Latest News: Business
Wacker plans capacity expansion for dispersible polymer powders
Wacker Chemie AG (Munich, Germany; www.wacker.com) is expanding its production capacity for dispersible polymer powders in Germany. The Munich-based chemical company is currently building a new spray dryer with a capacity of 50,000 metric tons per year (m.t./yr) at its…
Siluria and Linde anounce partnership for ethylene technology
Siluria Technologies (San Francisco, Calif.; www.siluria.com) and The Linde Group (Munich, Germany; www.linde.com) have announced that they have entered into a collaboration agreement. The primary objective of the agreement is to combine the respective company’s technologies and expertise into an…
Topsoe lays foundation for first ever integrated methanol and ammonia plant in Russia
On May 20, a foundation stone laying ceremony was held at the construction site of a new methanol ammonia co-production plant for the petrochemical company Shchekinoazot - one of the largest producers of chemicals in Russia. The new plant, which…
Using algae to clean wastewater
Technology developed by Algal Scientific Corp. (Northville, Mich.; www.algalscientific.com) uses algae to remove soluble organics, nitrogen and phosphorous from medium- to high-strength wastewaters in a single step. The technology is an alternative to multistep treatment processes involving the use of…
Specialty chemical market volumes were flat in April, ACC report says
Market volumes for U.S. specialty chemicals were flat in April, according to the latest Weekly Chemistry and Economic Report from the American Chemistry Council (ACC; Washington, D.C.; www.americanchemistry.com). The flat result in April followed a 1.3% gain in March and…
Foster Wheeler awarded contract for steam-reformer heater in Kazakhstan
Foster Wheeler AG (Zug; Switzerland; www.fwc.com) says that a subsidiary of its Global Engineering and Construction Group has been awarded a contract by Marubeni Corp. for the engineering and material supply of a new Terrace Wall steam reformer heater, including…
Ineos process technology to be used for polystyrene production in Qatar
Ineos Technologies (Rolle, Switzerland; www.ineos.com) has announced that it has licensed its INEOS EPS process technology for the manufacture of regular and flame-retardant expandable polystyrene (EPS) to EPS Qatar at a new complex to be built in the Doha region,…
Commercial production begins at Solazyme Bunge Renewable Oils plant in Brazil
Solazyme, Inc. (South San Francisco, Calif.; www.solazyme.com), a renewable oil and bioproducts company, today announced that its joint venture with Bunge Global Innovation LLC (“Bunge”), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Bunge Ltd. (White Plains, N.Y.; www.bunge.com), has successfully produced its first…
Dow awards Fluor EPC contract for Saudi RO-membrane manufacturing facility
The Dow Chemical Company (Midland, Mich.; www.dow.com) has awarded Fluor Corp. (Irving, Tex.; www.fluor.com) the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract for its reverse osmosis (RO) manufacturing facility in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Located in Jubail Industrial City II…
Westlake acquires German PVC producer Vinnolit
Westlake Chemical Corp. (Houston; www.westlake.com) has announced that it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Germany-based Vinnolit Holdings GmbH and its subsidiary companies from Advent International, a private equity firm. Vinnolit is an integrated global leader in specialty polyvinyl…