Business & Economics
Current Trends
The preliminary value for the September CE Plant Cost Index (CEPCI; the most recent available) rose 0.26% from the final August value, extending the series of monthly increases to six in a row. All four of the major subindices increased…
Calendar: January – September 2015
NORTH AMERICA Europe Asia & Elsewhere 22nd Winter Fluorine Conference. American Chemical Soc., Div. of Fluorine Chemistry (Washington, D.C.). Phone: 800-227-5558; Web: acs.org St. Pete Beach, Fla. January 11–16, 2015 5th Electric Energy Storage Conference. Marcus Evans North America…
Naushad Jamani becomes senior vice president, olefins and feedstock, for Nova Chemicals…
Nova Chemicals Corp. (Calgary, Alta.) names Naushad Jamani senior vice president, olefins and feedstock. He replaces Grant Thomson, who is retiring. Michael Oxman becomes a partner at Acorn International (Houston), a provider of environmental- and social-risk-management services. Greene’s…
Tecnimont awarded EPC contract for Illinois fertilizer plant
Maire Tecnimont S.p.A. (Milan, Italy; www.mairetecnimont.com) has announced that its main subsidiary Tecnimont S.p.A. has signed a memorandum of understanding with Cronus Chemicals,LLC, which will be converted into a contract to build an ammonia and urea plant located in Tuscola,…
Improve Your Contingency Estimates for More Realistic Project Budgets
The average large project in the chemical process industries (CPI) overruns its sanctioned budget, including contingency, by 21%. Even more alarming, 10% of large projects overrun their budget by more than 70%. These are findings based on research by the…
Hexpol acquires U.S. rubber compounder Portage Precision Polymers
Hexpol AB (Malmö, Sweden; www.hexpol.com) has acquired the business of Portage Precision Polymers Inc., a well-known rubber compounder in the U.S. market. Portage Precision Polymers, with two manufacturing facilities in Ohio (Ravenna and Mogadore), had a turnover of $29 million…
KBR awarded FEED contract for butadiene expansion project in Saudi Arabia; and more business news
Plant Watch Momentive to construct two formaldehyde plants in Louisiana November 10, 2014 — Momentive Specialty Chemicals Inc. (Columbus, Ohio; www.momentive.com) plans to build two new formaldehyde plants in Geismar and Luling, La., with operations expected to begin in…
Amec Foster Wheeler awarded boiler contract in Bulgaria
Amec Foster Wheeler (London, U.K.; www.amecfw.com) has announced the award of a contract for the design, supply and erection of a circulating fluidized-bed (CFB) boiler island for Deven JSCo, asubsidiary of Solvay Sodi. The boiler island, the second that Amec…
Pöyry awarded contract for nickel emissions reduction project in Canada
Vale Canada Ltd. has awarded Pöyry (Montreal) Inc. (www.poyry.com) with the detailed engineering and construction site assistance services assignment for the nickel emissions project at Copper Cliff Nickel Refinery in Sudbury, Ontario, Canada. The project involves a new baghouse with…
BASF plans major investment in pioneering superabsorbent technology
BASF SE (Ludwigshafen, Germany; www.basf.com) today announced plans for a major investment in a pioneering superabsorbent technology platform of its hygiene business. BASF will invest up to €500 million ($625 million) over the next two to three years to establish…