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CSB continues investigation of two accidents involving combustible dust

The U.S. Chemical Safety Board (CSB; www.csb.gov) has  released test results confirming preliminary conclusions that two flash fires, which occurred at the Hoeganaes Corp. plant in Gallatin, Tenn., involved the combustion of iron powder that had accumulated throughout the facility…

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Huber renames business unit to reflect broader base of fire retardants

Huber Engineered Materials (HEM; Atlanta, Ga.; www.hubermaterials.com) is renaming its Alumina Trihydrate (ATH) business unit Fire Retardant Additives.  The new name more accurately reflects the variety  of non-halogen fire retardant and smoke suppressant technologies, brands and products now offered for…

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Lanxess expands capacity for polychloroprene solid rubber

Lanxess AG (Leverkusen, Germany; www.lanxess.com) is investing 17 million euros in the expansion of its production capacities for polychloroprene solid rubber. The expansion at the Dormagen site is scheduled for completion by the end of 2012 and will increase production…

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The Linde Group to build hydrogen and synthesis gas plant in China

The Linde Group (Munich, Germany; www.linde.com) plans to build a large hydrogen and synthesis gas plant in the Chongqing Chemical Park in Western China in a joint enterprise with Chongqing Chemical & Pharmaceutical Holding Company (CCPHC). The project has a…

Robert Hansen named CEO of Dow Corning

The board of directors of Dow Corning Corp. (Midland, Michigan; www.dowcorning.com) has elected Robert D. Hansen, CEO of Dow Corning, effective immediately. Stephanie A. Burns remains chairman. Hansen has been employed by Dow Corning for 29 years and was named…

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Teijin resumes PET production at Utsunomiya plant following earthquake

Teijin Limited (Tokyo; www.teijin.co.jp/english) has announced that the Utsunomiya Factory (Tochigi Prefecture) of Teijin DuPont Films Ltd., which had suspended polyethylene terephthalate (PET) film production following the earthquake in northeastern Japan on March 11, resumed partial operations on April 30.…

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AkzoNobel plans to restructure ICI Pakistan

Akzo Nobel N.V. (AkzoNobel; Amsterdam, the Netherlands; www.akzonobel.com) has announced its intention to seek agreement from the Board and shareholders of ICI Pakistan Ltd. (ICI Pakistan) to separate the organization's paints and chemicals businesses. Under the terms of the proposal,…

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Srategic partnership forms for acrylonitrile and sodium cyanide in the Middle East

Saudi Basic Industries Corp. (SABIC; Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; www.sabic.com), Asahi Kasei Chemicals Corp. (Tokyo; www.asahi-kasei.co.jp) and Mitsubishi Corp. (Tokyo; www.mitsubishicorp.com) have signed a strategic joint venture (JV) agreement to form a limited liability company, Saudi Japanese Acrylonitrile Company (SHROUQ), which…

BASF to acquire ultrafiltration specialist inge watertechnologies AG

BASF SE (Ludwigshafen, Germany; www.basf.com) has signed an agreement with the investor group of inge watertechnologies AG (Greifenberg, Germany; www.inge.ag) to acquire the company and its ultrafiltration membrane business. “This transaction is an important step in strengthening BASF’s technology and…

Ask the Experts: Solids drying

Question:  Besides rotary, fluidized-bed, and flash dryers, what other types of dryers can remove moisture and other volatile compounds from bulk solids? Answer:  For many applications, an efficient and cost-effective alternative is to dry the bulk solid in a silo…