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BASF increases global capacity for hexanediol  

BASF SE (Ludwigshafen, Germany; www.basf.com) will increase its annual global capacity for manufacturing the chemical intermediate 1,6-hexanediol (HDO) by more than 20% to more than 50,000 ton/yr by 2014. For this purpose, the company will further optimize its production processes,…

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Metso acquires ExperTune  

     Metso Corp. (Helsinki, Finland; www.metso.com) has acquired U.S. software company ExperTune Inc. (Milwaukee, Wisc.). ExperTune's products are widely used as software tools to analyze and monitor the performance of industrial processes and to identify the associated maintenance and…

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Endress+Hauser sets up a new subsidiary in Indonesia  

In over two decades since it entered the market, Endress+Hauser Endress+Hauser (Reinach, Switzerland; www.endress.com), a global leader in instrumentation and process automation solutions, has established itself in Indonesia as a supplier of high-quality measuring instruments and solutions. To strengthen this…

Clariant divests several businesses to SK Capital

Clariant AG (Muttenz, Switzerland; www.clariant.com) has signed an agreement to divest its textile chemicals, paper specialties and emulsions businesses to SK Capital, a U.S.-based private investment firm with a focus on the specialty materials, chemicals and healthcare sectors. The divestment…

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KBR’s first VCC-technology processing unit in Russia enters construction phase  

In February 2012, KBR (Houston; www.kbr.com) signed an agreement with TAIF-NK (www.en.taif.ru) to establish a Veba Combi Cracker (VCC) technology processing unit to be implemented at the Nizhnekamsk petroleum refinery in the Republic of Tatarstan, Russia (www.chemengonline.com/only_on_che/latest_news/9005.html). The unit, whose…

Renewable farnesene facility starts production in Brazil

The renewable chemicals and fuels company Amyris, Inc. (Emeryville, Calif.; www.amyris.com) today announced it has started production of renewable farnesene at its purpose-built industrial fermentation facility in Brazil. The Amyris brand of farnesene is known as BioFene.   The company also…

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BASF to sell Meyco Equipment business to Atlas Copco  

BASF SE (Ludwigshafen, Germany; www.basf.com) has signed a contract with Atlas Copco to sell its Meyco Equipment business providing concrete spraying machines to the tunneling and mining industries. The machinery manufacturer, which is based in Stockholm, Sweden, will continue operations…

Chemical production slips globally; U.S. flat, says ACC

Overall production of chemicals, as measured by the Global Chemical Production Regional Index (Global CPRI), slipped 0.3% in November, while chemical production in the U.S. was flat, according to data from the American Chemistry Council (ACC; Washington, D.C.; www.americanchemistry.com).   …

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Evonik expands U.S. production of precipitated silica  

Evonik Industries AG (Essen, Germany; www.evonik.com) plans to increase its annual production capacities for precipitated silica at its site in Chester, Pa. by around 20,000 metric tons. The new facility, which received an investment in lower double-digit euros range, is…

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Jacobs receives contract from Aura Minerals for copper mine expansion  

Jacobs Engineering Group Inc. (Pasadena, Calif.; www.jacobs.com) was awarded a contract by Aura Minerals Inc. to provide a basic engineering package for the expansion of the process plant at its Aranzazu copper-gold-silver mine located in the state of Zacatecas, Mexico.…