ICIS - Search Articles by Date : October 07 2002 - October 13 2002

News in brief
Sub-standard sites The European Commission has revealed a list of landfill sites that fall short of regulations covering their operation in.... more
(07 October 2002 17:09)

BASF to up dispersions
BASF is set to increase output at its polymer dispersion plant in Cengkareng, Indonesia more
(07 October 2002 17:16)

Management In Brief
Pan-European Survey ShowsSkill Shortages in Procurement European companies are increasingly confronted with skills shortages in their procurement more
(11 October 2002 21:19)

BASF Opens New Dispersion Plant in Finland
With the opening of a 140,000 metric ton-per-year facility at Hamina, Finland, BASF AG has met its objective of having a network of dispersion more
(11 October 2002 21:19)

Generic Drug Legislation Gets Stuck in House
With time running out in the current session of Congress, Senate-approved legislation that would help generic drugs reach the market sooner appears more
(11 October 2002 21:19)

Europe in Brief
SERONO SA of Switzerland, Europe's largest biotechnology company, has reached a collaborative research agreement with Cellular Genomics Inc. (CGI) more
(11 October 2002 21:19)

Logistics and Distribution Services Begin to Separate
The divide between chemicals logistics and distribution is widening in Europe as competition intensifies in the chemicals transportation sector. more
(11 October 2002 21:19)

EMS-Chemie Unveils Plans to Raise Lonza Stake
EMS-Chemie has strengthened doubts about Lonza's future independence by revealing plans to increase its stake in the life sciences company from 11 more
(11 October 2002 21:19)

Novartis Refuses to Up Lek Offer
Novartis AG is refusing to raise its offer for shares of Lek DD, the Slovenian generic drugs producer, in the wake of local opposition to its more
(11 October 2002 21:19)

Rhodia Sells Brazilian Polyester
Rhodia concedes it has sold its Brazilian polyester subsidiary to Gruppo Mossi & Ghisolfi (M&G) for less than was expected at the time of a more
(11 October 2002 21:19)

Optimistic Wacker Plans Silicon Wafer Expansion
Wacker-Chemie GmbH plans to build a 300-mm silicon wafer plant at Freiberg, Saxony, Germany. When the new facility comes on stream in August 2004, more
(11 October 2002 21:19)

News In Brief
Oxy Sells Chromium Chems Occidental Petroleum Corp. will sell its chromium chemicals business to Elementis PLC for $40 million in cash and up to more
(11 October 2002 21:19)

Schering-Plough Probed by SEC
Schering-Plough Corp. (SHP) says the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is investigating its earnings disclosure to investors. The scope more
(11 October 2002 21:19)

Jobs and People
Lloyd B. Andrews Lloyd B. Andrew has been elected to the board of directors of Albemarle Corp. Mr. Andrew helped to create Albemarle as a more
(11 October 2002 21:19)

Holliday Named Chairman of The Business Council
DuPont chairman and CEO Charles O. Holliday has been elected chairman of The Business Council, a Wash-ington, D.C.-based organization that more
(11 October 2002 21:19)

Plastics In Brief
POLYPROPYLENE Basell is naming its new polypropylene manufacturing technology Spherizone, the company announced during a press conference at its more
(11 October 2002 21:19)

Exotic New Oils Thrive in Cosmetics and Personal Care Markets
The use of natural oils as raw ingredients in the cosmetics and personal care markets is growing quickly, driven by continuing positive perception more
(11 October 2002 21:19)

Acrylic Acid and Esters Producers Hurt by High Feedstocks, Low Margins
Poor margins and rising feedstock costs are squeezing acrylic acid and esters producers. In response, producers have nominated a fourth quarter more
(11 October 2002 21:19)

Petrochemicals In Brief
BTX There was very little action in the spot benzene market with sellers offering roughly $1.24 per gallon while buyers were looking at $1.21 per more
(11 October 2002 21:19)

Akzo Nobel Share Price Depressed On Gepirone Clinical Trial Setback
Akzo Nobel NV's share price dipped last week after the company announced that it was once again delaying the launch of its antidepressant Gepirone more
(11 October 2002 21:19)

Dow Ups DPG Prices in North America
Limited availability and healthy demand have prompted Dow Chemical Company to launch a 3 cent increase for all dipropylene glycol (DPG) products. more
(11 October 2002 21:19)

New Isochem Launched With Eye on Pharma
SNPE's fine chemicals arm is back on track, recovered and revamped just over a year after a devastating explosion at TotalFinaElf SA's Grand more
(11 October 2002 21:19)

IT In Brief
Eastman Installs I-Safe... Eastman Chemical Company is implementing Symbol Technologies Inc.'s Intrinsically Safe (I-Safe) wireless mobile more
(11 October 2002 21:19)

Oils In Brief
EPOXIDIZED OIL Crompton Corp. will increase the price of epoxidized soybean oil, Drapex 6.8, by 4c. per pound, effective November 1 or as contracts more
(11 October 2002 21:19)

Huber Debuts New Excipient
Huber Engineered Materials, a business unit of J.M. Huber Corp., is offering a new, natural pharma-grade calcium carbonate product with potential more
(11 October 2002 21:19)

CEOs on the Rise: Craig Morrison Takes Borden Chemical Into the Future
Following a period of management and organizational change, Craig Morrison, the new president and CEO of Borden Chemical Inc., is seeking to more
(11 October 2002 21:19)

Transformational Outsourcing Emerges as Innovative Tool In Industry Strategic Sourcing
Chemicals, utilities and energy, industries considered to have the greatest volatility, are also areas where outsourcing is used more heavily. more
(11 October 2002 21:19)

Sigma-Aldrich Slumps on Off WallStreet Sell Recommendation
Shares of life science chemicals and materials company Sigma-Aldrich Corp. fell $4.71 (10 percent) to $42.04 on a report by Off Wall Street more
(11 October 2002 21:19)

Potential Litigation Creates Concern for Wood Preservatives Industry
While manufacturers of wood preserving chemicals have agreed to phase out arsenic-based preservatives used in residential treated wood products by more
(11 October 2002 21:19)

Specialties Pricing
Air Products and Chemicals Inc. (APC) will, as of November 1, increase the price of all epoxy curing agents, modifiers and specialty resins more
(11 October 2002 21:19)

EPA Fines Syngenta on Faulty Packaging
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has fined Syngenta Crop Protection $26,400 for selling damaged containers of an agricultural pesticide to more
(11 October 2002 21:19)

DuPont and Unifi Face Arbitration Over Polyester Yarn Alliance
DuPont and Unifi Inc. are in arbitration over the terms of their manufacturing alliance for polyester yarn (POY) and whether Unifi owes damages to more
(11 October 2002 21:19)

Phenol may shoot up after Ineos blast
Asian phenol buyers were last week bracing themselves for a significant price rise following an explosion at Ineos Phenol's 400 000 tonne/year plant.... more
(11 October 2002 15:16)

Thasco to expand caustic in Q1 2003
Thasco Chemical is planning debottlenecking its 230 000 tonne/year caustic soda plant in Mab Ta Phut, Thailand, to add 20 000 tonne/year by early.... more
(07 October 2002 16:07)

New projects summary
As reported in ACN 23-29 September more
(11 October 2002 11:30)

Market trends: No respite for benzene
Benzene: producers stave off bids of $400/tonne, expecting prices to rise further with the continuing tension on the Middle East more
(07 October 2002 15:43)

Continental open to alliances and acquisitions
Continental Chemical is open to forming partnerships with global chemical majors as part of its strategy to establish itself as a significant niche.... more
(07 October 2002 15:54)

Pressure up on cracker op rates
Talks of reductions in cracker operating rates intensified last week as margins continued to remain under pressure despite a fall in naphtha prices more
(07 October 2002 15:48)

China's Jan-July chemical imports soar
Chinese imports of petrochemicals increased significantly between January and July this year compared with the corresponding period in 2001 more
(07 October 2002 15:47)

Styrene shutdowns postponed to Q2
Two South Korean styrene producers have postponed their scheduled turnarounds in October to early Q2 2003 citing 'technical and labour problems' more
(07 October 2002 15:44)

Asahi MMA site decision likely after 2-3 years
Asahi Kasei Corp could take a further 2-3 years to make a decision on adding to methyl methacrylate (MMA) capacity, a source close to the major said more
(07 October 2002 16:17)

Continental Chem may consider 2-EH in China in the long term
Continental Chemical may in the long term consider building a 2-ethylhexanol plant in China, ACN understands more
(07 October 2002 16:16)

CPDC may add third acrylo line
China Petrochemical Development Corp (CPDC) might add a third 80 000 tonne/year acrylonitrile line at its 190 000 tonne/year plant at Tsuo-yin,.... more
(07 October 2002 16:14)

Backlash fears hit Egypt-NPC C2
The Egyptian government has developed cold feet towards a proposed joint-venture cracker project with Iran's National Petrochemical Co (NPC) in.... more
(07 October 2002 16:11)

Formic expansion
Gujarat Narmada Valley Fertilizers Company (GNFC) has decided to expand the capacity of its formic acid plant at Bharuch, Gujarat, India, from 10 500.... more
(07 October 2002 16:09)

Showa Denko revives China EA study
Showa Denko has revived a study to build an ethyl acetate plant in China, a source close to the study told ACN last week more
(07 October 2002 16:10)

Phil processors seek new tariff cuts proposal
Plastics processors in the Philippines have petitioned the government to revise its proposal for a delay in polymer tariff cuts, ACN understands more
(11 October 2002 16:41)

Some Oct PX contracts agreed at $455
Two Japanese paraxylene (PX) producers last week settled October contracts with buyers at US$455/tonne cfr Asia, up US$5/tonne from September more
(11 October 2002 16:41)

CPDC is still keen on China projects
China Petrochemical Development Corp (CPDC) is still keen to pursue projects in China either as an alternative or in addition to some of its.... more
(11 October 2002 16:41)

Investors welcome new Iran law
Foreign investors have welcomed the Iranian government's new Foreign Investment Promotion and Protection Act (Fippa) aimed at enhancing foreign.... more
(11 October 2002 16:41)