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2025 CEPCI updates: January (prelim.) and December 2024 (final)

The preliminary value for the CE Plant Cost Index (CEPCI) for January 2025 (most recent available) rose slightly compared to the previous month’s value. The final value for December 2024 was downwardly revised by a small margin. For the first…

Solvay to nearly halve CO2 emissions at Torrelavega plant with biomass project

Solvay (Brussels, Belgium; www.solvay.com) is taking another decisive step to phase out coal at its soda ash and bicarbonate plants with a new energy transition project in Torrelavega, Spain, aiming to nearly halve CO2 emissions by 2027 1 and ensure…

Wacker to replace fossil coal with biogenic carbon for production of silicon

  Wacker Chemie AG (Munich, Germany; www.wacker.com) is to start replacing coal with biogenic carbon for its silicon production in Holla, Norway. A long-term supply contract to this effect has been signed with Aymium. In Holla, Norway, WACKER currently uses…

Recently Published Books for the CPI: March 2025

The following are recently published books with potential relevance for professionals within various parts of the chemical process industries (CPI).    Advances in Process Control with Real Applications.  By Ch. Venkateswarlu, Elsevier Publishing, 2025, 350 pages, $195.50.  Harnessing Automation and…

AGAE Technologies Announces Production of Rhamnolipid Biosurfactant From a Full-Scale Manufacturing Plant in Asia

AGAE Technologies (Corvallis; Ore.; www.agaetech.com), a U.S.-based leader in rhamnolipid production and technology, with its partners, has officially opened the largest retrofitted manufacturing plant complex in Asia. This manufacturing complex, covering 41,000 square feet, has the capacity to produce over…

Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Energy awards feedstock allocation for joint LyondellBasell/Sipchem project

Sipchem (Sahara International Petrochemical Company; Al Khobar, Saudi Arabia; www.sipchem.com) and LyondellBasell (LYB; Houston, Tex.; www.lyondellbasell.com) have been awarded a feedstock allocation from the Ministry of Energy of Saudi Arabia supporting a joint feasibility study for a world-scale mixed feed…

KBR Awarded PMC Contract to Oversee Development of Fertilizer Project in Angola

KBR (Houston, Tex.; www.kbr.com) announced Feb. 26 that it has been awarded a contract for Project Management Consultancy (PMC) services by AMUFERT to support the development of its fertilizer plant in Soyo, Angola. As part of this transformative $2 billion project, KBR…

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March 2025 Economic Indicators

The preliminary value for the CE Plant Cost Index (CEPCI) for December 2024 (most recent available) fell slightly compared to the previous month’s value. The final value for November 2024 was revised downwardly. The small decline in the December CEPCI…

CE Podcast: Editorial Roundup for March 2025

On this episode of the Chemical Engineering podcast, the editorial team, led by editorial director Dorothy Lozowski, highlights articles in the March issue of the magazine, as well as some of the recent coverage on the Chemical Engineering website.   Listen…

Chemical manufacturers report rising cost pressures and weak demand, according to ACC data

Chemical manufacturer sentiment declined over the second half of 2024, according to the latest findings from the American Chemistry Council’s (ACC; Washington, D.C.; www.americanchemistry.com) Chemical Manufacturing Economic Sentiment Index (ESI). ACC’s index, based on companies’ assessment of their activity level…