The U.S. Energy Department’s Office of Energy (DOE) Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Bioenergy Technologies announced a grant of up to $2.5 million to NatureWorks, LLC (Minnetonka, MN; www.natureworksllc.com), one of the world’s leading suppliers of bioplastics, in support of an…
U.S. specialty chemical market volumes ended the third quarter strongly, with a 0.9% gain in September, according to the latest Weekly Chemistry and Economic Report from the American Chemistry Council (ACC; Washington, D.C.; www.americanchemistry.com). The September gain followed no…
Corbion Purac (Amsterdam, the Netherlands www.corbion.com) will accelerate its thrust into the biotechnology arena, making the next step in the bioplastics value chain by becoming a PLA producer. With entry into PLA, Corbion Purac intends to bring new biodegradable solutions…
Messer Group (Bad Soden/Frankfurt, Germany; www.messergroup.com) is building its third gasses production plant in Vietnam. The new contract for oxygen and nitrogen that Hoa Phat Steel, the largest steel producer in Vietnam, signed in October with Messer, will run for…
BASF SE (Ludwigshafen, Germany; www.basf.com) and Toda Kogyo Corp. (Tokyo, Japan; www.todakogyo.co.jp), an industry leader in the development and manufacture of cathode materials for lithium-ion batteries, have agreed to form a joint venture (JV) for cathode active materials (CAM) in…
Nippon Shokubai Co. (Osaka, Japan; www.shokubai.co.jp) has entered into a letter of intent with Takiron Co., Ltd. (Tokyo; www.takiron.co.jp) to transfer all of the shares of its subsidiary, Nippon Polyester Co. Final share transfer agreements will be signed after negotiations…
Vencorex (Saint-Priest, France; www.vencorex.com) is expanding its capacity of aliphatic isocyanates to further strengthen the company’s positions worldwide. Several industrial projects will enhance the ability to serve the growing market for years to come. Vencorex’s objective is to strengthen…
Clariant (Muttenz, Switzerland; www.clariant.com) has agreed to divest its Business Line Energy Storage to Johnson Matthey Plc. (London; www.matthey.com). The total consideration of the sale amounts to $75 million at closing which is expected early 2015. The Energy Storage business…
Royal DSM (Heerlen, the Netherlands; www.dsm.com) today announces that its new polymerization plant will be built in Augusta, GA. The investment was accounted earlier this year and now a location has been confirmed. The plant, which will become part of…
The National Titanium Dioxide Co. (Cristal; Jeddah, Saudi Arabia; www.cristal.com) has entered into an agreement to acquire the titanium dioxide assets of Jiangxi Tikon Titanium Co. The Jiangxi Tikon manufacturing facility is located in the city of Fuzhou in Jiangxi…