ICIS - Search Articles by Date : January 09 2006 - January 15 2006

US confirms an upwards trend
US manufacturing continued to grow in December, the Institute for Supply Management (ISM) said last week, noting that 2005 as a whole ‘was an.... more
(09 January 2006 09:25)

Bullish times ahead as Asia closes its crackers
Asian demand for ethylene and propylene is expected to remain bullish in 2006, with the prices forecast to perhaps top 2005 highs on the back of.... more
(09 January 2006 09:25)

THE VIEW FROM JAKARTA
INDONESIA KEEPS EYE ON INFLATION more
(13 January 2006 16:48)

IN BRIEF Asia Watch
PETROCHINA BUYS BACK JILIN SHARES more
(13 January 2006 16:48)

IN BRIEF Americas Watch
Celanese ponders fate of Pampa unit more
(13 January 2006 16:48)

EU INSIDER
AUSTRIAN PRESIDENCY PUTS EMPHASIS ON GROWTH more
(13 January 2006 16:48)

EC funding for inorganic fullerene lubricant studies
The European Commission has given €11.6m funding to a pan-European nanotechnology project looking at ways to make inorganic fullerenes (IFs). more
(13 January 2006 16:48)

Europe fights back
There is a widely held view that Europe is losing its ?competitiveness as the continent’s chemical industry faces challenges from the Middle East and.... more
(13 January 2006 16:48)

Reliance unveils rise in petchem profits
INDIA’S RELIANCE Industries Limited (RIL) reported a 25% year-on-year rise in fiscal third quarter pre-tax petrochemicals profits to Rs10.64bn.... more
(14 January 2006 09:06)

NGO snaps at Shell for photography awards
You just can’t win! No matter how hard Shell works to improve its environmental image, NGOs open up a barrage of criticism over its past record..... more
(13 January 2006 16:48)

Siel may sell business
Indian chlor-alkali producer Siel could divest its chlor-alkali and downstream chemicals business as part of its restructuring programme, a company.... more
(13 January 2006 16:48)

Growth to slow in Gulf
Economic growth in Saudi Arabia. Kuwait, Qatar and the UAE is expected to slow slightly this year as oil output and prices begin to level out,.... more
(13 January 2006 16:48)

Japan to cut energy consumption by 30%
The Japanese government will try to cut the ratio of energy consumption to gross domestic product (GDP) by 30% by 2030 to ensure the country will.... more
(14 January 2006 09:06)

BASF aims bigger in catalysts
Will 13 prove to be a lucky number for BASF? Luck may not come into it, but the German giant wants to make the Engelhard catalyst businesses, which.... more
(14 January 2006 08:25)

GSK applies for flu vaccine
GlaxoSmithKline Biologicals has submitted the first European Medicines Agency (EMEA) application for a new influenza vaccine in preparation for a.... more
(13 January 2006 16:48)

IN BRIEF Markets Watch
RECORD TURNOVER more
(13 January 2006 16:48)

Producers target adipic acid hikes
An improving supply and demand scenario plus higher raw material and energy costs are prompting adipic acid producers to target substantial hikes for.... more
(14 January 2006 09:15)

China will fuel demand for Asian aromatics
China should be the main driver for Asian aromatics in 2006. But Asia, as a whole, is likely to have an oversupply of benzene while remaining a net.... more
(14 January 2006 09:13)

Olefins No 7 to come onstream
National Petrochemical Co (NPC), the Iranian state-owned major, has advanced the start-up of its ?Olefins No 7 cracker at Bandar Imam to 1 March from.... more
(13 January 2006 16:48)

LCP takes over Rhodia’s Leuna plant
A UK-based investment group, known as LCP (Leuna Carboxylation Plant), has invested €3m in a 5000 tonne/year potassium sulphate line at a plant in.... more
(13 January 2006 16:48)

Rhodia reveals buyer of its troubled pharma unit
Rhodia has found a buyer for Pharma Solutions, its troubled pharmaceutical customs synthesis business, which provides ingredients to other.... more
(14 January 2006 09:02)

OECD review tells US to be proactive
An Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) review of environmental policy in the US has recommended that the country could play.... more
(13 January 2006 16:48)

Shell offers contracts for MEG
Shell Chemicals has appointed Mitsubishi Chemical Engineering and Foster Wheeler to carry out the basic design and engineering work for a 750 000.... more
(13 January 2006 16:48)

Fushun plans to build two PE units
Fushun Petrochemical, a PetroChina subsidiary, plans to build two polyethylene (PE) units at its proposed cracker in Fushun, Liaoning province, China. more
(13 January 2006 16:48)

Solvay buys MPT
Solvay is boosting its ultra performance polymers portfolio with the acquisition of US-based start-up company Mississippi Polymer Technologies (MPT). more
(14 January 2006 09:04)

Layoff plans to restore the fortunes of IFF …
International Flavors & Fragrances (IFF) plans to eliminate about 300 jobs (6% of its workforce), principally in Europe and North America. more
(14 January 2006 09:08)

… and Givaudan sites are to go
Givaudan, one of the world’s largest flavour and fragrances producers, is to close two of its US production sites at a cost of SF22m (€14m/$17m). more
(14 January 2006 09:09)

Calgon restructure will save $2m/year in costs
Calgon Carbon plans to move an industrial reactivation operation and temporarily idle another facility to cut operating costs by $2m/year. more
(14 January 2006 09:10)

THE WORLD THIS WEEK
CNOOC SUSPENDS SHARES more
(13 January 2006 16:48)

EQUITY FIRMS TAKE ON BASF IN THE FIGHT FOR DEGUSSA
BASF may have a fight on its hands in bidding for the construction chemicals division of Degussa. Interest has widened to hungry private equity.... more
(14 January 2006 09:02)

DuPont earnings expected to dive
DuPont has reduced its earnings per share (eps) guidance for the 2005 fourth quarter (Q4) due to last year’s hurricanes and lower income from three.... more
(14 January 2006 08:59)

BASF launches its bid
BASF launched hostile takeover bid for US speciality chemicals company Engelhard on Monday (9 January). more
(14 January 2006 09:00)

Dreams of India…
At last! Proof positive that India is the new global leader when it comes to what’s keeping pharma industry executives awake at night. Piribo, an.... more
(13 January 2006 16:48)

IN THIS WEEK
15 YEARS AGO more
(13 January 2006 16:48)

… and a taste to come
And, on the subject of India, here’s a novel innovation to season the week’s reading. Tata Chemicals is planning to make flavoured salt. Tata,.... more
(13 January 2006 16:48)

In Brief - Commodities
Butadiene more
(09 January 2006 17:04)

Hercules acquires guar biz...
In a bid to expand its presence in the energy sector, Hercules has agreed to acquire the guar manufacturing business of Benchmark Polymer Products. more
(09 January 2006 11:35)

Wall Street verdict: price is fair
WALL STREET is giving its blessing to BASF’s bid for Engelhard, deeming the $4.9 billion offer fair. more
(09 January 2006 17:04)

DuPont blames operational disruptions for profit shortfall
DISAPPOINTING investors, DuPont warned that fourth quarter profits will come in well short of expectations because of operational disruptions, partly.... more
(14 January 2006 11:30)

Ineos Chlor ramps up its output
INEOS CHLOR has ramped up output from its chlorine chemicals plants in Runcorn, UK, to close to full rates following a fall in British gas prices. more
(14 January 2006 11:30)

Air Products to build Canada hydrogen plant
Air Products Canada Ltd., will build a 105 million standard-cubic-feet-per-day (MMSCFD) hydrogen plant in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, to serve.... more
(14 January 2006 11:30)

US economy seen as firing on all cylinders
A TOP chemical industry economist says the US economic engine is operating at peak efficiency and should continue to do so well into the new year. more
(14 January 2006 11:30)

China to spend $3.3B cleaning spill
CHINA IS expected to spend $3.3 billion over the next five years as part of a plan to clean up the Songhua River, which was affected by a massive.... more
(14 January 2006 11:30)

Sinopec turnarounds add to heavy schedule
CHINA’S LARGEST petrochemical producer, plans to carry out maintenance shutdowns at seven naphtha crackers in 2006, adding to Asia’s already heavy.... more
(14 January 2006 11:30)

Jobs and People
Tim Andree more
(14 January 2006 11:30)

Wall Street unveils top stock picks
Analysts kick off the year with a diverse set of favorites. Joseph Chang reports more
(14 January 2006 11:30)

Nanotubes: everywhere soon?
With nanotubes’ prices steadily falling, the day these tiny structured materials see widespread application draws closer. more
(14 January 2006 11:30)

Borregaard adds specialty excipients
THE RECENT sale of its Newburyport, Mass., facility is part of a larger reorganization that has made Sarpsborg, Norway-based Borregaard Synthesis.... more
(14 January 2006 11:30)

Foster Wheeler gets Singapore projects
ENGINEERING AND construction giant Foster Wheeler recently signed two separate deals for petrochemical projects in Singapore. The company will be.... more
(14 January 2006 11:30)

Flavors restructure and consolidate
RESTRUCTURING AND mergers and acquisitions are in full swing in the global flavors market as companies deal with competitive pressures. more
(14 January 2006 11:30)