ICIS - Search Articles by Date : July 08 2002 - July 14 2002

Managing procurement
For chemical companies looking at ways to make savings in procurement, the trend towards outsourcing non-strategic services could provide the.... more
(10 July 2002 17:56)

Sabic: Opening up the market
Until recently, alpha-olefins technology was limited to a few established producers. However, with Sabic's entry into the LAO market, this is about.... more
(09 July 2002 16:42)

OMG Offers New Stabilizer Intermediate
OMG Industries is bullish on its new PlastiStab 2265, an over-based calcium oleate with uses as a stabilizer intermediate. The immediate sales more
(12 July 2002 21:34)

Germany's Chemicals Output Increases
Chemicals output in Germany, Europe's largest chemicals producer and market, recovered in the first half of this year with a 1 percent increase more
(12 July 2002 21:34)

US EG Pricing Remains Firm Despite Asian Slump
The global market for ethylene glycol (EG) is in balance thanks to planned and unplanned outages in the US and Europe and a weak Asian market. more
(12 July 2002 21:34)

Ethylene and Propylene Markets Diverge
After sharing a significant run-up in pricing, the ethylene and propylene markets appear to be diverging. Ethylene's pricing momentum has stalled, more
(12 July 2002 21:34)

Petrochemicals In Brief
BTX Benzene spot prices jumped significantly last week with the July spot price reaching as high as $1.54 per gallon. August spot prices were also more
(12 July 2002 21:34)

Pharmaceuticals In Brief
T-20 Roche and Trimeris Inc., codevelopers of the fusion inhibitor T-20, released data from two Phase III trials at last week's International AIDS more
(12 July 2002 21:34)

Phthalates Battle Heats Up
Activists called on the cosmetics industry last week to voluntarily re-move phthalates from their beauty and personal care products, charging the more
(12 July 2002 21:34)

SNPE's Isochem Resumes Fine Chem Output at Toulouse
SNPE's Isochem resumed fine chemicals production at Toulouse, France, last week as its parent company sought ways of replacing phosgene production more
(12 July 2002 21:34)

Global Watch: Eye onChina The Rise of Petrochemicals
China is undergoing a period of momentous change following its recent membership in the World Trade Organization (WTO). It will be an uphill climb more
(12 July 2002 21:34)

Biocides Market Affected by BDP and Consolidation
The global biocides market has seen a fair amount of change over the past several years marked by the passage of European Biocides Product more
(12 July 2002 21:34)

Specialties Pricing
ALBEMARLE Corp. is increasing the price of its Saytex 102E flame retardant (decabromodiphenyl oxide) and its Saytex HP-900 flame retardant more
(12 July 2002 21:34)

Alternative Technologies Emerge in CMP
Competition heats up, especially in oxide slurries. Cynthia Challener reports. more
(12 July 2002 21:34)

Wyeth Pummeled on Surprising HRT Trial Results
Wyeth suffered a major blow last week when the findings of a major clinical trial questioned the benefit of PremPro, a combination hormone more
(12 July 2002 21:34)

Legislation to Boost Plant Security May Be Avoided
A top Bush administration official told Congress last week that legislation to enhance security at chemical plant sites might not be necessary more
(12 July 2002 21:34)

Monoclonal Antibodies Take on Asthma Treatment
By pinpointing and blocking the triggers of immune response in the ashthma cascade, monoclonal antibodies more
(12 July 2002 21:34)

Market trends: Standoff in NEA C3
Ethylene sinks further by $10-40/tonne as traders clear stocks. Methanol prices hold steady despite talk of plant problems more
(12 July 2002 10:57)

Korea plans tax perks to up FDI
South Korea's Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Energy (Mocie) is hoping to boost the inflow of foreign direct investment (FDI), especially into the.... more
(12 July 2002 17:55)

Inchon Oil awaiting LoIs from investors
Inchon Oil was last week awaiting letters of intent (LoIs) from potential investors seeking a stake in the company. Inchon Oil set a deadline of 12.... more
(12 July 2002 17:55)

Sumitomo Corp in talks to sell BPC stake
Sumitomo Corp is in talks to sell its 5% stake in Bataan PE Corp (BPC) to joint-venture partner Petronas. more
(12 July 2002 17:55)

Mabuhay to build caustic soda plant at Mindano
Mabuhay Vinyl Corp (MVC) is to construct an 8000 tonne/year bipolar membrane cell caustic soda facility at Mindano, the Philippines, which will be.... more
(12 July 2002 17:55)

Reliance/Basell 'in talks' for HPL stake
Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL) and Basell are in talks separately to acquire a majority stake in Haldia Petrochemicals Ltd (HPL). more
(12 July 2002 17:55)

Nissho Iwai bosses' pay to be cut again
Nissho Iwai plans to reduce the salaries of 700 managers by a further 5%, starting from July. more
(12 July 2002 17:55)

Kvaerner puts in bid for Nanjing BASF-Yangzi plans
Kvaerner has submitted its bid for the engineering and construction contract of BASF-Yangzi Petrochemical's (BASF-YPC) polyolefins and other more
(12 July 2002 17:55)

Current crisis
The chloralkali industries of India, the Philippines and Japan are finding it hard to compete because of the low electricity costs of the Middle.... more
(12 July 2002 17:55)

Cyclical concerns
The chloralkali business cycles are getting shorter and the swings in pricing are becoming more erratic. After a dismal 2001, is it time for the.... more
(12 July 2002 17:55)

Japan to decide on surcharge by September
Japan's Ministry of Finance (MoF) will decide by September whether or not to reduce by one year the tenure of a 2% surcharge on corporate tax paid by.... more
(12 July 2002 17:55)

Demand boosts China imports
CHINA's petrochemical imports continued to climb for the first five months of this year, boosted by strong domestic demand for finished goods from.... more
(12 July 2002 17:55)

Polymer trends: ABS dips by $60-70
PE and PP prices rebound by $10-40/tonne on tight availability and strong demand as buyers rush to replenish inventories more
(12 July 2002 17:55)

US$100 hike proposed for NPG + TMP
MAJOR Asian producers have announced a US$100/tonne price increase in Q3 for neopentylglycol (NPG), trimethylolpropane (TMP) and pentaerythritol. more
(12 July 2002 17:55)

China's aromatics rule to hit toluene imports
Toluene imports by China are expected to fall significantly as the country has imposed a restriction on aromatics content in paints and coatings with.... more
(12 July 2002 17:55)

Market trends: Propylene zooms
Ethylene prices seem to have bottomed out while naphtha demand remains weak. Tight supplies help prop up butadiene prices more
(12 July 2002 17:55)

ExxonMobil to take a stake in Equate 2?
ExxonMobil looks keen on taking a stake in Petrochemical Industries Co's (PIC) second olefins project, named Equate 2, in Shuaiba, Kuwait. more
(12 July 2002 17:55)

Sabic eyes Al-Jubail aromatics/fertiliser
Sabic is mulling building worldscale aromatics and fertiliser plants in Al-Jubail, Saudi Arabia. more
(12 July 2002 17:55)

SCAC eyes less PVC, more chloralkali
Shanghai Chlor-Alkali Chemical (SCAC) is studying the feasibility of raising the capacity of its chloralkali project in Caojing, Shanghai, China, to.... more
(12 July 2002 17:55)

Process Technology
Please see 'Supplements' for the features in this week's ECN more
(08 July 2002 10:42)

Breaking down the barriers
As Russia gears up to enter the WTO, the country's authorities are working towards a more positive climate for investment and change. But deep.... more
(12 July 2002 17:53)

20 years ago
ECN 12 July 1982 more
(12 July 2002 17:53)

Feedstock falters
BorsodChem is looking to ameliorate feedstock supply rather than look to its former Hungarian partner, TVK. Will Beacham talks to chief executive.... more
(12 July 2002 17:53)

Breathing space for CEE
CEE countries preparing for accession to the EU have already felt the influence of western market forces, but there has been little M&A activity with.... more
(12 July 2002 17:53)

Eyeing expansion
Following last year's struggle for control of TVK, the Hungarian petchem player is now committed to growth and is investing in a large-scale.... more
(12 July 2002 17:53)

Brave new world
Brenntag has concreted itself into the central and east European landscape. Helmut Struger talks to Will Beacham about the giant leaps made since.... more
(12 July 2002 17:53)

Superior catalyst ligands found
Chemists at Takasago International have developed a series of advanced catalyst ligands for asymmetric hydrogenations more
(12 July 2002 17:53)

News in brief
Cylinder standard The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) has issued a new standard for cylinders shipped from country to.... more
(12 July 2002 17:53)

People on the move
Cytec Industries Speciality chemicals and materials technology company Cytec Industries has elected Anthony Fernandes as a new.... more
(12 July 2002 17:53)

BIOTECH in brief
Virology milestones Boehringer Ingelheim and GPC Biotech have achieved two research milestones in their virology alliance. GPC applied its.... more
(12 July 2002 17:53)

Stolt-Nielsen dips into red
Stolt-Nielsen plunged into the red in the second quarter, reporting a loss of $0.59m for the three months ended 31 May more
(12 July 2002 17:53)

Leading lights form Council
Key figures from France's scientific, industrial and financial community have formed the Strategic Council for Innovation to boost French efforts in.... more
(12 July 2002 17:53)

De Palacio fishes for end to 'rust buckets'
The European Commission has called on member states to increase maritime safety and remove 'substandard ships and floating rust buckets' from.... more
(12 July 2002 17:53)