Plant Watch
Aster invests in expansion projects at Bukom petroleum refinery
December 11, 2025 — Aster Chemicals and Energy Ltd. (Singapore; www.aster.com.sg) announced a significant investment program at its Bukom petroleum refining facility in Singapore. The project includes a $75-million investment to revitalize the site’s condensate splitter unit, which will increase the refinery’s crude processing capacity to over 300,000 barrels per day (bbl/d). Additionally, the lube oil complex will be rejuvenated with a $71-million investment, enabling the site to produce higher-value base oils. To increase shared feedstocks and processing capabilities, Aster will also invest to improve Bukom’s logistics to enable the export of mixed C4 products and the import of pyrolysis gasoline from Chandra Asri’s Cilegon facility.
Air Liquide announces €25-million investment to expand ASU in Yulin, China
December 8, 2025 — Air Liquide S.A. (Paris; www.airliquide.com) will invest approximately €25 million to revamp its air separation unit (ASU) in Yulin, Shaanxi Province, China. The existing steam-driven ASU will be converted to an electricity-driven system, allowing for an immediate reduction in CO2 emissions of 224,000 metric tons per year (m.t./yr). In addition, following the upgrade, the ASU’s oxygen capacity will be increased by 10%. The upgraded production unit is expected to be operational at the end of 2027.
Solstice Advanced Materials breaks ground on expansion in Washington
December 3, 2025 — Solstice Advanced Materials (formerly part of Honeywell; Morris Plains, N.J.; www.solstice.com) broke ground on a $200-million investment to expand and modernize its electronic materials facility in Spokane Valley, Wash. By the end of 2029, the facility’s current production capacity is expected to double. The facility manufactures sputtering targets, which are used for producing high-speed interconnects for advanced logic and memory devices.
BASF launches dispersant production line in Nanjing, China
November 25, 2025 — BASF SE (Ludwigshafen, Germany; www.basf.com) has commissioned its high-performance dispersant production line at the Jiangbei New Material Technology Park, Nanjing, China. This investment enables local production of advanced dispersants using controlled free-radical-polymerization (CFRP) technology. The overall global capacity increase supports existing production from the company’s site in Heerenveen, the Netherlands.
Inpex opens Japan’s first integrated hydrogen and blue ammonia plant
November 24, 2025 — Inpex Corp. (Tokyo; www.inpex.com) opened the Kashiwazaki Hydrogen Park in Kashiwazaki City, Niigata Prefecture, Japan. The facility consists of a blue hydrogen and ammonia demonstration plant, the Kashiwazaki hydrogen power plant and the Hirai gas-collection station. The project is Japan’s first to integrate the entire process from the production to the utilization of hydrogen and ammonia with the capture of CO2.
BASF expands alkyl polyglucosides production with new plant in Thailand
November 19, 2025 — BASF expanded its alkyl polyglucosides (APG) footprint in Asia with a new plant at the Bangpakong site in Thailand. BASF currently produces APGs at sites in Düsseldorf, Germany, Cincinnati, Ohio and Jinshan, China. The expansion in Bangpakong strengthens regional supply capabilities in Asia, while a new APG production line in Cincinnati, scheduled for completion in 2026, will further enhance capacity in North America.
Mergers & Acquisitions
Kuraray to transfer its methacrylate business in China
December 9, 2025 — Kuraray Co. (Tokyo; www.kuraray.co.jp) has decided to transfer all of the shares of its wholly owned subsidiary Kuraray Methacrylate (Zhang Jia Gang) Co. to Jiangsu Double Elephant Group and has concluded a share-transfer agreement. Since its establishment in 2004, Kuraray Methacrylate has operated a cast methacrylic-resin sheet business in China.
Hexion sells U.S. Gulf Coast formalin business to Ancala
December 4, 2025 — Hexion Inc. (Columbus, Ohio; www.hexion.com) sold its U.S. Gulf Coast formalin business to Ancala, an independent infrastructure manager. The sale includes facilities in Baytown, Tex., Luling, La. and Geismar, La., along with associated multi-year customer contracts. These facilities are some of the largest suppliers of methanol-based raw materials in the U.S. Gulf Coast.
Asahi Kasei divests Daramic battery-separator business to Kingswood Capital
December 2, 2025 — Asahi Kasei (Tokyo, Japan; www.asahi-kasei.com) announced its divestiture of Daramic, a lead-battery separator business, to Kingswood Capital Management, LP. Asahi Kasei acquired Daramic through the purchase of Polypore in August 2015, gaining ownership of the lead-battery separator business and the Celgard dry-process lithium-ion battery separator business.
Elementis acquires personal-care specialist Alchemy Ingredients
December 1, 2025 — Elementis plc (London; www.elementis.com) has completed the acquisition of U.K.-based Alchemy Ingredients Ltd. for an enterprise value of£17 million (around $22 million). Alchemy develops rheology-modifier ingredients for the personal-care industry that fully or partially replace synthetic raw materials in cosmetic formulations. Alchemy’s key technologies revolve predominantly around oil gelling and water gelling.
Asahi Kasei Advance Corp. and Teijin Frontier to merge
December 1, 2025 — Asahi Kasei and Teijin Ltd. (Tokyo; www.teijin.com) will implement an absorption-type merger between their wholly owned subsidiaries Asahi Kasei Advance Corp. and Teijin Frontier Co., whereby Teijin Frontier will serve as the surviving company and become a joint venture between Asahi Kasei (20%) and Teijin (80%). The merged business units combine expertise in fibers, construction materials, apparel textiles and more.
OCI to sell interest in its ammonia business to Agrofert
November 24, 2025 — OCI Global (Amsterdam, the Netherlands; www.oci-global.com) reached an agreement for the sale of 100% of its equity interests in OCI Ammonia Holding B.V. (OCI AH) to Agrofert, a.s., a Czechia-based nitrogen-products manufacturer, for €290 million. OCI AH owns both OCI Terminal Europoort B.V. (an ammonia import and storage terminal in Rotterdam) and OCI Ammonia Distribution B.V. (an ammonia distribution platform, serving third-party European customers).
Veolia to acquire Clean Earth for $3 billion
November 21, 2025 — Veolia (Paris, France; www.veolia.com) entered into an agreement with Enviri to acquire Clean Earth, a leading player in the U.S. hazardous-waste treatment sector. With Clean Earth’s 82 locations and over 700 operating permits, the acquisition will double Veolia’s U.S. hazardous-waste footprint. Clean Earth is being acquired for an enterprise value of $3 billion.
Sumitomo Chemicals acquires semiconductor firm AUECC
November 20, 2025 — Sumitomo Chemical Co. (Tokyo, Japan; www.sumitomo-chem.co.jp) has entered into an agreement to acquire 100% of the shares of Asia Union Electronic Chemical Corporation (AUECC), a Taiwanese semiconductor process chemicals company. The acquisition of AUECC will enable Sumitomo Chemical to strengthen its global footprint and establish its first manufacturing base for semiconductor process chemicals in Taiwan, and a second base in the U.S., alongside its Texas site.
AkzoNobel and Axalta to combine in $25-billion coatings merger
November 18, 2025 — Akzo Nobel N.V. (Amsterdam; www.akzonobel.com) and Axalta Coating Systems Ltd. (Philadelphia, Pa.; www.axalta.com) have agreed to combine in an all-stock merger of equals, creating a premier global coatings company with an enterprise value of approximately $25 billion. ■
–Mary Page Bailey