ICIS - Search Articles by Date : January 08 2007 - January 14 2007

SABIC widens outlook
SABIC is studying a major investment at the Wilton, UK, petrochemicals site that it has just acquired from Huntsman. more
(08 January 2007 09:07)

PetroChina's master plan
PetroChina, China's ­biggest oil and gas producer, could be preparing a global acquisition plan by expanding its petrochemical know-how, after a.... more
(08 January 2007 09:04)

Monsanto sows more seeds
INCREASED DEMAND for genetically enhanced soybeans and corn has fueled Monsanto's desire for more seed acquisitions and heightened R&D activities. more
(13 January 2007 11:56)

IN BRIEF
Forchem sold Finnish tall oil producer Forchem has been bought by private equity firm MB Funds for an undisclosed amount. Forchem had sales of.... more
(13 January 2007 11:56)

Tune in to ICIS radio for key news
Keep an ear to the ground with the internet or your iPod more
(13 January 2007 11:56)

LATE SPOT PRICES
LATE SPOT PRICES Crude vegetable oils Coconut oil, t.l. N.Y. lb 36c Corn oil, Midwest lb 28c .... more
(13 January 2007 11:56)

EC unveils renewable energy package
THE EUROPEAN Commission (EC) unveiled its renewable energy package last week as part of its objective of reducing carbon dioxide emissions by at.... more
(13 January 2007 11:56)

Kuokuang plans new crackers
KUOKUANG Petrochemical Technology plans to start up one cracker complex each in Taiwan and somewhere in the Middle East in 2015, when the next.... more
(13 January 2007 11:56)

Middle East polystyrene prices up 4%
POLYSTYRENE (PS) prices in the Middle East have risen $40-50/tonne, or 4%, over the past month and are expected to continue rising in the coming.... more
(13 January 2007 11:56)

Nalco resumes production after chemical release
Nalco resumes production after chemical release more
(13 January 2007 11:56)

Electricity prices spark retreat
A number of small electricity-intensive French chemical companies may opt out of the electricity consortium Exeltium, in order to profit from a more.... more
(13 January 2007 11:56)

IN BRIEF
Europe Watch more
(13 January 2007 11:56)

Linde cuts more ties
Linde has sold BOC's Polish gases activities (BOC Gazy) to rival group Air Products for €370m ($481m). more
(13 January 2007 11:56)

Animal rights activists target Bayer manager
Animal rights activists attacked the home of Walter Leidinger, head of the Dormagen, Germany, chemical park operated by Bayer Industry Services in.... more
(13 January 2007 11:56)

EU INSIDER
New Year is full of good intentions more
(13 January 2007 11:56)

Taiwan looks abroad
Despite government incentives to help develop the petrochemical industry, Taiwanese firms will be forced to invest overseas because of the country's.... more
(13 January 2007 11:56)

Ousted minister returns
Xie Zhenhua, China's former environment minister, who was responsible for mishandling the country's worst petrochemical accident in history, has.... more
(13 January 2007 11:56)

IN BRIEF
  Shasun Chemicals looks to raise cash Chennai, India-based Shasun Chemicals & Drugs has decided to raise Rupees (Rs) 198m ($4.5m).... more
(13 January 2007 11:56)

THE VIEW FROM CHINA
Short- term difficulties for long-term gain more
(13 January 2007 11:56)

South Korean plant orders are up 9.5%
South Korean companies have received a total of $4.7bn worth of petrochemical plant orders in 2006, up by 9.5% from the previous year, a Ministry of.... more
(13 January 2007 11:56)

Projects given boost
China's bid to reduce the corporate income tax rate from 33% to 25% this year could help to boost marginal projects that were previously economically.... more
(13 January 2007 11:56)

Commentary
One word - Plastics more
(13 January 2007 11:56)

5-Minute News Watch
Solutia down to one or two bidders more
(13 January 2007 11:56)

US lowers natural gas forecast
THE DEPARTMENT of Energy lowered its natural gas price forecast for 2007 last week by more than 10%, to an average of $7.06/m Btu, citing.... more
(13 January 2007 11:56)

EPA rejects further use of preservative
THE ENVIRONMENTAL Protection Agency will not allow use of acid copper chromate (ACC) as a wood preservative in residential applications because of.... more
(13 January 2007 11:56)

New process could make oil shale viable
A DEMONSTRATED new technology could cut by half, the cost of recovering useful petroleum from oil shale, the Department of Energy said last week. more
(13 January 2007 11:56)

Bidding for Lyondell TiO2 heats up
PLAYERS IN the titanium dioxide (TiO2) market were awaiting news last week on the sale of Lyondell's TiO2 business, said by sources to be in its.... more
(13 January 2007 11:56)

Air Products eyes Central Europe
THE AIR Products acquisition of BOC Gazy in Poland will allow the US industrial gas major to take advantage of Central Europe's strong growth,.... more
(13 January 2007 11:56)

Lipton to receive Palladium Medal
The Societe de Chimie Industrielle - American Section will award the prestigious 2007 International Palladium Medal to Jeffrey Lipton, president and.... more
(13 January 2007 11:56)

SCI Medal goes to Gupta
The Society of Chemical Industry, American Section, will award the prestigious 2007 Chemical Industry Medal to Raj Gupta, chairman, president and CEO.... more
(13 January 2007 11:56)

ICIS radio: Chemical News Central: 12 January 2007
Feed Air Products Weblink more
(12 January 2007 13:55)

International Paper makes Rhone sale
International Paper has signed an agreement to sell Arizona Chemical to Rhone Capital for $485m (€365m) as part of a refocusing strategy that has.... more
(08 January 2007 09:06)

Divided over ACN outlook
Views are mixed on the outlook for Asia's acrylonitrile (ACN) market for the first quarter (Q1) of 2007, with producers expecting stable-to-firm.... more
(08 January 2007 09:07)

Qapco scouts new deals
Qatar Petrochemical Co (Qapco) is looking for overseas investments to grow its business and expects earnings to be strong for the next two years, a.... more
(08 January 2007 09:05)

Akzo Nobel quiet on Organon sale
Akzo Nobel is in talks with private equity companies about the sale of its drugs unit Organon, Dutch newspaper Het Financieele Dagblad said last.... more
(08 January 2007 09:01)

HMDA leak at BASF injures 37
A chemical leak at BASF's fibres intermediate plant in Teesside, UK, last Thursday injured 37 people. more
(08 January 2007 09:04)

Chemical Profile: Methanol
Uses Methanol's main uses are in formaldehyde, methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE) and acetic acid. more
(13 January 2007 10:22)

EU INSIDER
NEW YEAR IS FULL OF GOOD INTENTIONS more
(13 January 2007 10:22)

IN BRIEF Europe Watch
ARKEMA JOB CUTS more
(13 January 2007 10:22)

IN BRIEF Asia Watch
Shasun Chemicals looks to raise cash more
(13 January 2007 10:22)

The view from China Short-term difficulties for long-term gain
China has declared 2007 the year of energy efficiency. The country's movers and shakers have set about tackling China's wasteful ways, with the.... more
(13 January 2007 10:22)

WASHINGTON INSIDER
CORN SHORTAGE FUELS US RETHINK more
(13 January 2007 10:22)

Fingers crossed for another good year
The party is almost over Asian cracker operators can at best expect another 12 months of good returns, after which a downturn will begin that will be.... more
(13 January 2007 10:22)

THINK TANK Industry must reach out to meet EU policy
EU chemical policymakers have had their hands full with Reach for years, but in 2007 their attention turns to the sector's longer-term future. more
(13 January 2007 10:22)

5-minute project watch
Foster wheeler to upgrade izmit refinery more
(13 January 2007 10:22)

5-minute market watch
Pipeline dispute hits EU crude supply more
(13 January 2007 10:22)

5-minute Americas watch
Eastman fires up IntegRex PET facility more
(13 January 2007 10:22)

TOP STORIES FROM ICIS NEWS 4-11 January
1.GE Plastics may be sold - Wall Street Journal more
(13 January 2007 10:22)

QUOTES OF THE WEEK
"This is a huge problem for an industry that is facing real troubled times in Taiwan" more
(13 January 2007 10:22)

COMMENT Biofuels give 15-year relief
Last week, the European Commission responded to energy security and environmental issues with a proposed integrated energy and climate change.... more
(13 January 2007 10:22)