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2023 CEPCI updates: November (preliminary) and October (final)

The preliminary value for the CE Plant Cost Index (CEPCI) for November 2023 (most recent available) is down by a small margin from the previous month, continuing a string of monthly declines since June 2023. In November, small decreases were…

CPI Outlook for 2024

Following a strong year for the chemical process industries (CPI) in 2022, 2023 saw modest growth, with global industrial output rising only 0.6% and chemical production growth at about 0.3% [ 1]. Numerous factors contributed to the lower demand for…

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Business News: January 2024

Plant Watch Trinseo inaugurates new PMMA depolymerization plant in Italy December 7, 2023 — Trinseo (Berwyn, Pa.; www.trinseo.com) inaugurated a new polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) depolymerization plant in Rho, Italy. This depolymerization operation will be designed to enable the efficient recycling…

Recently published books for the CPI: January 2024

The following is a selection of recently published books with potential relevance to various parts of the chemical process industries (CPI).  Process Design for Cryogenics. By Alexander Alekseev, Wiley-VCH Publishing, 2024, 384 pages, $160.00. Handbook of Construction Management for Instrumentation…

Q&A with CISA Industrial Control Systems Cybersecurity Lead Matt Rogers

Editor's note: The following responses were provided by Matthew Rogers, the Industrial Control System Cybersecurity Lead at the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA; www.cisa.gov), part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (www.dhs.gov). The statements were provided in response…

2023 CEPCI updates: October (prelim.) and September (final)

The preliminary value for the CE Plant Cost Index (CEPCI) for October 2023 (most recent available) is lower than the previous month’s value, continuing a trend of lower monthly values that has been observed since May 2023. To arrive at…

Clariant shuts sunliquid bioethanol plant in Romania

Clariant AG (Muttenz, Switzerland; www.clariant.com), a sustainability-focused specialty chemical company, today announced its decision to shut down its sunliquid® bioethanol production in Podari, Romania, and to downsize related activities of the business line Biofuels & Derivatives in Germany (Straubing, Planegg…

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Business News: December 2023

Plant Watch Petrobras announces biorefining breakthrough at Riograndense refinery November 9, 2023 — Petróleo Brasileiro S.A. (Petrobras; Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; www.petrobras.com.br) has successfully processed 100% soybean oil in a fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) unit at its Riograndense petroleum refinery…

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Applying Location Factors for Conceptual Cost Estimation

A practical overview on how to use location factors, and some tips on when to use — or not use — them Often in the early stages of project development in the chemical process industries (CPI), the development team is…

2023 CEPCI updates: September (prelim.) and August (final)

The preliminary value for the CE Plant Cost Index (CEPCI) for September 2023 (the most recent available) fell compared to the August value, reversing the slight increase that was observed from the cycle prior to that. The CEPCI has been…