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Successful startup of Datang Phase 1 SNG plant in China  

Davy Process Technology (Davy; London, U.K.; www.davyprotech.com), a wholly owned Johnson Matthey subsidiary, and Johnson Matthey announce the successful startup of a new substitute natural gas (SNG) plant owned and operated by Datang Energy Chemical Co. (Datang) in Keshiketeng County,…

Durable goods orders down 13.2% in August, ACC report notes

Data from the U.S. Census Bureau that were included in the latest American Chemistry Council (ACC; Washington, D.C.; www.americanchemistry.com) Weekly Chemistry and Economic report indicate that orders for durable goods fell by 13.2% in the U.S in August, the largest…

Capital equipment prices drop 1.9% from June to July

Capital equipment prices, as reflected in the CE Plant Cost Index (CEPC), dropped 1.9% from June to July (the most recent data). Meanwhile, the Current Business Indicators from IHS Global Insight, including the operating rate, dropped slightly from July to…

Robert Card becomes president and CEO of SNC-Lavalin…

Correction: From the October 2012 Letters page: Who's Who that ran in the print edition of Chemical Engineering had two spelling errors: Blachoh Fluid Control is correctly spelled Blacoh Fluid Control, and the headquarters of CST International is Lenexa, Kan.…

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KBR to provide license and design package for olefins recovery unit in China  

KBR (Houston; www.kbr.com) was awarded a license and process-design package contract for a new Olefins Recovery Unit in Yulin city, Shanxi Province, China. The client owns an existing commercial plant of coal-to-olefins which was put into production in 2011 and…

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Air Products to build new ASU for enhanced natural-gas recovery in the Netherlands  

Air Products (Lehigh Valley, Pa.; www.airproducts.com) says it will build and operate a new air separation unit (ASU) for Nederlandse Aardolie Maatschappij B.V. (NAM), a joint venture between Shell and Esso. The company has secured the necessary environmental and permit…

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Demand for new technology drives multi-million AkzoNobel expansion  

AkzoNobel (Amsterdam, the Netherlands; www.akzonobel.com) is to boost capacity at one of its U.S. sites in order to meet increasing demand from the semi-conductor industry, particularly for the production of light emitting diodes (LEDs). Financial details were not disclosed. The…

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Evonik plans for the first MMA production plant using the Aveneer process  

Evonik Industries AG (Essen, Germany; www.evonik.com) is starting basic planning for a new methyl methacrylate (MMA) production plant using the Aveneer process at its Mobile, Ala. site. The capital expenditure involved will be in the three-digit million euro range. The…

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Solvay launches rare-earth-recycling activities in France  

Today, Solvay S.A. (Brussels, Belgium; www.solvay.com) officially opened two rare earth recycling units in France. In order to diversify its sources of supply and preserve resources, the Group has developed a process for recovering rare earths contained in end-of-life equipment…

Biofuels coalition defends Renewable Fuel Standard

A large coalition of advanced and traditional renewable fuel stakeholders today joined forces to defend America’s Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) and the economic, employment, domestic renewable energy and national security benefits the RFS provides. The new coalition, Fuels America, spans…