The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD; Paris; www.oecd.org) recently released its composite leading indicator (CLI) for May, and it shows that 16 of the 33 major nations experienced a gain in their CLI, according to the latest Weekly…
Solvay S.A. (Brussels, Belgium; www.solvay.com) inaugurated its new large-scale alkoxylation plant in Singapore, the largest plant of its kind in Asia, as part of its global strategy to expand the growth of its specialty surfactants in the region. The nearly…
Asahi Kasei Chemicals Corp. (Tokyo, Japan; www.asahi-kasei.co.jp) will increase annual production capacity for hydrogenated styrenic thermoplastic elastomer (SEBS) by 30% at its Kawasaki Works site in Kanagawa, Japan, with startup scheduled for June 2016. The expansion of performance polymer operations…
The investment committee of Sibur (Moscow; www.sibur.com) has approved the expansion of a facility that processes raw natural-gas liquids (raw NGL) at the Tobolsk production site. This expansion project is expected to increase the site's capacity from 6.6 million metric…
CB&I (The Woodlands, Tex.; www.cbi.com) announced it has been awarded a contract by Carbon Holdings for the license and basic engineering design of an ethylbenzene/styrene plant to be built in Ain Sokhna, Egypt. The units will be a part of…
Praxair, Inc. (Danbury, Conn.; www.praxair.com) announced that it has acquired two independent distributors of industrial and specialty packaged gases and related supplies – Cryospec, Inc. (Cryospec) in San Francisco, Calif., and Garland Welding Supplies, Inc. (GWS) in Garland, Tex., with…
Asahi Kasei Fibers Corp. (Osaka, Japan; www.asahi-kasei.co.jp/fibers/en/) will construct a new production facility for Bemliese cellulose nonwoven fabric in Nobeoka, Miyazaki, Japan at the site of the company’s former polyester plant. The new plant’s production capacity is approximately 1,500 metric…
The Linde Group’s (Munich, Germany; www.linde.com) affiliate Linde Electronics and Specialty Gases announced the construction of a new onsite fluorine plant to supply SK Hynix Semiconductor, a world-leading manufacturer of DRAM and NAND flash memories. The plant, which is said…
Evonik Industries AG (Essen, Germany; www.evonik.com) has for the first time acquired shares in a young technology company in Germany via its venture capital arm. The Group invested in JeNaCell GmbH and now holds a minority share in the…
KBR (Houston; www.kbr.com) has agreed to enter into two new partnerships with Bernhard Capital Partners (BCP). The first agreement will establish a new, equally owned and managed company, Brown & Root Industrial Services. KBR's Industrial Services Americas, part of…