ICIS - Search Articles by Date : May 07 2007 - May 13 2007

Rhodia expands on intermediates
Rhodia is investing in its intermediates production with a phenol/acetone expansion in Brazil and a sodium silicate project in China. The company.... more
(08 May 2007 11:43)

Japan legal change set to boost M&A
Japanese companies are braced for a shake-out following new merger and acquisition (M&A) regulations that came into force last week. The.... more
(08 May 2007 11:34)

Saudi Kayan Petchem to sell off $1.8bn of shares
Saudi Kayan Petrochemical has launched a $1.8bn (€1.3bn) share sale, the second-largest initial public offering (IPO) in the Gulf to date. Saudi.... more
(08 May 2007 11:35)

Plans to put a cap on bag production
A growing number of cities in the US are considering restrictions on the 90bn or more plastic bags that are produced there each year. If applied,.... more
(08 May 2007 11:42)

European May PX settles with €30/tonne price rise
An initial European May paraxylene (PX) contract price was agreed at €880/tonne ($1,194/tonne) FD (free delivered) NWE (northwest Europe) last.... more
(08 May 2007 11:44)

Kemira purchases prompt a rise in sales and profits
Kemira's acquisition drive has led to a 7% year-on-year rise in first-quarter operating profit and a 22% increase in sales. Operating profit was.... more
(08 May 2007 11:33)

ICI Q1 results beat expectations and is ready for acquisition
ICI posted better-than-expected first-quarter results last week, despite a slow US paints sector, and said it is "ready, willing and able" to step.... more
(08 May 2007 11:32)

THINK TANK - BP's new chief has a tough act to follow
It has the elements of a classic tragedy. A character of integrity puts himself above the law and suffers the consequences. The City laments. To.... more
(11 May 2007 17:18)

Only falling demand stops gas rationing
Some in the industry worry that the US natural gas supply/demand balance is so tight that rationing would be inevitable, except that the high cost.... more
(11 May 2007 17:18)

IN BRIEF - Asia watch
Indian court rejects bhopal petition An Indian Supreme Court has dismissed a petition seeking enhanced compensation for ­victims and.... more
(11 May 2007 17:18)

ASIA INSIDER - Can the Philippines biofuels law woo drivers?
In a low-key affair, the Philippines introduced its biofuels law last week a first across Asia. The first part of the rollout programme was the.... more
(11 May 2007 17:18)

Japan's eco-additive battle at full throttle
Japan's government officials and major oil executives are embroiled in a battle to control cleaner-burning fuel additives that will eventually be.... more
(11 May 2007 17:18)

WASHINGTON INSIDER - Shoppers wane as housing decline grips US
Manufacturing sector economists warned this month that the US housing decline has begun to affect other parts of the economy and is chilling.... more
(11 May 2007 17:18)

Painting the market red
Manufacturers of cosmetic pigments are catering to changing fashion trends and innovation with a vivid palette of product introductions and energetic.... more
(11 May 2007 17:18)

DuPont/Energain join forces
DuPont is entering the market for advanced building insulation with its Energain system. The so-called thermal mass system consists of 5mm.... more
(11 May 2007 17:18)

Lonza buys award-winning expertise
Lonza has acquired SAM Electron Technologies, based in Canada, along with its exclusive worldwide licence from Hydro-Quebec for a cerium-based.... more
(11 May 2007 17:18)

No bitter taste, says Ajinomoto
Japan's Ajinomoto claims to have solved the problem of using amino acids in beverages, without introducing a bitter taste to the drink. It has.... more
(11 May 2007 17:18)

Technology is key to climate change, says Commission-backed IPCC report
THE LATEST report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), which emphasises the urgent need to cut greenhouse gas emissions, has.... more
(11 May 2007 17:18)

Earnings: A tale of two sectors
  IT WAS the best of times, it was the worst of times. The progress of the Dow Jones Industrial Average,.... more
(08 May 2007 12:04)

More cities consider plastic bag bans
A GROWING number of cities are considering restrictions on the 90bn or so plastic bags that are produced each year. The restrictions if applied.... more
(08 May 2007 12:06)

Bush vetoes spending bill with site security measures
PRESIDENT GEORGE W. Bush followed through on a promise to veto an Iraq war supplemental spending bill last week that contained chemical plant site.... more
(08 May 2007 12:05)

Celanese posts blowout results
  CELANESE POSTED a barn burner of a first quarter, and sees continuing strong performance in its chemical.... more
(08 May 2007 11:53)

Specialties show strong Q1 results
SPECIALTY CHEMICAL firms continued to post robust first-quarter profit gains, but success in meeting Wall Street expectations was mixed. Nalco.... more
(08 May 2007 11:54)

Chemical Prices A - E
Chemical Prices A - E .lb { FONT-SIZE: 10px; FONT-NAME: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; COLOR: #003063; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; TEXT-ALIGN:.... more
(07 May 2007 11:14)

Chemical Prices F - J
Chemical Prices F - J .lb { FONT-SIZE: 10px; FONT-NAME: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; COLOR: #003063; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; TEXT-ALIGN:.... more
(07 May 2007 11:14)

Chemical Prices K - O
Chemical Prices K - O .lb { FONT-SIZE: 10px; FONT-NAME: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; COLOR: #003063; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; TEXT-ALIGN:.... more
(07 May 2007 11:14)

Chemical Prices P - S
Chemical Prices P - S .lb { FONT-SIZE: 10px; FONT-NAME: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; COLOR: #003063; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; TEXT-ALIGN:.... more
(07 May 2007 11:14)

Chemical Prices T - Z
Chemical Prices T - Z .lb { FONT-SIZE: 10px; FONT-NAME: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; COLOR: #003063; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; TEXT-ALIGN:.... more
(07 May 2007 11:14)

Looking the part
Increasingly wealthy Chinese consumers turn to global cosmetic and toiletry brands in a quest to find better care for their skin and hair more
(11 May 2007 16:56)

To Russia, with love
Skin care and fragrances are favorites in a vigorous market for personal care products more
(11 May 2007 16:56)

Playing a different game
M&A among cosmetic and personal care ingredient manufacturers will continue to center on small additions, although it may also begin to attract more.... more
(11 May 2007 17:55)

Painting the market red
Manufacturers of cosmetic pigments are catering to changing fashion trends and innovation with a vivid palette of product introductions and energetic.... more
(11 May 2007 17:55)

Wall Street pounds a bearish beat
EVEN AS cyclical chemical stocks ride the upward wave with the Dow Jones Industrial Average continuing to hit new highs, analysts continue to pound.... more
(11 May 2007 17:58)

Loss of demand thwarts rationing
SOME IN industry worry that the US natural gas supply/demand balance is so tight that rationing would be inevitable, except that the high cost of.... more
(11 May 2007 16:56)

THINK TANK - Clariant fails to inspire confidence
Clariant's transition to a more focused specialties player will be tough - and it will take time. There is some frustration, and concern, that.... more
(11 May 2007 16:56)

Cyclohexane
  DEMAND 2005: 390m gals. 2006: 395m gals. 2010: 435m gals., projected. Demand equals production plus.... more
(11 May 2007 16:56)

AstraZeneca immunizes pipeline
  ASTRAZENECA WILL make out big with its acquisition of Gaithersburg, Md.-based MedImmune, one of the top 10.... more
(11 May 2007 16:56)

Biocides branch out
Biocide producers focus on meeting BPD regulations, combating raw material prices and going green more
(11 May 2007 17:57)

Pleasant dreams for MDI?
    MDI may still be suffering under high raw material costs, but with.... more
(11 May 2007 17:57)

Candles' margins melt
  MAJOR CANDLE manufacturers are tapering off assets as operating costs and competition melt away some of their.... more
(11 May 2007 16:56)

Conferences & Events
FECC Annual Congress June 10-12 Le Meridien Montparnasse, Paris, France Tel +32 2 6790260 Fax +32 2 6727355 Website www.fecc.org.... more
(11 May 2007 16:56)

Asia in the driver's seat at base oil conference
THE FIRST ICIS Asian Base Oils & Lubricants conference is being organized in Kuala Lumpur as Asia is emerging as a major force driving the.... more
(11 May 2007 16:56)

Polymers reviewed at ICIS forum
RISING CRUDE values and expanded domestic capacity could restrain China's volume of polymer imports this year. This was the message from a.... more
(11 May 2007 16:56)

ICIS Conferences
The 4th ICIS World Olefins conference May 22-23 Venue Radisson SAS Park Lane Hotel, Antwerp, Belgium Email heather.robson@icis.com .... more
(11 May 2007 16:56)

50 YEARS AGO and 100 YEARS AGO
ICIS Chemical Business Americas, formerly CMR, traces its roots back to 1871 when the publication was called Oil, Paint and Drug Reporter MAY.... more
(11 May 2007 16:56)

WHO'S MOVING WHERE?
Kevin Boyle has been named president and CEO of OCI Chemical. Martin Curran has been elected senior vice president and general manager of.... more
(11 May 2007 16:56)

Gas threatens manufacturing
UP TO one-quarter of US manufacturers may move production offshore because increasing natural gas prices are in turn driving up the cost of.... more
(11 May 2007 18:03)

Ethanol could undermine refining
US REFINERS warned last week that efforts by the White House and Congress to increase US production and consumption of bio-based ethanol are.... more
(11 May 2007 16:56)

Biotech urged to spend wisely
BIOTECH INDUSTRY officials at BIO 2007 in Boston last week were urged to spend research money wisely, not just up the ante to gain increased.... more
(11 May 2007 16:56)

Saudi Kayan IPO raises $8.5bn
KAYAN PETROCHEMICAL has raised Saudi riyal (SR) 32bn ($8.5bn) through an initial public offering (IPO), which closed last Monday. "The IPO was.... more
(11 May 2007 16:56)