The American Chemistry Council (ACC; Washington, D.C.; www.americanchemistry.com) reported that U.S. specialty chemicals market volumes rose 0.3 percent in June after rising only 0.1 percent in May, falling 0.3 percent in April and showing a weak first quarter. In June,…
The Chemical Activity Barometer (CAB), a leading economic indicator created by the American Chemistry Council (ACC; Washington, D.C.; www.americanchemistry.com), eased 0.2 percent in July on a three-month moving average (3MMA) basis following three months of gains in March-May and weak…
The new on-line World Input-Output Database (WIOD) environmental accounts (www.wiod.org/release16) was launched today by the Joint Research Centre (JRC; https://ec.europa.eu/jrc/en). The database contains figures on the industrial and household energy use of residents in more than 40 countries and their…
Sekisui Chemical Co. (Osaka, Japan; www.sekisuichemical.com) announced that SEKISUI YOUNGBO HPP (WUXI) CO., a consolidated subsidiary of Sekisui located in Jiangsu Provine, China, commenced mass production and sales in May 2019. Sekisui Youngbo is a company that primarily manufactures polypropylene…
Stora Enso Oyj (Helsinki, Finland; www.storaenso.com) is investing €10 million to build a pilot facility for producing bio-based carbon materials based on lignin. Wood-based carbon can be utilized as a crucial component in batteries typically used in consumer electronics, the…
Airgas, an Air Liquide company (www.airgas.com), announced the grand opening of its new liquid carbon dioxide and dry ice facility in Stockton, California. The facility, which was engineered to have minimal environmental impact, is a zero runoff/discharge site. Technology at…
Food and ingredients manufacturer Bunge Ltd. (White Plains, N.Y.; www.bunge.com) announced an agreement with BP plc (London; www.bp.com) to form a 50:50 joint venture (JV) that will create a leading bioenergy company in Brazil, one of the world’s largest fast-growing…
PPG (Pittburgh, Pa.; www.ppg.com) announced that it has reached a definitive agreement with private equity firm Sverica Capital Management LP to acquire Dexmet Corporation, a manufacturer of specialty materials for surfaces in aerospace, automotive and industrial applications. The company is…
Air Liquide (Paris, France; www.airliquide.com) and thyssenkrupp Steel, a world leading supplier of carbon-steel flat products, join forces in a pioneering project to develop lower carbon steel production. For the first time, hydrogen will be injected to partially replace pulverized…
Methanex Corp. (Vancouver, B.C., Canada; www.methanex.com) announced that its Board of Directors reached a unanimous final investment decision to construct a 1.8-million metric ton (m.t.) methanol plant in Geismar, Louisiana adjacent to its existing Geismar 1 and Geismar 2 facilities.…