ICIS - Search Articles by Date : August 04 2003 - August 10 2003

Domestic Chemical Demand Rises As the Economy Begins to Recover
The American Chemistry Council (ACC) is seeing an upturn in the US economy and the beginning of a recovery for the chemical industry. "Our tab of more
(08 August 2003 20:13)

S&P Downgrades Avecia on Results
Citing poor first half results and a negative outlook, Standard & Poor's (S&P) has lowered Avecia's long-term corporate credit rating from more
(08 August 2003 20:13)

BASF and Dow Advance PO Technology
BASF AG and Dow Chemical Company say they have made significant progress in advancing the technology for the production of propylene oxide (PO) more
(08 August 2003 20:13)

Business In Brief
Arch Completes Purchase of Aquachlor Arch Chemicals Inc. has completed its purchase of the remaining 50 percent of Aquachlor Ltd. from its joint more
(08 August 2003 20:13)

Cambrex Sells Rutherford and Seals Supply Deal With Genzyme
Nearly eight months after hiring Banc of America Securities to explore strategic alternatives for Rutherford Chemicals, Cambrex Corp. has finally more
(08 August 2003 20:13)

Breaking News Roundup
Millennium Reveals Accounting Errors Fresh off a second quarter earnings disappointment, Millennium Chemicals Inc. has announced a series of more
(08 August 2003 20:13)

Polystyrene Appears Poised For a Second Half Recovery
The polystyrene market is revving up again. Demand is picking up after dropping off in the second quarter, and pricing could firm as producers more
(08 August 2003 20:13)

Food Packaging Still Core Market for PS
Food packaging remains one of polystyrene's largest and most dynamic end markets, accounting for 40 to 50 percent of demand in North America. more
(08 August 2003 20:13)

Restructuring Marks Surfactants Market as Margin Pressure Continues
Restructuring is a major theme for surfactant manufacturers that supply the household and personal care markets. Higher raw material costs, more
(08 August 2003 20:13)

First Look: CPhI Worldwide 2003
Frankfurt, Germany, will be the venue for this year's CPhI Worldwide and the International Contract Services Expo (ISCE), which will be held more
(08 August 2003 20:13)

Custom Manufacturing/Fine Chemicals: Views from the Trenches
Is the custom manufacturing/fine chemicals sector poised for a recovery in 2004, or has the business of pharmaceutical outsourcing been fundamentally.... more
(08 August 2003 20:13)

Europe in Brief
TOTAL's chemical sales fell 19 percent to  4.2 billion ($4.7 billion) in the second quarter with operating income going down 24 percent to  184 more
(08 August 2003 20:13)

Senate Republicans Dust Off Last Year's Alternate Energy Bill
Senate Republicans have agreed to abandon their stalled energy bill and resurrect an alternative measure written by Democrats that originally more
(08 August 2003 20:13)

International Deals and Restructuring Drive Chemical M&A Activity
Industry completes just $7 billion in deals in the first half, but volume remains strong. Joseph Chang reports. more
(08 August 2003 20:13)

Soda Ash Pricing Remains Flat
Domestic demand for soda ash has been stable this year in its major end-use markets, although export demand has been forecasted to increase, more
(08 August 2003 20:13)

Genzyme Acquires Immunology Company For $600 Million
In a deal that establishes a strong platform in immunology, Genzyme Corp. will pay roughly $600 million in cash to acquire Freemont, Calif.-based more
(08 August 2003 20:13)

Outages Planned in Chloralkali Market
The chloralkali industry is in the summer doldrums. Demand for caustic soda has been lower than expected this summer, and pricing has declined by more
(08 August 2003 20:13)

Jobs and People
John L. Hurst John L. Hurst has been elected executive vice president of Occidental Petroleum Corp. Mr. Hurst was recently appointed president more
(08 August 2003 20:13)

Ripplewood Puts Kraton Polymers Up for Sale at a Sizable Premium
Two and a half years after buying Kraton Polymers LLC from Shell Chemicals in a leveraged buyout, private equity firm Ripplewood Holdings LLC is more
(08 August 2003 20:13)

AstraZeneca Is Subject of EU Antitrust Probe
AstraZeneca PLC has become the subject of an antitrust investigation by the European Commission (EC), which alleges that the drug giant engaged in more
(08 August 2003 20:13)

Biogen Gains FDA Nod for US Manufacturing
Biogen Inc. has received Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval for its new $173 million large-scale manufacturing plant in Research Tri-angle more
(08 August 2003 20:13)

BASF Targets Nafta Region for StreamliningStaff by One-Third
BASF has announced a new restructuring program in the Nafta area that will reduce staff in the region by one-third. "To help make products more
(08 August 2003 20:13)

Clariant Unveils Major Restructuring Measures
Clariant will put its cellulose ethers, electronic materials and other unnamed businesses on the block. The businesses represent roughly 15 to 20 more
(08 August 2003 20:13)

ICI Targets North America for a New Wave of Job Cuts
ICI is targeting North America for a new wave of job cuts because of high labor costs in the region, particularly in the US. The company is more
(08 August 2003 20:13)

Ineos Chlor To Receive Grant For Membrane Process Conversion
Ineos Chlor, part of the Ineos Group, is slated to receive one of the largest grants under a job protection plan by the UK government that will more
(08 August 2003 20:13)

Rising Public Concerns Cast A Pall Over Nanotechnology
Hoping to benefit from a potential scientific revolution in the wake of nanotechnology, chemical companies are investing large sums for the more
(08 August 2003 20:13)

Monsanto Downgraded on PCB Concerns
Based on concerns about Solutia Inc.'s polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB) litigation in Alabama, Banc of America Securities analyst Kevin McCarthy has more
(08 August 2003 20:13)

New Molecular Entities: Mid-Year Review
Reduced new drug output is hitting the pharmaceutical industry for the second year in a row, as the number of new molecular entities (NMEs) is more
(08 August 2003 20:13)

Newcomers Avoid Large-Scale And Find Success Despite Hard Times
Three young companies offer the fine chemicals market unusual enabling portfolios that address the distressed business environment. Clay Boswell.... more
(08 August 2003 20:13)

FDA Removes Olestra Warning
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has eliminated the label requirements for Procter & Gamble Company's (P&G) olestra, a fat replacer more
(08 August 2003 20:13)

High Oleic Vegetable Oils Experience Rising Demand
Demand for high oleic (HO) vegetable oils is increasing as improved functionality and their healthier fatty acid profile drive the market. more
(08 August 2003 20:13)

Pharmaceutical Outsourcing Strong As Ever for Secondary Manufacturing
With annual growth rates of 10 percent, contract secondary manufacturing, particularly sterile manufacturing, is a strong force in the pharmaceutical.... more
(08 August 2003 20:13)

Ethylene Glycol Poised to Tighten as Demand Rebounds
Following the abatement of the SARS crisis in China, the market for ethylene glycol (EG) appears poised to reach earlier projections that called more
(08 August 2003 20:13)

Mixed Bag for Derivatives
The second quarter slowdown in ethylene glycol (EG) production be-cause of the SARS epidemic in China also impacted production of diethylene glycol more
(08 August 2003 20:13)

Petrochemicals In Brief
BTX Spot benzene pricing skyrocketed this week, reaching into the $1.60 per gallon range before retreating to $1.55 range later in the week. more
(08 August 2003 20:13)

Choline Chloride Market Continues to Suffer on Higher Feedstock Costs
Soaring energy costs continue to weigh heavily on the natural gas-dependent choline chloride market. In an effort to keep further margin erosion at more
(08 August 2003 20:13)

Management In Brief
US Manufacturing Rises After a period of contraction, the US manufacturing sector is showing signs of recovery, according to the Institute of more
(08 August 2003 20:13)

Pharmaceutical Custom Manufacturing: Moving Toward Commodity Status?
The days when pharmaceutical custom manufacturing appeared to be the New El Dorado offering rich returns and continuing double-digit growth are more
(08 August 2003 20:13)

IT In Brief
Pavilion, Sabic Team Sabic EuroPetrochemicals has selected Pavilion Technologies Inc.'s advanced process control solutions for the more
(08 August 2003 20:13)

Rhodia Streamlines Paracetamol Business
Rhodia is improving its competitive position in analgesics by reinforcing its more cost-effective manufacturing operations. The company is making a more
(08 August 2003 20:13)

Sss MicroTec Unveils Enchancements to Lithography
Sss MicroTec, based in Munich, Germany, revealed four new technologies which extend the capabilities of its 1X full-field lithography (1XFFL). more
(08 August 2003 20:13)

Ink-Jet Inks to Grow With Home-Based Digital Printing
The global ink-jet ink market is projected to grow to $25 billion by 2009. In 2002, the world market was valued at roughly $16 billion, with a more
(08 August 2003 20:13)

Specialties Pricing
Cognis Corp.'s graphic arts business is implementing several price increases, effective September 1 or as provided by individual contracts. Market more
(08 August 2003 20:13)

CMR Technology Watch: CombinatoRx and Synergistic Drug Combinations
Who would have predicted that combining a drug for pneumonia with a powerful antipsychotic would yield a promising candidate for the treatment of more
(08 August 2003 20:13)

Pharma in Brief
CELLTECH Group PLC and Actelion Ltd have received Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval for Zavesca (miglustat) capsules, an oral treatment more
(08 August 2003 20:13)

The good and the bad
A possible strong and sustained recovery in the US chemical industry in H2 could be dampened by the low operating levels of most plants due to.... more
(08 August 2003 17:19)

Indons may up polymer duties
The Indonesian government has agreed in principle to a request by the Indonesia Olefin and Plastic Industries Association (INAplas) for a.... more
(08 August 2003 17:19)

INAplas pushes for supply of naphtha at formula prices
The Indonesia Olefin and Plastic Industries Association (INAplas) is lobbying the Indonesian government for supply of naphtha at formula prices more
(08 August 2003 17:19)

Peni and TriPolyta could share more services
Peni and TriPolyta could share engineering and maintenance services in the next few months and perhaps merge their management teams eventually,.... more
(08 August 2003 17:19)

Work in progress
Indonesia has come a long way since the Asian financial crisis of 1997-98, but its troubles are not over. Harsh but much-needed reforms are necessary.... more
(08 August 2003 17:19)