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Covestro raises stake in TPU joint venture

Covestro (Leverkusen, Germany; www.covestro.com) accelerates the expansion of its thermoplastic polyurethanes (TPU) business by raising its stake in the joint venture DIC Covestro Polymer Ltd. (DCP) from 50 to 80%. DCP, established as a 50/50 joint venture in the year…

MFG Chemical upgrades newly acquired specialty chemicals plant

MFG Chemical (Dalton, Ga.; www.mfgchemical.com), a global leader in specialty and custom chemical manufacturing, is upgrading its Pasadena, Texas plant, which the company acquired in March 2018, and sits on 24.5 acres. The acquisition of the Pasadena plant, together with…

New Thailand Plant Expands Dow’s Polyol Capacity

The Dow Chemical Co. (Midland, Mich.; www.dow.com) today announced the opening of a new world-class polyol plant for rigid polyurethane foam in Rayong, Thailand. The facility increases the company’s capacity to offer high-quality insulation materials and solutions with reliable, energy-efficient…

2018 CEPCI updates: Sept. (prelim.) and August (final)

The preliminary value for the September 2018 CE Plant Cost Index (CEPCI; most recent available) increased  compared to the previous month’s value, continuing an upward trend that has been in place throughout 2018. The final August numbers were revised upwardly…

Oxiteno marks opening of new alkoxylation plant in Texas

Oxiteno (São Paulo, Brazil; www.oxiteno.com), a leader in the manufacture of surfactants and specialty chemicals, celebrated the official opening of its first alkoxylation plant in Pasadena, Texas, on November 14th. This unit, planned to support mainly U.S. customers, has annual…

Fluid Sealing Association appoints new president

The Fluid Sealing Association (FSA; Wayne, Pa.; www.fluidsealing.com) is pleased to announce the appointment of Robert (Rob) S. Coffee as President of the Association.  He is currently the Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Proco Products, Inc., in Stockton,…

Wanhua Chemical Group to institute first UOP Process Reliability Advisor service in China

Honeywell (Morris Plains, N.J.; www.honeywell.com) today announced that Wanhua Chemical Group Co., Ltd. will use the Honeywell Connected Plant Process Reliability Advisor to provide prescriptive monitoring of its UOP C3 Oleflex unit at its plant in Shandong Province in Eastern…

Recently Published Books for the CPI: November 2018

The following recently published books are relevant to the chemical process industries (CPI): Membrane-Based Salinity Gradient Processes for Water Treatment and Power Generation. Edited by Sarper Sarp and Nidal Hilal, Elsevier Press, 2018, 366 pages, $187.00.  Bow Ties in Risk…

Brewing Technology: An Old Art Looks Forward

Research and development in the brewing industry is peaking, driven by efforts to improve quality, efficiency and sustainability Within the chemical process industries (CPI), the brewing industry is among the sectors with the deepest historical roots and the most entrenched…

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Plant Watch: November 2018

Plant Watch Covestro to invest €1.5 billion in new, world-scale MDI plant in Baytown October 9, 2018 — Covestro AG (Leverkusen, Germany; www.covestro.com) approved an investment of around €1.5 billion to build a new methylene diphenyl diisocyanate (MDI) plant in…