ICIS - Search Articles by Date : March 06 2006 - March 12 2006

British Sugar signs contract for biofuels
British Sugars has contracted CEL International to assist with the design and construction of the UK’s first bioethanol plant in Wissington, Norfolk,.... more
(10 March 2006 19:27)

Akzo Nobel seeks coatings site
Akzo Nobel has shortlisted a few locations near Barcelona, Spain, for a coatings plant, which will replace an older facility in the same area that is.... more
(10 March 2006 19:27)

N-butanol prices slump
Normal butanol (n-butanol) prices fell $30/tonne to $880-900/tonne CFR China Main Port at the beginning of March, despite upcoming turn-arounds in.... more
(10 March 2006 19:27)

High hopes for catalyst
A new water-soluble catalyst promises to widen the scope of the industrially useful metathesis reaction important in olefin synthesis. Developed by.... more
(10 March 2006 19:27)

Sasol considering India for CTL plant
Sasol managers are to visit India this month as part of the company’s plans to develop its coal-to-liquids (CTL) synfuel operations overseas. more
(10 March 2006 19:27)

UK’s NBC project opens doors
The UK’s new National Biomanufacturing Centre (NBC) opened its doors for business this month, with work now under way for its first client SR Pharma..... more
(10 March 2006 19:27)

Solutia to raise Puebla output
Solutia is planning a 20% expansion of its polyvinyl butyral (PVB) plant in Puebla, Mexico, but the capacity, investment cost and the timescale were.... more
(10 March 2006 19:27)

JANA expands Saudi resin capacity
Jubail Chemical Industries (JANA) will double the capacity of its epoxy resins plant at Al Jubail, Saudi Arabia, by the end of 2007. more
(10 March 2006 19:27)

Indorama Polymers profits soar on Asian PET demand
Indorama Polymers, a polyethylene terephthalate (PET) producer in Thailand, said last week that its 2005 earnings before interest, tax, depreciation.... more
(10 March 2006 19:27)

Rabigh contract goes to JGC
JGC has received an order worth more than Yen100bn yen (€708m/ $850m), from Rabigh Refining and Petrochemical Company (PetroRabigh), to build one of.... more
(10 March 2006 19:08)

Malaysia plans to develop GHS
Malaysia is planning to implement a chemical hazard classification and communication system based on the Globally Harmonised System (GHS). It is.... more
(10 March 2006 19:27)

Green goddesses
International Women’s Day, on 8 March, was marked this year by the unveiling of a Who’s Who of leading female environmentalists by the United Nations.... more
(10 March 2006 19:27)

UK and Brazil open dialogue
The UK and Brazilian governments last week signed a joint statement establishing a high-level dialogue on sustainable development and a working group.... more
(10 March 2006 19:27)

Arak eyes Iran PP expansion
Arak Petrochemical is considering expanding its polypropylene (PP) output with a new 200 000 tonne/year unit in Arak, Iran, which could start-up in.... more
(10 March 2006 19:27)

THINK TANK
US study spells troublefor pesticides US pesticide manufacturers may face rough waters following a federal study that found trace amounts of.... more
(10 March 2006 19:27)

Degussa under close scrutiny
How much momentum has Degussa going into 2006? The question is vitally important, given the role the world’s largest speciality chemicals business.... more
(10 March 2006 19:27)

Investigation finds Reach is workable
The EU’s proposed Reach chemicals legislation will prove time-consuming and hard to grasp in its entirety, but it is not unworkable. So says the.... more
(10 March 2006 19:27)

Umicore and Solvay jv
Umicore and Solvay have formed a joint venture (jv) for the research, development, production and sales of membrane electrode assemblies and related.... more
(10 March 2006 19:27)

Finland document will pave the way for Reach
Finland has published a national chemicals programme aimed at paving the way for the implementation of the European Union’s chemical legislation,.... more
(10 March 2006 19:27)

Surplus stocks behind MDI price slide
Domestic prices of polymeric methylene diphenyl diisocyanate (MDI) in China were down by up to Rmb800/tonne ($99/€83) last week because of poor.... more
(10 March 2006 19:27)

Sellers prepare for a snug Q2
European caustic soda inventories look set to tighten considerably in the second quarter (Q2) against a background of high energy costs and upcoming.... more
(10 March 2006 19:27)

UK research finds nuclear is not viable
The UK’s Chemical Industries Association (CIA) was dismayed at a report last week by the UK government’s independent advisory body on sustainable.... more
(10 March 2006 19:27)

Aceto brings in own-label vet drugs
SPECIALIST DISTRIBUTOR Aceto says it will soon market its own-label range of vaccines for pets and other animals for the first time. The drugs, a.... more
(10 March 2006 19:27)

Lovelife in the glow lane
Don’t say Boston’s Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s media lab is full of heartless intellects. Researchers have developed a way to keep.... more
(10 March 2006 19:27)

US subpoena for Bayer’s PU business
Bayer’s methylene diphenyl di-isocyanate (MDI) and toluene di-isocyanate (TDI) businesses are being investigated by the US Department of Justice, the.... more
(10 March 2006 18:56)

RESPONDENTS TO A RECENT ICIS.com POLL
56% OF RESPONDENTS TO A RECENT ICIS.com POLL SAY THEY HAVE INVENTED SOMETHING THAT HAS SAVED THEIR COMPANY MONEY more
(10 March 2006 19:27)

China MDI down on poor demand
CHINESE PRICES for poly-meric methylene diphenyl diisocyanate (MDI) were down by up to RMB800 ($99) per metric ton last week due to poor demand and.... more
(11 March 2006 09:23)

Ethylene set to drop
Weaker demand and falling feedstock costs are pushing US ethylene prices down, but despite the decline in pricing, US producers have managed to.... more
(11 March 2006 09:23)

IN BRIEF: Markets Watch
BTX more
(11 March 2006 09:23)

Private equity deals to boom in ’06
However, financial buyers face more competition from strategics more
(11 March 2006 09:23)

Silicone spans the globe
THERE’S BEEN plenty of activity for silicones for industrial applications lately. Since October, the two major players, GE and Dow Corning, as well.... more
(11 March 2006 09:23)

Butadiene to stabilize
Despite the continued decline of US butadiene prices, demand remains stable. Upcoming turnarounds in the market should halt the decline and could.... more
(11 March 2006 09:23)

CSS expands radiolabeling expertise
Chemical Synthesis Services (CSS) has found its best niche market to serve as the competitive landscape for custom fine chemicals heats up. With over.... more
(11 March 2006 09:23)

US C&T growth continues to rebound
GROWTH IN the US cosmetics and toiletries market continues its climb as the industry posted strong overall sales in 2005. more
(11 March 2006 09:23)

LATE SPOT PRICES
Oils, Fats and Waxes more
(11 March 2006 09:23)

Sowing agbiotech growth in China
CHINA’S IMPORTANCE in the global agriculture biotechnology community continues to expand. more
(11 March 2006 09:23)

Growing SAP market reshuffles
Degussa AG’s recent acquisition of Dow Chemical Company’s superabsorbent poly-mers (SAP) business has rearranged the market completely. Once top dog,.... more
(11 March 2006 09:23)

Jobs and People
Stephen Angel has become president and chief operating officer of Praxair Inc. Previously, Angel was executive vice president. more
(11 March 2006 09:23)

Light at the end of the tunnel
Will Omnitrope be the first of a stream of biogenerics? And who is prepared to ride the emerging opportunity? more
(11 March 2006 09:23)

Bulking up in generics
A trend of unprecedented consolidation in the generics sector is unlikely to slow. more
(11 March 2006 09:23)

A GLOBAL CHALLENGE
If you’ve ever managed people, you know that different individuals are better suited to different tasks, depending on their personality. But have you.... more
(11 March 2006 09:23)

IN BRIEF: Oils, fats & waxes
Monsanto buys more seeds more
(11 March 2006 09:23)

US study spells trouble for pesticides
PESTICIDES MAKERS may be in for some rough waters in the wake of a federal study that noted trace amounts of pesticides in most streams and rivers. more
(11 March 2006 09:23)

Sasol plans CTL expansions in India
SASOL MANAGERS will visit India this month as part of the company’s plan to develop its coal-to-liquids (CTL) synfuel operations overseas, the South.... more
(11 March 2006 09:23)

Bayer to hold off on India despite growth
BAYER’S INDIAN business grew dramatically in 2005, but it will be some time before the firm makes a large investment in the country, a Bayer director.... more
(11 March 2006 09:23)

Brunei takes phosphate mines stake
BRUNEI INVESTMENT Agency (BIA) has bought 37% of Jordan Phosphate Mines Company (JPMC), a spokesman for the state-owned fertilizer company reported.... more
(11 March 2006 09:23)

LME mulls PET launch
THE LONDON Metal Exchange (LME) will decide by June on its program for developing a polyethylene terephthalate (PET) futures contract, according to.... more
(11 March 2006 09:23)

Sumitomo confident on Rabigh project
SUMITOMO CHEMICAL remains confident about the profitability of its refinery and cracker project in Rabigh, Saudi Arabia, despite higher cost.... more
(11 March 2006 09:23)

Sasol Iran start-up set for 3Q
SASOL EXPECTS to start production at its delayed, one million metric-ton-per-year ethane cracker in Iran in the third quarter of 2006. more
(11 March 2006 09:23)

Dow, BASF enter into HPPO venture
DOW CHEMICAL and BASF have entered a joint venture to build a plant using their recently codeveloped hydrogen peroxide route to propylene oxide.... more
(11 March 2006 09:23)