Plant Watch Construction of AkzoNobel’s unit for ethylene amines in China progresses December 17, 2008 — AkzoNobel Functional Chemicals (Amersfoort, The Netherlands) is installing production capacity for ethylene amines in Ningbo, China, including ethylene oxide and monoethanolamine (MEA). Startup of…
Patent Savvy for Managers. By Kirk Teska. Nolo, 950 Parker St., Berkeley, CA 94710-2524. Web: nolo.com. 2007. 278 pages, $29.99 Reviewed by Charles R. Richard, Patent Attorney, Washington, D.C. [email protected] The book I am reviewing here is one in a…
The American Institute of Chemical Engineers (New York, N.Y.) names June Wispelwey executive director. Richard L. Killion becomes president and COO of Babcock & Wilcox Power Generation Group, Inc. (Baberton, Ohio). Bio-Chem Fluidics (Boonton, N.J.) appoints John Tully distribution sales…
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…
AkzoNobel (Amsterdam, The Netherlands; www.akzonobel.com) is to enhance its chemicals portfolio after making an irrevocable bid on German-based LII Europe. Financial details were not disclosed. LII Europe operates a multi-client chlorine cluster on the Hoechst Industrial Park near Frankfurt. As…
Siemens Energy (Erlangen, Germany; www.siemens.com/energy) has installed a turnkey photovoltaic (PV) plant on the roof of the Siemens Healthcare X-ray systems manufacturing plant in Forchheim, Germany. After a planning and construction time of less than three months, the unit went…
OM Group, Inc. (OMG; Cleveland, Ohio; www.omgi.com) and Rahu Catalytics Ltd. (Nottingham, U.K.; www.rahucat.com) have agreed to develop a long-term global license and supply agreement for novel technology in the field of additives for coatings, inks and composites. According to…
Bayer MaterialScience (BMS; Leverkusen, Germany; www.bayermaterialscience.com) has received regulatory approval from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA; Washington, D.C.) for Baytubes, BMS’ multi-wall carbon nanotubes (CE, December 2005, p. 16). This enables the company to sell Baytubes on the American…
BASF SE (Ludwigshafen, Germany; www.basf.com) is increasing its production of low molecular weight, highly reactive polyisobutene (HR PIB). Between now and 2010 the company will increase its annual capacity by 25,000 metric tons (m.t.). The polymer, marketed worldwide under the…
Uhde GmbH (Dortmund, Germany; www.uhde.biz) has been awarded a contract by Risun Chemical Co. of China to build an aromatics plant at Tangshan (Hebei Province), some 150 km east of Beijing. The new plant will produce top-quality benzene, toluene and…