Lanxess AG (Leverkusen, Germany; www.lanxess.com) is strengthening its commitment to serve the growing Chinese market with premium products by making a number of local investments totaling more than €40 million. “China remains one of the fastest growing markets in Asia…
Solvay S.A. announced today that it has the intention to create a 50/50 joint venture with Sadara Chemical Co. (itself a planned joint venture of Saudi Arabian Oil Co. and The Dow Chemical Co.) for the construction and operation of…
Synagro Technologies, Inc. (Houston; www.synagro.com) announced yesterday a 10-year, $28-million contract with the Camden (N.J.) County Municipal Utilities Authority's (CCMUA) to begin operation of a green energy sludge drying facility. The facility converts sewage sludge into a renewable fuel, transforming…
AkzoNobel (Amsterdam, the Netherlands; www.akzonobel.com) plans to further strengthen its leadership position in specialty surfactants while enhancing its manufacturing footprint in Asia by acquiring Boxing Oleochemicals. Boxing is the leading supplier of nitrile amines and derivatives in China and throughout…
The Dow Chemical Co. (Midland, Mich.; www.dow.com) has signed a definitive agreement under which Dow’s global polypropylene business will be divested to Braskem (São Paulo, Brazil; www.braskem.com.br) for a total enterprise value to Dow of $340 million, comprised of $323…
Bechtel Corp. (San Francisco, Calif.; www.bechtel.com) and Linde AG (Munich, Germany; www.linde.com) announced today they will work together to expand and build ethylene cracker plants in North America. The combination of Bechtel’s unmatched engineering, procurement, and direct-hire construction (EPC) capabilities…
BASF SE (Ludwigshafen, Germany; www.basf.com) is planning to double production of its phthalate-free plasticizer Hexamoll DINCH from 100,000 metric tons (m.t.) to 200,000 m.t./yr at the Ludwigshafen site by 2013. Therefore a second production plant will now be built in…
Baker Hughes (Houston; www.bakerhughes.com) has completed its first unconventional hydrocarbon shale hydraulic fracturing and stimulation project in Argentina for YPF (www.ypf.com) in the Neuqun basin. The multistage fracturing operation was performed using over 12,000 hydraulic horse power and a total…
The Dow Chemical Co. (Midland, Mich.; www.dow.com) plans to invest in a best-in-class manufacturing facility for Dow Filmtec reverse osmosis (RO) elements in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. “Dow has a 50-year history of innovation and market leadership in the…
KBR (Houston; www.kbr.com) was awarded a contract by Toyo Engineering Corp. (Toyo; Chiba, Japan; www.toyo-eng.co.jp) to provide licensing and engineering services for PT Pupuk Kalimantan Timur (Pupuk Kaltim) — the largest urea and ammonia manufacturing company in Indonesia. The project…