Eighty years after nylon's first commercial production, clean manufacturing technology leader Genomatica (San Diego, Calif.; www.genomatica.com) achieved a new milestone for the material — its production of the world’s first renewably-sourced ton of caprolactam, a key ingredient for nylon-6, made…
The preliminary value for the CE Plant Cost Index (CEPCI) for November 2019 (the most recent available) decreased from the previous month’s value, the eighth decline in the last ten months. All four major subindices of the overall CEPCI (Equipment,…
The American Chemistry Council (ACC; Washington, D.C.; www.americanchemistry.com) reported that U.S. specialty chemicals market volumes ended 2019 on a soft note, with a 0.3 percent decline in December following a 0.1 percent gain in November. All changes in the data…
The Chemical Activity Barometer (CAB), a leading economic indicator created by the American Chemistry Council (ACC; Washington, D.C.; www.americanchemistry.com), jumped 0.6 percent in January on a three-month moving average (3MMA) basis, following a 0.1 percent gain in December. On a…
Vertellus (Indianapolis, Ind.; www.vertellus.com) announced today it has acquired Bercen Chemicals, a leading U.S. supplier of alkyl succinic anhydrides and additives used in the fuel, lubricant, and paper industries. “This acquisition expands the range of products Vertellus is able to…
The following are selected recently published books that may be relevant for chemical process industries (CPI) professionals Dispelling Chemical Engineering Myths, 3rd ed. (electronic book edition). By Trevor Kletz, CRC Press, 2019, $57.95, e-book. Guide for Making Acute Risk Decisions.…
The Chemical Activity Barometer (CAB), a leading economic indicator created by the American Chemistry Council (ACC; Washington, D.C.; www.americanchemistry.com), was stable (0.0 percent change) in December on a three-month moving average (3MMA) basis following a 0.1 percent gain in November.…
The American Chemistry Council (ACC; Washington, D.C.; www.americanchemistry.com) reported that fourth quarter U.S. specialty chemicals market volumes continue on a mixed note, with a 0.3 percent decline in November following a 0.1 percent gain in October. All changes in the…
According to the American Chemistry Council (ACC; Washington, D.C.; www.americanchemistry.com), the U.S. Chemical Production Regional Index (U.S. CPRI) fell by 0.8 percent in November after gains the previous three months. During November, chemical output declined across all regions, ACC says.…
The preliminary value for the CE Plant Cost Index (CEPCI; the most recent available) for October 2019 decreased from the previous month’s value, the seventh decline in the last nine months. The decrease in the overall CEPCI was driven by…