Business & Economics
Wacker: new production facility for pharma proteins
Wacker Chemie AG Munich, Germany; www.wacker.com) officially opened a new production facility for pharmaceutical proteins (biologics) in Jena today. The new plant is part of the company’s investment program to enlarge its biotech operations. The expansion enables Wacker to accommodate…
Uhde’s Prenflo process to be part of joint R&D project BioTfueL in France
BioTfueL is a new joint project launched by five French partners and Uhde GmbH (Dortmund, Germany; www.uhde.eu). BioTfueL integrates the various technology stages of the so-called biomass-to-liquid (BTL) chain with the aim of developing and integrating all the stages of…
Toyo, Modec and Petrobras cooperate to verify small- and medium-scale GTL plant
Toyo Engineering Corp. (Toyo; www.toyo-eng.co.jp) and Modec, Inc. (both Tokyo, Japan; www.modec.com), which have been working together since November 2007 on the development of small- and medium-scale GTL, concluded a cooperation agreement with Petroleo Brasileiro S.A. (Petrobras; www2.petrobras.com.br) to construct…
Chemical business indicators largely positive last week, ACC says
Despite mixed reports for the wider economy last week, business indicators for basic and specialty chemicals were largely positive, according to data assembled by the American Chemistry Council (ACC). The most recent ACC Economics and Statistics report points out that…
A database for dealing with bauxite residue
An online database developed by a research team from Parker Centre (Karawara, Western Australia; www.parkercentre.com.au) and CSIRO Light Metals Flagship (Clayton, Australia; www.csiro.au/org/LightMetals) has for the first time provided industry, government, researchers and environmental groups with a one-stop, searchable resource…
After 13 years, starchy potatoes approved
Today the European Commission approved Amflora, BASF’s genetically-optimized starch potato, for commercial application in Europe. The potato can now be used for the production of industrial starch. “After waiting for more than 13 years, we are delighted that the European…
Outotec to deliver copper plant for Codelco in Chile
Outotec Oyj (Espoo, Finland; www.outotec.com) has signed a contract with Codelco for the design and delivery of a copper-concentrate-roasting plant, gas-cleaning system and sulfuric-acid plant for Codelco’s new Mina Ministro Hales mine near Calama, Northern Chile. The contract price is…
Merck KGaA to acquire Millipore
Merck KGaA (Darmstadt, Germany; www.merck.de) Millipore Corp.; Billerica, Mass.; www.millipore.com) have announced that they have entered into a definitive agreement under which Merck KGaA will acquire all outstanding shares of common stock of Millipore, for $107 per share in cash, or…
Evonik acquires catalyst business from H.C. Starck
On February 26, 2010 Evonik Industries AG (Essen, Germany; www.evonik.com) acquired the catalyst business of H.C. Starck GmbH (Goslar, Germany). The know-how and technology relating to the production and use of Amperkat catalysts have therefore been transferred to Evonik. Following…
Evonik developing the world’s largest Li-ceramic battery
Evonik Industries AG (Essen, Germany; www.evonik.com) and its partners are developing the world's largest lithium ceramic battery. This has been made possible by CERIO technology, a special combination of ceramic materials and high-molecular ionic conductors, which ensures greatly increased safety combined…