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AkzoNobel completes expansion of Houston R&D site
AkzoNobel (Amsterdam, the Netherlands; www.akzonobel.com) has completed the €2.6 million ($3.5 million) expansion of its U.S. research and development (R&D) facilities in Houston, Texas. Carried out in phases over a period of three years, the investment in the site -…
Dow finishes construction on new Freeport polyethylene unit
The Dow Chemical Co. (Midland, Mich.; www.dow.com) announced the completion of the construction phase of its new Elite enhanced polyethylene production facility in Freeport, Texas. Completed on time, the 400,000 metric ton (m.t.) polyethylene unit is the first of four…
Chevron Phillips completes PAO expansion project in Baytown
Chevron Phillips Chemical Company LP (The Woodlands, Tex.; www.cpchem.com) announced that it has successfully completed a low-viscosity polyalphaolefins (PAO) capacity expansion at its Cedar Bayou plant in Baytown, Texas. The 20% capacity expansion enables the company to meet the increasing…
Ethyl, FMC and BASF receive Responsible Care awards from ACC
The American Chemistry Council (ACC; Washington, D.C.; www.americanchemistry.com) presented its Responsible Care Company of the Year award today to three companies: Ethyl Corporation in the small size category, FMC Corporation in the medium size category and BASF Corporation in the…
AkzoNobel to expand micronutrient production capacity in Sweden
AkzoNobel N.V. (Amsterdam, the Netherlands; www.akzonobel.com) is to invest more than €10 million in Sweden to expand capacity for its chelated micronutrients, which are used as essential ingredients in the agricultural market. The project, at Kvarntorp, will help meet growing…
Shenzen Capchem to purchase electrolytes manufacturing site from BASF
BASF SE (Ludwigshafen, Germany; www.basf.com) has signed an agreement to sell its electrolytes manufacturing site in Suzhou, China, to Shenzhen Capchem Technology Co. one of the leading suppliers in the global electronic-chemicals and functional materials industry. The transaction is expected…
Shell progresses Geismar alpha olefins expansion; announces plans to increase alcohol capacity
Shell Chemical LP (Shell; www.shell.com/chemicals) provided an update on the progress of the main construction of its fourth linear alpha olefins (AO) unit at its chemicals manufacturing site in Geismar, Louisiana, USA. The 425,000-metric-tons-per-year (m.t./yr) capacity increase will make Shell’s…
BASF doubles processing capacity at catalyst-recycling site in South Carolina
BASF SE (Ludwigshafen, Germany; www.basf.com) has completed the installation and startup of new high-performance equipment at its Seneca, South Carolina operation, which will more than double the precious metals milling and sampling production capacity there. The Seneca site serves as…
Nuberg to execute large caustic-soda-plant project in Egypt
Nuberg Engineering Ltd. (New Delhi; www.nubergepc.com) has been chosen by Egyptian Petrochemicals Co. (EPC) as a single-point solution company — from concept to commissioning — for caustic soda-chlorine plant in Alexandria, Egypt. The project envisions setting up a turnkey project…
Air Products invests in six industrial-gas plants in China
Air Products (Lehigh Valley, Pa.; www.airproducts.com) has recently received multiple, long-term supply awards from semiconductor and flat panel display manufacturers in China as the country’s electronics manufacturing industry continues to boom. Industrial gases supply contracts awarded to Air Products over…