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

Syngenta invests in US seed giant
Swiss agrochemicals giant Syngenta has agreed to acquire a 90% stake in leading US seed company Golden Harvest for $180m. more
(05 July 2004 13:49)

Port agrees Maasvlakte 2
Funding for the construction of Maasvlakte 2, the planned expansion of the Port of Rotterdam, has been agreed between the Dutch State, the.... more
(05 July 2004 13:49)

Methanol price sparks debate among players
The third quarter (Q3) methanol contract has been confirmed at €230/tonne fob NWE, an increase of €30/tonne over the previous quarter. more
(05 July 2004 13:51)

Olefins settle early for Q3
The European olefins market was caught by surprise by the swift settlement of quarter three (Q3) ethylene, propylene and butadiene contracts. more
(05 July 2004 13:50)

Fujian cracker project to go ahead after delays
Construction of the delayed €2.5bn Fujian petrochemical and refinery project is now expected to kick off within the next few months, according to a.... more
(05 July 2004 13:51)

$21m lost to economic crime
Chemical company executives estimate the industry has lost nearly $21m to economic crime over the past two years. more
(05 July 2004 13:52)

Industry can help in terror fight
The chemical industry can have a positive effect on the ‘struggle to contain and eliminate terrorism’, according to Keith Martin, director of.... more
(05 July 2004 10:53)

Call for innovative future
Bayer’s ceo Werner Wenning has expressed concern and disappointment over ‘certain political developments at European level’ that have impacted the.... more
(05 July 2004 16:18)

Propylene pipeline schedule unfolds
European Pipeline Development Company (EPDC) has begun work on the northwest European propylene pipeline following last month’s clearance from the.... more
(09 July 2004 17:02)

Rhodia sells off surfactants production
Rhodia has sold its surfactant production assets in Mexico to Brazilian chemicals holding group Ultrapar due to weak demand. more
(09 July 2004 17:02)

Linde toughens foothold in Asia with new plant buy
In a move that will strengthen its position in southeast Asia, German gases group Linde has acquired Singapore Syngas and its Jurong Island plant.... more
(09 July 2004 17:02)

State ponders drugs rules
Germany’s federal government is believed to be mulling further concessions to the pharma industry in legislation being drafted to enable the national.... more
(09 July 2004 17:02)

BASF to cut laggard divisions
BASF intends to divest underperforming units within its four core segments in an effort to strengthen the performance of the group, chairman and.... more
(09 July 2004 17:02)

EC reviews Russian tariff ruse
The European Commission has opened an investigation into the import of new forms of ammonium nitrate (AN) into Europe from Russia and the Ukraine. more
(09 July 2004 17:02)

Lights out for Canada unit
Huntsman has said it will close its Canadian speciality chemicals plant in Guelph, Ontario, as part of a cost-cutting initiative aimed at trimming.... more
(09 July 2004 17:02)

Price fixing claims refuted by Wellman
US resins and fibres manufacturer Wellman has revealed it is a target of a US grand jury investigating a conspiracy to fix polyester staple fibre.... more
(09 July 2004 17:02)

Business in brief
EC fines Tetra Laval The European Commission has fined the Swiss-Swedish packaging group Tetra Laval for allegedly providing false.... more
(09 July 2004 17:02)

Private fund Apollo takes Borden
Private investment fund Apollo Management has agreed to buy the US formaldehyde and wood products manufacturer Borden Chemical for $1.2bn. more
(09 July 2004 17:02)

Q2 tops last quarter for BP
Second quarter margins and sales volumes at BP’s petrochemical business improved on the immediately preceding three months, the energy group has.... more
(09 July 2004 17:02)

Henkel cuts growth forecast
Weak European demand has forced German chemicals and domestic goods manufacturer Henkel to slash its 2004 growth forecast by half. more
(09 July 2004 17:02)

OM Group stalls bondholders
US-based metal chemicals maker OM Group is trying to persuade its creditors not to call in their loans, following the company’s failure to publish.... more
(09 July 2004 17:02)

SNPE reports increased losses
France’s SNPE has reported a heavy loss for the year 2003, with sales hit by poor business conditions. more
(09 July 2004 17:02)

Givaudan to transfer flavours development
Givaudan has announced plans to transfer its flavours development activities from Tremblay, France, to Kemptthal, Switzerland, by mid-2005. more
(09 July 2004 17:02)

On the right side of public opinion
While Europe’s chemical sector continues to feel the squeeze in economic terms, at least it can cheer the fact that the European public has a more.... more
(09 July 2004 17:02)

People on the move
Degussa Degussa has named Lauren Schulte as sales and marketing manager for its internal start-up, Degussa Homogeneous Catalysts. She will be.... more
(09 July 2004 17:02)

25 years ago
ECN 9 July 1979 more
(09 July 2004 17:02)

CIA publishes sustainability guide
The UK’s Chemical Industries Association (CIA) has published its first documents on sustainable development principles and goals. more
(09 July 2004 17:02)

Industry image positive at last
For the first time since 1992, when Cefic began conducting its survey on the public’s opinion of the chemical industry, the pan-European survey (PES).... more
(09 July 2004 17:02)

US firm pleads guilty to violation
Keysor-Century, a California, US-based producer of PVC that ceased trading during late 2002, has agreed to plead guilty to a series of charges for.... more
(09 July 2004 17:02)

Environment in brief
ACC and EPA deal The American Chemistry Council (ACC) has agreed a partnership between the ACC’s Responsible Care initiative and the.... more
(09 July 2004 17:02)

Taking the wheel
Chemical manufacturers and tyre producers have been collaborating to develop an economical green tyre. For Dow Corning, the outcome looks good, as.... more
(09 July 2004 17:02)

Kemira divests businesses
Finnish chemicals group Kemira has sold its fine chemicals business to European venture capital house 3i for over €70m. more
(09 July 2004 17:02)

Pharma market is oversupplied
The market for pharmaceutical fine chemicals will remain static until 2005 and overcapacity will remain a problem, predicts Global pharmaceutical.... more
(09 July 2004 17:02)

Novartis focus on neglected ills
Novartis has officially opened the Novartis Institute for Tropical Diseases (NITD) in Singapore to focus on advanced biomedical research for.... more
(09 July 2004 17:02)

Fine chemicals in brief
Plant sciences DuPont has completed its $64m purchase of plant sciences company Verdia from California-based biotech company Maxygen. By.... more
(09 July 2004 17:02)

Across the border service
English, Welsh and Scottish Railway (EWS) has said that direct freight services from Mossend, near Motherwell in Scotland, to continental Europe may.... more
(09 July 2004 17:02)

Ships and ports strive for global security approval
More than 86% of ships and 69% of port facilities met the requirements of the International Ship and Port Facility Security Code when it came into.... more
(09 July 2004 17:02)

Oiltanking has deal wrapped
Oiltanking of Hamburg, Germany, has completed the purchase of the Union Carbide marine terminal in Texas, US, from parent Dow Chemical. more
(09 July 2004 17:02)

Logistics in brief
Sale completed MG Technologies completed the disposal of its chemicals interests through the sale of its Solvadis distribution business on 30.... more
(09 July 2004 17:02)

Co-products offer big scope
The recent quarter three (Q3) European olefins contract settlements have highlighted the changing relationship between the main products coming out.... more
(09 July 2004 17:02)

Phenol in pricing quandary
Phenol sellers are contemplating how to deal with the latest benzene contract price, which consists of two numbers, €764/tonne and €772/tonne, an.... more
(09 July 2004 17:02)

DMT hit by feedstock hike
Rising feedstock costs have pushed European dimethyl terephthalate (DMT) prices up by around €10/tonne – an increase that puts downstream markets.... more
(09 July 2004 17:02)

Surfactants in line for surge
The European industrial surfactants market will see significant growth by the end of the decade, rising by around €12m to €579m, say analysts. more
(09 July 2004 17:02)

Markets in brief
Capro price spike BASF has announced European price hikes of €120/tonne for caprolactam as well as Ultramid and Capron polyamide base.... more
(09 July 2004 17:02)

Solvents Monitor: Producers target Q3 price hikes
Sellers are set on pushing through increases for quarter three, with IPA and ethyl acetate producers looking to restore falling margins. Global.... more
(09 July 2004 17:02)

Market Trends: Naphtha soars in line with crude
Concerns over oil supplies have had a knock-on effect on naphtha prices. Spot demand for benzene strengthened, which helped support toluene. Methanol.... more
(09 July 2004 17:02)

Biofuels starts building biodiesel plant
Biofuels has commenced work on its £25m (€38m/$45m) biodiesel complex in Seal Sands, Middlesborough, UK. more
(09 July 2004 17:02)

Brazil/Bolivia plan bi-national complex
Brazil and Bolivia have agreed to issue a time schedule within the next 20 days for the planned bi-national $1.35bn petrochemicals complex. more
(09 July 2004 17:02)

L&T to provide engineering
Larsen & Toubro has been awarded a Rupee950m contract by Zhong Yuan for a coal gasification unit in Henan province, Central China. more
(09 July 2004 17:02)

Dow Chemical announces plant construction scheme
Dow Chemical will bolster its production of extruded polystyrene insulation with the construction of two new plants in the US. more
(09 July 2004 17:02)