ICIS - Search Articles by Date : January 05 2004 - January 11 2004

Basell to Build PP Compounding Plant in China
Basell will build a polypropylene (PP) compounding plant at the Suzhou Industrial Park, 80 kilometers west of Shanghai. Construction will begin more
(05 January 2004 14:40)

Coatings, Plastics Producers Anticipate Renewed Strength in 2004
The plastics and coatings industry heads into 2004 on a wave of renewed confidence as economic growth appears to be picking up. Inventories are low more
(05 January 2004 14:40)

Plastics In Brief
PVC OxyVinyls LP has nominated price increases on polyvinyl chloride of 2c. per pound for both January and February. Barry Hendrix, vice president more
(05 January 2004 14:40)

Breaking News Roundup
Great Lakes Sells Fine Chemicals Unit to Pentagon Great Lakes Chemical Corp. has sold its fine chemicals business at Halebank, Widnes, UK, to more
(05 January 2004 14:40)

Consumer Specialties Corner
Colgate Bags GABA Colgate Palmolive Company will acquire privately owned Swiss oral care company GABA Holding AG for an aggregate price more
(05 January 2004 14:40)

Ultrafine Scales Up cGMP Development Capacity
Ultrafine (UFC Ltd.), a developmental-scale custom manufacturer based in Manchester, UK, has begun construction of a cGMP manufacturing facility more
(05 January 2004 14:40)

Avantium Adds Cytotoxics Capability
Avantium Life Sciences, a unit of Avantium Technologies BV, has invested in a facility dedicated to the screening of Class IV compounds for salt more
(05 January 2004 14:40)

Custom Briefs
Invitrogen Corp. has signed a definitive agreement to acquire BioReliance Corp., for about $500 million, including the assumption of roughly $70 more
(05 January 2004 14:40)

Elan Sells European Operation for $120 Million
Ireland-based Elan Corp. PLC is selling its European sales and marketing business to Medeus UK Ltd., a new UK pharmaceutical company backed by Apax more
(05 January 2004 14:40)

Pfizer Bags Esperion Therapeutics for $1.3 Bn
Pfizer Inc. is set to acquire Ann Arbor, Mich.-based Esperion Therapeutics Inc. for $1.3 billion in a move that boosts its cardiovascular portfolio more
(05 January 2004 14:40)

Financial in Brief
Dow Chemical Company has been downgraded by Smith Barney analyst P.J. Juvekar from "buy" to "hold" strictly on valuation. The shares now trade at more
(05 January 2004 14:40)

IMC Global Mulls Buyout of PLP
IMC Global Inc. is considering a proposal to acquire the remaining 49 percent of Phosphate Resource Partners LP (PLP) it does not already own in a more
(05 January 2004 14:40)

Canadian Drug Imports Nixed
Illinois and other states seeking to cut rising medical costs will not be allowed to import lower-cost prescription drugs from Canada because of more
(05 January 2004 14:40)

Mad Cow Disease Impact on Industry Likely to Be Modest
Demand for fertilizers will increase in 2004, driven by higher crop prices and low grain inventory levels. And as long as the recent discovery of more
(05 January 2004 14:40)

Wall Street Conjures Up Bright Forecast for Chemicals in 2004
Analysts unveil top picks. Joseph Chang reports. more
(05 January 2004 14:40)

Jobs and People
Greg Romney Greg Romney has been appointed general manager of electro-chemical materials at Cabot Superior MicroPowders of Cabot Corp. Mr. more
(05 January 2004 14:40)

Booming Sales and Upscale Competition Earn Biotech Its Place
The 2004 year opens with the promise of better times for the biotechnology industry. Despite a number of product failures, the declining potential more
(05 January 2004 14:40)

Life Sciences in Brief
ANIKA Therapeutics Inc. signed a $2 million licensing and supply agreement with Ortho Biotech Products LP for Anika's Orthovisc, a highly purified, more
(05 January 2004 14:40)

Lubrizol Buys Avecia's Additives Business
Lubrizol is set to increase by 50 percent the sales of its paints, coatings and inks business unit after agreeing to buy for an undisclosed sum more
(05 January 2004 14:40)

Michigan Court to Determine Medical Monitoring Claim
The chemical industry and other manufacturers are asking the Michigan Supreme Court to determine whether plaintiffs in a pending lawsuit against more
(05 January 2004 14:40)

For Chloralkali, Cautious Optimism Despite a Disappointing Year
Analysts and producers agree that chloralkali did not recover as expected last year, in part, the effect of continued economic doldrums on the more
(05 January 2004 14:40)

Strong Euro Impacts European Recovery
The European chemical industry, benefiting from the strengthening of the European and global economies, is poised for a recovery, though one more
(05 January 2004 14:40)

Rhodia Struggles With Debt Woes
Rhodia has reached an agreement on the refinancing of its debt with 23 creditor banks. However, the deal, made just before Christmas, has failed to more
(05 January 2004 14:40)

Shell Mulls Refinery For Nanhai Petchem
Shell confirmed last week that it is considering new plans to build a refinery adjacent to its joint venture petrochemicals complex at Nanhai in more
(05 January 2004 14:40)

Uralkali Gets Loan for Upgrade
Uralkali, Russia's largest potash producer and the fourth biggest in the world, has been granted a seven-year $75 million loan by the European Bank more
(05 January 2004 14:40)

Hydro Agri to Be Named Yara
Hydro Agri, the fertilizer operation being spun off by Norsk Hydro, will be named Yara at the time of its planned demerger and listing on the Oslo more
(05 January 2004 14:40)

Senate Committee Plans Hearings on Gas Price Spikes
Echoing concerns raised by some industry leaders, the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee says he will hold hearings on whether the latest more
(05 January 2004 14:40)

Business in Brief
US Bans Ephedra The US government has banned the sale of ephedra, the herbal weight loss supplement, after an extensive study involving more
(05 January 2004 14:40)

Short Supplies and Growing Demand Steadily Pushed Fat and Oil Prices in 2003
The US fats and oils market saw significant price increases throughout 2003 owing to unexpected tight supplies and steady demand in the food, feed more
(05 January 2004 14:40)

Oils in Brief
Crompton Corp. vinyl additives business unit has increased the price of epoxidized soybean oil globally by 5c. per pound as of December 1, or as more
(05 January 2004 14:40)

Energy Costs and Demand Issues Are Key to Petrochemicals in 2004
Feedstocks costs were the key driver behind petrochemical price in-creases in 2003, and they are poised to resume that role in 2004. While the more
(05 January 2004 14:40)

DSM Streamlines At Grenzach
DSM has announced a reduction in jobs at one of the plants of Roche's former vitamins and fine chemicals division that it acquired in more
(05 January 2004 14:40)

Petrochemicals in Brief
BTX Spot deals for January benzene have been completed as high as $1.715 per gallon. The toluene market was quiet during the last week of 2003 with more
(05 January 2004 14:40)

Hope Springs Eternal for Battered Fine Chemicals Industry
Fine chemicals companies struggled to keep their heads above water in 2003, rationalizing capacity and overhauling operations to survive the choppy more
(05 January 2004 14:40)

Pharma In Brief
HYDROXYETHYL CELLULOSE Dow Chemical Company is increasing the price of Cellosize Hydroxy-ethyl Cellulose products sold to customers in Asia, more
(05 January 2004 14:40)

Europe in Brief
EMS Chemie has doubled its direct shareholding in Lonza to 22.5 percent following the exercise of put options that expired in December 2003. The more
(05 January 2004 14:40)

Financial Insights: Impact of Interest Rates Drop on US Chemicals
Although the decline in interest rates over the past three years has brought some benefits to a few US chemical companies (mostly investment grade more
(05 January 2004 14:40)

The Year in Review: 2003
2003 will go down in the annals of the chemical industry as perhaps as one of its most challenging and difficult years. Last year was marked by more
(05 January 2004 14:40)

Sabic Board Okays Yanbu Cracker
The board of directors of Saudi Basic Industries Corp. (Sabic), meeting at the company's headquarters in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, has given the more
(05 January 2004 14:40)

For Specialties in 2004, an Economic Recovery and a Shift to China
Many analysts and industry observers are noting a positive outlook for 2004. "There's more interest on the M&A front and more focus on new more
(05 January 2004 14:40)

Specialties Pricing
Akzo Nobel Functional Chemicals LLC will increase the price of its packaged organo-phosphate esters on January 1, or as contracts allow. The price more
(05 January 2004 14:40)

Inorganics in Brief
SODIUM CHLORATE Kerr-McGee Chemical LLC has raised pricing on sodium chlorate by $40 per ton, effective January 1 or as contracts allow. TALC more
(05 January 2004 14:40)

ACC Sees Bright Outlook for Chemicals
The economic outlook for 2004 continues to brighten for the chemical industry, although high prices for oil and natural gas still pose a threat. more
(09 January 2004 20:05)

ADM and Volkswagen in Biodiesel Pact
Archer Daniels Midland (ADM) Company and Volkswagen AG have entered into a joint research agreement to further develop biodiesel fuels for the more
(09 January 2004 20:05)

Business in Brief
Air Products Installs System Air Products and Chemicals Inc. has built and put into service its latest Prism nitrogen system, HPN series in more
(09 January 2004 20:05)

Cargill Recommissions Erythritol Facility
Cargill LLC has restarted its $60 million erythritol manufacturing plant to meet growing demand for its Eridex brand sweetener. The facility, part more
(09 January 2004 20:05)

Celanese to Boost Specialty Alcohols Capacity
Celanese plans to raise by 60 percent its capacity for tetracyclodecane dimethylol (TCD alcohol DM), after increasing it by 30 percent last more
(09 January 2004 20:05)

Breaking News Roundup
Noveon Buys Scher Chemicals Noveon Inc. has acquired West Clifton, N.J.-based Scher Chemicals Inc., a manufacturer of emollient and more
(09 January 2004 20:05)

Polyethylene Producers Seek Price Increases As the Market Strengthens
The polyethylene market is roaring into 2004 with expectations of much stronger demand, although producers remain concerned about high costs for more
(09 January 2004 20:05)

Carbon Black Faces Long-Term Challenges But Benefits From a Strengthening US Economy
The carbon black industry is facing a mixed outlook for 2004. A reviving US economy should strengthen demand, but high oil and natural gas costs more
(09 January 2004 20:05)