Chemical

Chemical firm LyondellBasell and Helsinki-headquartered Neste, the world’s largest producer of renewable diesel from waste and residues, have announced the first parallel production of bio-based PP and bio-based low-density PE at a commercial scale. The joint project used Neste’s renewable hydrocarbons derived from sustainable bio-based raw materials, such as waste…

German chemicals giant BASF and Russian petchem company Sibur are collaborating to develop polymer solutions using BASF’s additives at Sibur’s PolyLab R&D centre located in Moscow, Russia. Both companies say they will work together to leverage on the digital technologies in production and R&D, and to develop a range of…

Dutch specialty polymers supplier DSM has launched a new production line for Arnitel thermoplastic copolyesters (TPCs) in Emmen, the Netherlands. The capacity will be expanded by 20%. The new production line will allow DSM to meet the growing demand for its TPCs. These materials are known for their combination of…

With the global thermoplastics polyurethane (TPU) market expected to grow at 6% between 2017 and 2022, and the majority of such growth to come from the Asia Pacific (APAC) region, German materials supplier Covestro has completed a capacity expansion for TPU at its Changhua manufacturing site in Taiwan by 30%.…

Dutch chemical firm LyondellBasell says it has ended discussions with Odebrecht S.A. concerning the potential acquisition of Brazilian petrochemical firm Braskem. Odebrecht S.A. is the controlling shareholder of São Paulo-based Braskem. “The combination of LyondellBasell and Braskem is compelling because of the companies’ complementary strengths, product portfolios and operational footprints.…

UK chemical firm Inoes has signed an agreement with Saudi Aramco and France’s Total to build three new plants in the Middle East, as part of the Jubail 2 complex in Saudi Arabia. The three world-scale plants will produce the key building blocks for carbon fibre, engineering polymers and synthetic…

BASF-YPC, the joint venture between German chemical firm BASF and China’s Sinopec has commenced production at the second propionic acid plant in Nanjing, China. Commercial products are now available for sale to customers in China and the rest of Asia Pacific. The new plant has a production capacity of 30,000…

Mitsui Chemicals has decided to expand its production facilities at Grand Siam Composites Co in Thailand to meet growing global demand for polypropylene (PP) compounds. The plant in Map Ta Phut Industrial Estate will produce 13,000 tonnes/year by 2020. It is owned by Mitsui Chemicals: 45.2%, SCG Chemicals: 46.2%; Prime…

Japan’s Showa Denko is to acquire all shares in ILAG Industrielack AG, which leads the ILAG Group (ILAG), a specialty non-stick coating chemicals manufacturing company headquartered in Wangen, Switzerland, and signed a stock purchase and sale agreement with the current owners, a coalition of investors led by Helvetica Capital, a…

China has successfully transformed itself as a producer of run of the mill products to a global factory manufacturer of competitively priced quality products. That said, being cheap no longer sells as consumers are becoming increasingly quality-aware of the products that they use. TPE maker KRAIBURG TPE says it is…