Business & Economics
Global CPRI grows in March, but at a subdued pace, ACC says
The Global Chemical Production Regional Index (Global CPRI) rose 0.1% in March, a subdued pace compared to January and February, according to the American Chemistry Council (ACC; Washington, D.C.; www.americanchemistry.com). The information on the Global CPRI was part of ACC’s…
Fluor wins contract for Dow U.S. Gulf Coast investments
Fluor Corp. (Irving, Tex.; www.fluor.com) announced today that it was awarded a contract by The Dow Chemical Company (Midland, Mich.; www.dow.com) to execute a significant portion of its U.S. Gulf Coast investments. Fluor’s scope includes the engineering, procurement and construction…
Compressors: Pursuing Lowest Cost of Ownership
A variety of technologies, methods and best practices are available to obtain the lowest total cost of ownership for compressors used in plants throughout the chemical process industries (CPI). This article discusses several critical areas in which concerted effort can…
AkzoNobel and Solvay establish a partnership on renewable solvents; and more business news
Plant Watch Neste Jacobs to expand enzyme production plant in Finland April 5, 2013 — Neste Jacobs Oy (Porvoo, Finland; www.nestejacobs.com) has signed a contract to expand an enzyme plant operated by Roal Oy (Rajamäki, Finland; www.roal.fi). Enzymes produced at…
Current trends
Preliminary data for the February 2013 CE Plant Cost Index (CEPCI), which is the most recent available, indicate that capital equipment prices declined from January to February, by 0.2%. The current February 2013 preliminary Plant Cost Index stands at 4.4%…
World’s first commercial LignoBoost plant successfully starts up at Domtar, N.C.
Domtar (Montreal, Québec, Canada; www.domtar.com) has successfully started up a commercial-scale LignoBoost lignin separation plant at its Plymouth, North Carolina mill. This is the first commercial installation of a LignoBoost plant in the world and the technology is supplied by…
Commercial debut of the AlkyClean solid-acid alkylation process
CB&I (The Woodlands, Tex.; www.cbi.com) has been awarded a contract by Shandong Wonfull Petrochemical Group Co. to provide the license and processing engineering design for a first-of-a-kind solid-acid alkylation unit to be located in China. The unit will be capable…
Illa International and Neste Jacobs to co-operate in the phenol-process business
Illa International LLC (ILLA; Long Grove, Ill.; www.illallc.com) and Neste Jacobs Oy (Porvoo, Finland; www.nestejacobs.com) have agreed to develop a combined offering in phenol and acetone production technologies, engineering and project services. Together, the companies intend to offer petrochemical companies…
U.S. CPRI slips in March, ACC says
The U.S. Chemical Production Regional Index (US CPRI) slipped by 0.1% in March, following a revised 0.4% gain in February, according to the American Chemistry Council (ACC; Washington, D.C.; www.americanchemistry.com). In its latest Weekly Chemistry and Economic Report, ACC…
Stamicarbon to revamp NFC urea plant in Iraq
Stamicarbon B.V. (Stittard, the Netherlands; www.stamicarbon.com), the Licensing and IP Center of Maire Tecnimont S.p.A. (www.mairetecnimont.com), has signed a contract with First Global Company for revamping the urea plant of State Company for Fertilizer North Area (NFC) in Iraq. The…