Business News: December 2020

Plant Watch Momentive to expand production of polyurethane additives in Italy November 12, 2020 — Momentive Performance Materials Inc. (Waterford, N.Y.; www.momentive.com) will invest $13 million to expand its plant in Termoli, Italy to create a large manufacturing hub for polyurethane additives. The modernized facility will supply customers in Europe, Russia and Turkey. Full commercial production is expected by the middle of 2022.   Mitsui Chemicals completes construction of new synthetic-fluids plant November 12, 2020 — Mitsui Chemicals, Inc. (Tokyo, Japan; www.mitsuichemicals.com) has completed the construction of a new plant to produce Lucant, a series of hydrocarbon-based synthetic fluids, in Chiba Prefecture, Japan. Commercial operation of the new plant is expected to begin in April 2021. Lucant is said to be the world’s first commercially available high-performance hydrocarbon-based synthetic oil.   Covestro expands its production capacity for Vulkollan raw materials in Thailand November 12, 2020 — Covestro AG (Leverkusen, Germany; www.covestro.com) has started construction of a new production plant for Vulkollen elastomer raw materials in the Map Ta Phut industrial zone in Thailand. Production at the…