operations by initiating the shutdown of its manufacturing facility in Ocotlán, Jalisco, Mexico. The consolidation is designed…
Berry Global Group Acquires RPC Group to expand plastic packaging reach
Berry Global Group, Inc. (Evansville, Ind.; www.berryglobal.com), today announced the completion of its acquisition of RPC Group Plc (RPC) for a purchase price of approximately $6.5 billion, which includes approximately $4.3 billion of cash paid for the equity interest in…
KBR awarded phenol and acetone technology contract by Qingdao Haiwan Chemical
KBR, Inc. (Houston; www.kbr.com) has been awarded a contract by Qingdao Haiwan Chemical Co., Ltd. (Haiwan Chemical) to license KBR's leading phenol and acetone technology for a new phenol and acetone plant in Qingdao City, Shandong Province, China. Under the…
Recently Published Books for the CPI: July 2019
The following list is a selection of recently published books with relevance for the chemical process industries (CPI), July 2019 Guidelines for Investigating Process Safety Incidents, 3rd ed. By the Center for Chemical Process Safety, Wiley/AIChE Publishing, 2019, 408 pages,…
Technology Profile: Epichlorohydrin Production from Propylene
This column is based on “Epichlorohydrin Production from Propylene – Cost Analysis,” a report published by Intratec. It can be found at: www.intratec.us/analysis/epichlorohydrin-production-cost. Epichlorohydrin, (also known as ECH and chloromethyloxirane), is an organochlorine compound and a highly reactive epoxide that…
Overcoming The Talent Dearth
A shortage of technical talent and experience is challenging many in the chemical process industries. Steps that can be taken to improve the situation are discussed The changing professional climate and the vexing economic situation among technology-based companies are leading…
Selecting, Handling and Maintaining IBCs
A number of factors are involved in selecting the right intermediate bulk container (IBC). An overview is presented here An intermediate bulk container (IBC) is a large package for transporting chemicals into a plant or products from the plant. IBCs…
Cooling Towers: Water-Treatment Options Advance
Water-treatment programs for cooling towers have evolved in recent years, favoring non-phosphorus programs today. This article reviews the impact on water chemistry and operating reliability Cooling towers are a critical component of many industrial facilities. Cooling towers evaporate only pure…
Particle Size Characterization and Analysis
Several methods and calculations are available for determining particle size and particle-size distribution. This article provides and overview on how to use them The behavior of particulate material is greatly dependent on its geometric properties, including particle size, shape and…