ICIS - Search Articles by Date : January 06 2003 - January 12 2003

New projects summary
Reported in ECN on 9 and 23 DECember 2002 more
(10 January 2003 16:56)

Market plagued by overcapacity
European industrial phosphates markets continue to face rising costs and overcapacity issues more
(10 January 2003 16:56)

Nova to Purchase Deltech's Polystyrene Business
In a move to improve its operating rates and enhance its position in high-margin growth products, Nova Chemi-cals Inc. will buy the polystyrene more
(10 January 2003 21:23)

Northeastern States Challenge New NSR Rules
Nine northeastern states have filed a lawsuit charging that the Bush administration is undermining their efforts to protect public health by making more
(10 January 2003 21:23)

Oleochemicals in Flux With Rising Demand and Higher Raw Material Costs
2002 was another challenging year for the global oleochemicals market. Higher fats and oils pricing offset stronger demand for glycerine and fatty more
(10 January 2003 21:23)

Oils in Brief
LONZA Inc. will increase its Acrawax price by an average of 9 to 10 percent depending on the form and package, effective February 15, due to more
(10 January 2003 21:23)

Propanol Prices Experience Upward Pressure
With demand improving and raw material costs going up, the price of propanol and derivatives is under upward pressure. Both Dow Chemical Company more
(10 January 2003 21:23)

PetrochemicalsIn Brief
Butadiene January negotiations have settled up a penny, bringing the new contract price to 28c. per pound. Rohm and Haas Company has raised more
(10 January 2003 21:23)

IT In Brief
CIDX Forms New Security Unit The Chemical Industry Data Exchange (CIDX) and the Chemicals Sector Cyber-Security Information Sharing Forum have more
(10 January 2003 21:23)

Anti-TNF Alpha Market Appears Poised for Major Growth
Several key developments in the past month have cracked open the market for anti-TNF (tumor necrosis factor) alpha therapies, a category with more
(10 January 2003 21:23)

Pharmaceuticals In Brief
CODEXIS Inc., a subsidiary of Maxygen Inc., has inked a multi-year deal with Eli Lilly and Company to improve the fermentation process for Lilly's more
(10 January 2003 21:23)

Management Insights: Outlook 2003 and 2002 in Review
With the chemical industry coming off one of its most difficult years in recent memory, CEOs and senior management face a challenging environment. more
(10 January 2003 21:23)

SNPE Concerned About Government Compensation
SNPE warns that its planned major increase in fine and specialty chemicals sales following the recent shutdown of its phosgene plant at Toulouse, more
(10 January 2003 21:23)

Specialties in Brief
PRAXAIR Inc. and GE Aircraft Engines have agreed to expand an existing production agreement for electron beam physical vapor deposition (EBPVD) more
(10 January 2003 21:23)

Semiconductor Recovery Is Underway Despite Lagging Economy
The outlook for electronic chemicals is bright. The San Jose, Calif.-based Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA) reports that global more
(10 January 2003 21:23)

Specialties Pricing
Alco Chemical is, effective February 1, increasing the price for its Aquatreat polymers and biocides, as well as the company's Versa TL polymers. more
(10 January 2003 21:23)

Finding the Bright Spots In the Vanishing Pharma Pipeline
Despite a decline in drug productivity, the top pharmaceutical companies are banking on key later-stage drug candidates for this year and the near.... more
(10 January 2003 21:23)

Indonesia petchems hit by fuel, power price hikes
The Indonesian petrochemical industry has been dealt another blow by increases in fuel and electricity prices more
(10 January 2003 11:42)

Japan petchems in bid for hike
Their move follows a spike in naphtha costs, which rose to a two-year high more
(10 January 2003 11:42)

Chandra Asri may still be keen to sell C2 to Peni
Chandra Asri is still likely to be willing to sell ethylene to Petrokimia Nusantara Interindo (Peni) despite last month's statement by the cracker.... more
(10 January 2003 11:42)

Tariff blow for Indonesian C3 makers
Indonesian propylene producers have lost the battle - for the time being - to keep C3 import tariffs at 10% more
(10 January 2003 11:42)

China's share of world polyester market to grow
China's share of the world polyester market is expected to grow by about 2-3% in 2003. more
(10 January 2003 11:42)

Honam and LG may split Hyundai assets
This latest development emerged last week following the disclosure that a Honam/LG consortium had been selected as the primary negotiator for.... more
(10 January 2003 11:42)

Tribunal verdict could hit Reliance info-technology business
Reliance Industries could see the earnings from its information technology business dented if a tribunal verdict is not in the Indian major's favour more
(10 January 2003 11:42)

Doing business in Japan: Patience holds the key...
Just as one has to be quietly patient when watching a Noh play, so foreign investors must take the time to find their way in Japan. Do not be misled.... more
(10 January 2003 11:42)

Doing business in Japan: Useful contacts
Government bodies Ministry of Finance 3-1-1 Kasumigaseki, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100-8940 Tel: 81-3-3581-4111 Tokyo Regional.... more
(10 January 2003 11:42)

Doing business in Japan: The rise - and fall? - of the keiretsu
For more than 100 years, Japan's economy has been dominated by, first, the zaibatsu or family-run holding companies and then, after the Second World.... more
(10 January 2003 11:42)

Global roundup
From stories supplied by the Chemical News & Intelligence and Asian Chemical News teams more
(10 January 2003 11:42)

Under pressure
The logistics infrastructure to support the expected huge increase in export volumes from the Middle East is creaking under the strain, reports.... more
(10 January 2003 11:42)

Polymer trends: Low op rates, tight PP
EPS surges on styrene costs and strong Chinese demand ahead of the Chinese New Year and the 2008 Olympic Games. PVC is also expected to rise on.... more
(10 January 2003 11:42)

Producers expect strong Q1 for PVC
Asian producers expect a strong first quarter for PVC prices on the back of buoyant Chinese demand and the cost push from VCM and EDC more
(10 January 2003 11:42)

Chinese PE and PP market fears build
South Korean PE and PP producers were last week portraying Chinese demand as sufficiently strong for them to continue to fully pass on the steep rise.... more
(10 January 2003 11:42)

C3 offer at $650 as margins evaporate
Ethylene and propylene prices surge as fears over China polymer market mount more
(10 January 2003 11:42)

Surge in naphtha and crude prices unsettles Asia
Asian petrochemical producers were last week engulfed in anxiety over the surge in naphtha and crude oil markets more
(10 January 2003 11:42)

Market trends: Styrene rallies on
Styrene offers were at $720-730/tonne, up $20/tonne from late-December. Mixed xylenes and paraxylene prices also went up on higher crude oil costs more
(10 January 2003 11:42)

Market trends: Naphtha cost crisis
From a two-year high of $307/tonne, the MoPJ dipped to $292.75/tonne as ACN went to press after Opec confirmed it would raise crude oil output more
(10 January 2003 11:42)

Far Eastern Textile decides to add a new PSF line in Shanghai
Far Eastern Textile has decided to add a 48 000 tonne/year polyester staple fibre line to its unit in Shanghai, China more
(10 January 2003 11:42)

Siam Cement delays three hdPE debottleneckings
Siam Cement has delayed the debottlenecking of its three hdPE lines in Mab Ta Phut, Thailand more
(10 January 2003 11:42)

Lutianhua to build methanol plant
The Sichuan Lutianhua Group (Lutianhua) is building a 400 000 tonne/year methanol plant and a 100 000 tonne/year dimethyl ether (DME) facility in.... more
(10 January 2003 11:42)

Maoming Petchem's crude-storage tanks
Maoming Petrochemical is building 250 000 m3 storage tanks for crude oil and downstream petrochemicals at the Maoming Chemical Industry Park (MCIP).... more
(10 January 2003 11:42)

Nanjing Chem to build nitric acid facility
Nanjing Chemical Plant is to build a 105 000 tonne/year diluted nitric acid plant in Nanjing, Jiangsu, China more
(10 January 2003 11:42)

QPC builds logistics centre in Quanzhou chemical park
QPC has started building a worldscale logistics centre to cater to the needs of the growing number of petchem plants in the chemical park in.... more
(10 January 2003 11:42)

NPC puts off C2 expansion to 2005
National Petrochemical Co (NPC) has delayed the second-phase expansion of its 437 000 tonne/year cracker in Mab Ta Phut, Thailand, to early 2005 more
(10 January 2003 11:42)

Technology hunt for Panjin PP
Liaoning United Chemical is seeking a licensor for its 120 000 tonne/year PP project in Panjin, Liaoning, China more
(10 January 2003 11:42)

Kanoo shelves Saudi PDH-PP
The Yusuf Bin Ahmed Kanoo Group has decided to shelve its participation in a propane dehydrogenation (PDH)-PP project in Al-Jubail, Saudi Arabia more
(10 January 2003 11:42)

Shanghai attraction
The Shanghai municipal government plans to attract Rmb200bn (US$24.2bn) worth of investments over the next 10 years more
(10 January 2003 11:42)

Strong gasoline prices boost Asian MTBE
Tight supply and strong gasoline prices have had a positive impact on the Asian MTBE markets in recent weeks more
(10 January 2003 11:42)

PMD delays deal for EO and derivatives complex
Project Management & Development Co (PMD) has delayed finalising one of three licensing and offtake deals for its planned ethylene oxide (EO) and.... more
(10 January 2003 11:42)

Altering the rules
New legislation on aromatics content in gasoline could create lower toluene and xylene prices in Europe, attracting downstream investment to Europe.... more
(10 January 2003 16:56)

Product profile: Methanol
World markets and prices will come under pressure from a host of new low-cost 'mega' plants due online in the next three years. High-cost units will.... more
(10 January 2003 16:56)