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The chemistry of semiconductors

Semiconductors are vital components in the modern technologies that we use in our everyday lives, both in industrial automation and consumer products. Computers, automobile electronics, smartphones and other “smart” devices, robotics and medical devices that depend on semiconductor chips are…

Plant Watch: May 2025

Plant Watch Altana scales up production of UV-curing resins and 3D-printing materials April 14, 2025 — Altana AG (Wesel, Germany; www.altana.com) has scaled up the production of ultraviolet (UV) curing resins for industrial additive serial production. The company also started…

An Array of Factors Complicates U.S. Petroleum Refining Strategy

Maintaining profitability amid considerable uncertainty in global trade, environmental policy and product demand is a daunting prospect for the U.S. refinery fleet A complex and somewhat unprecedented interplay of factors has been complicating investment and production strategies for U.S. petroleum…

Recently Published Books for the CPI: May 2025

The following are recently published titles that may be relevant to the chemical process industries (CPI): Microbial Biotechnology: Integrated Microbial Engineering for B3—Bioenergy, Bioremediation and Bioproducts. Edited by Maulin Shah and Kiran Bala, Elsevier Press, 2025, 400 pages, $195.50.    …

Yokogawa to acquire Web Synergies, a provider of integrated IT/OT solutions

Yokogawa Electric Corporation (Tokyo, Japan; www.yokogawa.com) announces that it has finalized an agreement to acquire Singapore-based Web Synergies (www.websynergies.com), a leading provider of IT and integrated IT and operational technology (OT) solutions. For more than a decade, the two companies…

Neptune Energy produces battery-grade lithium carbonate from gas-field brine using KBR technology

KBR (Houston, Tex.; www.kbr.com) is proud to partner with Neptune Energy (London, U.K.; www.neptuneenergy.de) to produce battery-grade lithium carbonate (Li₂CO₃) from gas field brine at the Altmark site in Germany, utilizing KBR’s proprietary PureLi® refining and conversion technology. Li2CO3 is…

Syensqo and Sinopec collaborate on advanced materials and specialty chemicals

Syensqo, a leader in advanced materials and specialty chemicals, and China Petroleum & Chemical Corporation (Sinopec) have signed a Strategic Partnership Framework Agreement to foster collaboration in advanced materials and specialty chemicals. The partnership is set to explore business development opportunities and…

2025 CEPCI updates: February (prelim.) and January (final)

The preliminary value for the CE Plant Cost Index (CEPCI) for February 2025 (most recent available) fell by a small margin compared to the previous month’s value. The final value for January 2025 was downwardly revised, partially because of some…

Clariant and Technip Energies introduce new catalyst for styrene production

      Specialty chemicals maker Clariant AG (Munich, Germany; www.clariant.com) today announced the launch of StyroMax UL-100, its most advanced ethylbenzene dehydrogenation catalyst to date. This innovative catalyst achieves exceptional performance at unprecedented low steam-to-oil ratios (S/O) of 0.76…

Solvay starts production line for rare earth elements in France

On April 8, Solvay S.A. (Brussels, Belgium; www.solvay.com) officially inaugurated its rare earths production line for permanent magnets at the La Rochelle facility, marking a significant milestone in the company's commitment to meeting Europe’s strategic goals. This expansion enables Solvay…