Business & Economics
Univar successfully closes Quaron acquisition
Univar (Brussels, Belgium; www.univar.com), a leading global chemical distributor, announced today it has successfully completed the acquisition of the Quaron business in Belgium and the Netherlands. This step reflects Univar’s commitment to growth and to strengthening its position, reach, service,…
Eurecat: New catalyst-processing facility in India
Eurecat SA (La Voulte, France; www.eurecat.com) is constructing a new, world-class catalyst processing plant in India, to be located in the Jhagadiya Industrial Estate, Bharuch District, Gujarat State. This plant will be operated by Eurecat India Catalyst Services, Ltd., a…
CB&I acquires 100% interest in CDTech
CB&I (The Woodlands, Tex.; www.cbi.com) announced that it has acquired Chemical Research and Licensing from CRI/Criterion, a subsidiary of Royal Dutch Shell plc. This acquisition gives CB&I, through its Lummus Technology business sector, a 100% interest in Catalytic Distillation Technologies…
BASF completes acquisition of CRI/Criterion’s styrene catalysts business
BASF SE (Ludwigshafen, Germany; www.basf.com) has successfully completed its acquisition of CRI/Criterion’s global, styrene catalysts business. As part of this agreement, BASF has acquired CRI/Criterion’s customer list, contracts and exclusive and non-exclusive licenses for intellectual property, including applicable patents and…
Chemical production is up slightly in the U.S. and abroad, ACC report says
Chemical industry production increased in November, by 0.4% globally, and by 0.6% in the U.S., according to the latest edition of the Weekly Chemistry and Economic Report from the American Chemistry Council (ACC; Washington, D.C.; www.americanchemistry.com). The 0.4% gain in…
DuPont completes acquisition of MECS
DuPont (Wilmington, Del.; www.dupont.com) has completed its purchase of MECS (St. Louis, Mo.; www.mecsglobal.com) from affiliates of American Securities LLC. The previously announced transaction strengthens the DuPont clean technologies portfolio and will provide access to additional high-growth markets, particularly in…
Interpolation and regression models book reviewed by Francis McConville, of Impact Technology
Interpolation and Regression Models for the Chemical Engineer: Solving Numerical Problems. By Guido Buzzi-Ferraris and Flavio Manenti. Wiley-VCH, Boschstrasse 12 69469 Weinheim, Germany. Web: wiley-vch.de. 2010. 442 pages. $130.00. Reviewed by Francis McConville, Impact Technology Development, Lincoln,…
2011 Kirkpatrick Award: Call for Nominations
Many of you know of a company — perhaps your own employer — that has recently commercialized an innovative process, product, or other chemical-engineering development. If so, we would like to hear from you. Nominations are open for this magazine’s…
January Letters
Questions of CE history I was digging through some old files in my office and came across a February 5, 1962 publication of Chemical Engineering. It’s in good condition and I have now framed it and placed it on my…
Clifford Johnson is president of the Pipeline Research Council International….
Yeghnazar Hubbard Allard Dalton Way Clifford Johnson, formerly of NACE International, is now president of the Pipeline Research Council International (Falls Church, Va.).…