Showa Denko K.K. (SDK; Tokyo, Japan; www.sdk.co.jp) has strengthened its system for supplying semiconductor-processing high-purity gases in Asia. In China, SDK increased the production capacity for high-purity ammonia at its subsidiary in Zhejiang Province in January this year. This month,…
On June 30, The Dow Chemical Company (Midland, Mich.; www.dow.com) will begin construction of its previously announced world-scale ethylene production facility, representing a prominent milestone in delivering on its strategy to invest in its performance-based portfolio of technology-enabled businesses. This…
To coincide with Graphene Week 2014, taking place June 23-27 in Gothenburg, Sweden, the Graphene Flagship (www.graphene-flagship.eu) has announced that it is doubling in size. Already one of the largest-ever European research initiatives, with funding of €1 billion over the…
Clariant AG (Muttenz, Switzerland; www.clariant.com) is increasing production capacity for its Licocene Performance Polymers by 50% at its facility on the Frankfurt-Höchst Industrial Park in Germany. The debottlenecking of Clariant’s existing production line represents a low double-digit million Swiss Franc…
Neste Oil Oyj (Espoo, Finland; www.nesteoil.com) and Renewable Algal Energy, LLC (RAE; Johnson City, Tenn.; www.rae-energy.com), an algae biomass producer, have signed a contingent commercial algae oil offtake agreement. Algae oil is one of the alternatives being researched by Neste…
Asahi Kasei Chemicals Corp. (Tokyo, Japan; www.asahi-kasei.co.jp) has developed as a new optical polymer called AZP. Manufacturing facilities for AZP will be constructed at the company’s Chiba Plant (Sodegaura, Chiba, Japan), with start-up scheduled for early 2015. Applications for AZP…
Chevron Phillips Chemical Co. LP (The Woodlands, Tex.; www.cpchem.com) held its second groundbreaking ceremony for its U.S. Gulf Coast (USGC) Petrochemicals Project at the construction site in Old Ocean, Tex. The construction includes two world-scale polyethylene units that will each…
Yara International (Oslo, Norway; www.yara.com) has accepted an offer from Borealis AG (Vienna, Austria; www.borealisgroup.com) to acquire Borealis' ownership in Le Havre, situated on the north-west coast of France, following the Borealis acquisition of GPN SA, including 52.15% ownership in…
Matrìca S.p.A (Porto Torres, Italy; www.matrica.it), the 50/50 joint venture between Versalis (Eni) and Novamont has inaugurated its first “green chemistry complex.” First conceived in 2011, with the objective of converting the petrochemical plant at Porto Torres, Italy into an…
Mitsubishi Rayon Co. (MRC; Tokyo, Japan; www.mrc.co.jp) and Mitsui & Co. have signed a memorandum of understanding to agree to commence detailed feasibility studies for the establishment of a joint venture (JV) in the U.S. to produce methyl methacrylate (MMA)…