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BASF and Renmatix agree on a joint development for the production of industrial sugars from biomass  

BASF SE (Ludwigshafen, Germany; www.basf.com) and Renmatix Inc. (Philadelphia, Pa.; www.renmatix.com) will jointly scale up the Renmatix Plantrose process for the production of industrial sugars based on lignocellulosic biomass. The two companies signed a non-exclusive joint development agreement. The parties…

Clariant to acquire Indian masterbatch producer

Clariant (Muttenz, Switzerland; www.clariant.com) has announced the intention to acquire Plastichemix Industries, a masterbatch business in India, located in Vadodara with production facilities in Rania, Kalol and Nandesari in Gujarat, India. Plastichemix Industries is a supplier of black, white, filler…

Sika will acquire manufacturers of cementitious powders in Singapore and Malaysia

Sika AG (Baar, Switzerland; www.sika.com) has agreed to acquire LCS Optiroc Pte Ltd. in Singapore and LCS Optiroc SDN. BHD in Malaysia. Both acquired companies are manufacturers of cementitious powder products. Founded by Kim Hong Lim and Choong Fee Chong,…

BASF to build new plastics compounding plant in Korea

BASF SE (Ludwigshafen, Germany; www.basf.com) will build a compounding plant for engineering plastics Ultramid (polyamide) and Ultradur (polybutylene terephthalate, PBT) compounds in Yesan, Chung Nam Province, Korea. The new plant is expected to begin construction by first half of 2014…

PolyOne opens new polymers facility in Turkey

PolyOne Corp. (Avon Lake, Ohio; www.polyone.com), a provider of specialized polymer materials, services and solutions, has begun production in a new facility in Turkey. The operations feature enhanced capabilities with an expanding portfolio of specialty polymer formulations. The facility is…

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Topsøe builds catalyst plant in China  

Haldor Topsøe A/S’ (Lyngby, Denmark; www.topsoe.com) board of directors today approved the capital investment needed to carry out the construction that in two primary phases will establish a new automotive catalyst plant in Tianjin Economic Technological Development Area (TEDA) located…

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Bechtel to design and build complex water system for copper mine in Chile  

Bechtel (San Francisco, Calif.; www.bechtel.com) has been selected by BHP Billiton to provide engineering, project management, and construction services for a system that will bring a sustainable water supply to the Escondida copper mine in the Atacama Desert of northern…

U.S. chemical sales projected to reach $1 trillion by 2018, ACC says

Revenues from sales of chemicals in the U.S. is projected to top $1 trillion by 2018, according to economic analyses conducted by the American Chemistry Council (Washington, D.C.; www.americanchemistry.com) and discussed in its Chemical Industry and Outlook report for the…

Arkema to divest coatings business in South Africa

Arkema (Colombes, France; www.arkema.com) has announced a plan to divest its two South African subsidiaries, Arkema Resins Proprietary Limited and Harveys Composites Proprietary Limited to South African company, Ferro Industrial Products Proprietary Limited, specializing in the production and distribution of…

BASF to expand catalyst production in India

BASF Catalysts India Private Limited, a division of BASF SE (Ludwigshafen, Germany; www.basf.com) is expanding its mobile emissions catalysts production capacity in Chennai, India. Construction of a new 47,000 square meter facility will begin in December 2013, enhancing the company’s…