In The News
The formation of FieldComm Group move forward
The final step in constructing a single organization to lead process automation communications and integration technologies was completed when the members of both the HART Communication Foundation (www.hartcomm.org) and Fieldbus Foundation (both Austin, Tex.; www.fieldbus.org) approved the merger proposed by…
Solvay expands its specialty polymers offerings with Ryton PPS acquisition
Solvay S.A. (Brussels, Belgium; www.solvay.com) has signed an agreement to buy the Ryton PPS (polyphenylene sulphide) business from U.S.-based petrochemical company Chevron Phillips Chemical Co. for $220 million, expanding its offering of high-performance polymers and entering a solid growth market.…
Evonik to expand its specialty silica capacities in Japan
Evonik Industries AG (Essen, Germany; www.evonik.com) has announced an expansion of its specialty silica capacities in Ako, Japan through a holding in DSL Japan Co. (DSL). Evonik holds 51% of shares in DSL, a joint venture with the Japanese Shionogi…
Stora Enso to build biomass-to-sugars demonstration plant in Louisiana
Following its recent acquisition of the biotechnology company Virdia, Inc. (Redwood City, Calif.; www.virdia.com), Stora Enso Oyj (Helsinki, Finland; www.storaenso.com) is investing €32 million ($43 million) in a demonstration and market development plant to be built at Raceland, Louisiana. The…
KBR awarded EPC contract for Koch Nitrogen urea expansion
KBR Inc. (Houston; www.kbr.com) has been awarded a reimbursable contract by Koch Nitrogen Company, LLC to provide engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) services for a new grassroots urea plant, part of a $1.3-billion expansion project by Koch Nitrogen at its…
Topsøe to design large-scale fertilizer plant with project partners in Turkmenistan
In collaboration with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd. (MHI; Tokyo, Japan; www.mhi-global.com), Haldor Topsøe A/S (Lyngby, Denmark; www.topsoe.com) has been selected for the design of a new ammonia plant for a major fertilizer project in Turkmenistan. The project has been awarded…
Evonik invests in German operations
Evonik Industries AG (Essen, Germany; www.evonik.com) is investing in its German operations with new large- scale industrial plants, capacity expansions, and new research centers. The company plans to invest some €2 billion of the extensive investment program it has developed…
A more direct route to ethyl acetate
Last June, Showa Denko K.K. (SDK; Tokyo, Japan; www.sdk.co.jp) started commercial operation of its new 100,000-ton/yr ethyl acetate plant at Oita Complex. The new plant is the first commercial facility in Japan to use the company’s proprietary production-process technology. The…
Municipal water sludge-optimization technology poised for growth
A sludge-optimization technology for municipal water-treatment facilities is poised for rapid growth after the exclusive worldwide patent-licensing rights for the technology were acquired by CNP Technology Water and Biosolids Corp. (Kenosha, Wisc.; www.cnp-tec.com). The technology, known as AirPrex, was initially…
Mercury removal with modified aluminosilicate clay
The first commercial contract delivery was recently made for an emissions control product that removes mercury from fluegas without the use of activated carbon. The product, known as AS-HgX, is made by Novinda Corp. (Denver, Colo.; www.novinda.com), and will be…