ICIS - Search Articles by Date : June 10 2002 - June 16 2002

Product profile: HdPE
After a period of weaker growth, demand in western Europe is once again looking up. A growth rate of 4-4.5%/year is forecast more
(12 June 2002 15:17)

Plastics monitor: Strong demand fuels price hikes
Polymer price rises continued in April, with producers reporting most posted contract prices being achieved. Industry observers say the surge in.... more
(12 June 2002 15:16)

Timescale slips for Eatco project
The methanol-to-olefins complex proposed by Egypt's Egyptian Arab Trading Company (Eatco) is likely to become operational in 2005 or 2006 more
(14 June 2002 13:29)

Work now under way
PTT Poly Canada - the joint venture between Shell Chemicals Canada and Investissements Petrochimie, a subsidiary of SGFChemie - has broken ground for.... more
(15 June 2002 10:15)

Companies create Qatofin
Atofina has progressed plans to build petrochemical capacity in Qatar having formally established the joint venture company Qatofin. more
(14 June 2002 13:18)

Ransat invests $20m in Armenia
The UK arm of multinational company Ransat is investing in synthetic rubber production in Armenia more
(14 June 2002 13:15)

Biotech chief draws up 'foreign policy' plan
Carl Feldbaum, president of the US Biotechnology Industry Organisation, has called for the biotechnology industry to develop a ten-point 'foreign.... more
(15 June 2002 10:15)

Rhodia extends deal
US-based Symyx Technologies and Rhodia are extending their research and development agreement to discover materials with strategic importance for.... more
(14 June 2002 13:03)

BASF funds Oxonica's UK nanotechnology enterprise
BASF Venture Capital has made its first direct investment, in a UK company specialising in nanotechnology. Oxonica, established in 1999 by a more
(14 June 2002 13:01)

UOP aims for customer value
US-based petrochemical technology specialist UOP is restructuring to make it more 'customer-centric', says president and chief executive Graeme Donald more
(14 June 2002 12:58)

People on the move
PPG Industries Kevin Sullivan is to become vice president of chemicals on 1 July more
(14 June 2002 12:55)

OBITUARY: Paul van Eijsden
Paul van Eijsden, an executive director and member of the leadership team of Cefic, the European Chemical Industry Council, has died at the age of 52. more
(15 June 2002 10:15)

Action needed now, says Voscherau
Cefic's new president and BASF board member Eggert Voscherau has called for the European Union and member state governments to do more to keep Europe.... more
(15 June 2002 10:15)

Cefic calls for polymeric exemption
Polymeric materials, reaction intermediates and substances used for R&D should not be subject to the REACH evaluation and authorisation process. more
(15 June 2002 10:15)

Monsanto slashes earnings forecast on poor economy
US agrochemicals giant Monsanto has sharply cut its profit forecasts, following months of economic turmoil in Latin America and a wet spring in the.... more
(15 June 2002 10:15)

Time to stop talking and start acting
After a remarkable level of consultation, and following months of stakeholder dialogue, the time has come for the European Commission to stop talking.... more
(15 June 2002 10:15)

Unblocking the brain drain
One of the major issues facing chemical companies on a global basis is the brain drain from the industry, caused by company downsizing, an ageing.... more
(15 June 2002 10:15)

20 years ago: 14 June 1982
A new round of plant cutbacks, and possibly closure of an entire complex, is on the cards at Shell Chemicals. more
(15 June 2002 10:15)

Distributors will continue to rationalise, says Liveris
Distributors will continue to consolidate as 'they try to sort out what model best suits them', according to Andrew Liveris, president of Dow.... more
(15 June 2002 10:15)

News in brief
Australian rejection Australia has rejected the Kyoto Protocol. Prime minister John Howard used World Environment Day to say the country would.... more
(15 June 2002 10:15)

Buyers' concerns still strong
As quarter two draws to a close, the debate on how to best structure benzene contracts in Europe remains wide open more
(15 June 2002 10:15)

News in brief
Container go-ahead The City of Amsterdam and Ceres have reached agreement on the final completion of a container terminal in the port. Ceres.... more
(15 June 2002 10:15)

Average global operating rate could reach 91% by 2003
The average global operating rate for ethylene oxide (EO) production may reach 91% by 2003, according to a recently published study more
(15 June 2002 10:15)

BP ups prices to restore profits
Isophthalic acid (PIA) markets have experienced stronger demand during the first half of this year and producers are starting to come forward with.... more
(15 June 2002 10:15)

Europe set for next round of contract price hikes
The European methanol market is gearing up for another round of contract price increases, as quarter three approaches more
(15 June 2002 10:15)

News in brief
Methanol sales Statoil will start to sell methanol to customers in Canada and the USfrom this autumn. The group has signed a long-term.... more
(15 June 2002 10:15)

Market trends: Ethylene sentiment starts to slide
Cracker restarts and softer naphtha have pushed down ethylene values. Propylene prices also seem to have peaked and buyers are holding out for lower.... more
(15 June 2002 10:15)

Davison signs FCC licence
ExxonMobil is to license patents to WR Grace's Davison Catalysts to allow it to manufacture and market AdVanta, a new fluid cracking catalyst more
(15 June 2002 10:15)

NEWS IN BRIEF
HFC agreement Great Lakes Chemical and DuPont Fluoroproducts have agreed to give each other global access to their patented technology.... more
(15 June 2002 10:15)

Abbott Shares Plummet on Downward Revision
Abbott Laboratories saw its stock nosedive by more than 20 percent last week after revealing that its earnings in 2002 will be significantly lower more
(14 June 2002 21:58)

ACC Adopts New Security Code
The American Chemistry Council's (ACC) board of directors has approved a new security code, making enhanced security practices mandatory for its more
(14 June 2002 21:58)

Animal Rights Proponents and Environmental Activists Clash
Animal rights proponents are accusing environmentalists of insensitivity and cruelty to animals because they support federal efforts to test the more
(14 June 2002 21:58)

ACC Overhauls Responsible Care Program
The American Chemistry Council's (ACC) board of directors has voted to overhaul the industry's 14-year-old Responsible Care performance improvement more
(14 June 2002 21:58)

Akzo Nobel Opens MCA Plant in China
Akzo Nobel has opened a 25,000 metric ton-per-year monochloroacetic acid (MCA) plant in Taixing, Jiangsu province, China, and plans to invest in a more
(14 June 2002 21:58)

BASF Buys Stake in Oxonica
BASF has acquired a shareholding of around 10 percent in Oxonica Ltd., a UK-based start-up company that plans to become a leader in the global more
(14 June 2002 21:58)

Business In Brief
Dow Wins National Medal President George W. Bush awarded the National Medal of Technology to Dow Chemical Company for "the vision to create great more
(14 June 2002 21:58)

Biotech Industry Could Face Major Shakeout
The European biotechnology industry will have to consolidate more if it wants to avoid a "significant shakeout," according to management more
(14 June 2002 21:58)

BMS Speculation Picks Up Steam
Shares of Bristol-Myers Squibb Company (BMS) were up slightly last week based on a media report that Goldman Sachs Group Inc. has been enlisted to more
(14 June 2002 21:58)

Breaking News Roundup
Celera Downsizes Under Restructuring Celera Genomics Group will trim 16 percent of its work force and take a $2.8 million charge as it moves more
(14 June 2002 21:58)

ABS and SAN Markets Show a Firmer Tone
The markets for acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS) and styrene acrylonitrile (SAN) have been very strong over the past few months. Fundamental more
(14 June 2002 21:58)

Plastics & Coatings in Brief
BASELL will increase its prices for all advanced polyolefins products sold in Europe by  100 per metric ton, effective July 1. DOW POLYURETHANES more
(14 June 2002 21:58)

TiO2 Margins Still Under Pressure
Titanium dioxide (TiO2) producers continue to face severe margin pressures because of higher feedstock costs, greater purchasing power by more
(14 June 2002 21:58)

Democrats Introduce Drug Benefit Plan
Senate Democrats have introduced legislation that would add a prescription drug benefit to Medicare, the federal health insurance plan for the more
(14 June 2002 21:58)

Elan Shakes Up Operations in Wake of Collapse
Elan Corp. PLC unveiled a plan to restructure its business in a bid to restore investor confidence. The move failed to lift the company's stock, more
(14 June 2002 21:58)

Europe In Brief
RAG AG has launched a  2 billion ($1.9 billion) syndicated loan to help finance the company's planned takeover of Degussa. Under an agreement with more
(14 June 2002 21:58)

ExxonMobil/Sinopec Projects Moving Forward
ExxonMobil Chemical Company expects to "finalize a multibillion dollar commitment" to China. Exxon has several petrochemical and petroleum projects more
(14 June 2002 21:58)

Financial In Brief
Buckingham Research analyst John Roberts has initiated coverage of Olin Corp. with a "strong buy" rating on strong momentum in chlorine/caustic more
(14 June 2002 21:58)

Wave of Insider Selling Hits Specialty Chemicals Industry
Strong stock price performance and conservative outlook lead to insider sales. Joseph Chang reports. more
(14 June 2002 21:58)

Formosa to Build PVC Plant in China
Formosa Plastics Corp. an-nounced last week that it will build a $127 million, 300,000 metric ton plant to manufacture polyvinyl chloride (PVC) in more
(14 June 2002 21:58)

DHA and Phytosterols Spice Up the Functional Foods Market
New capacity, changing regulations and a growing roster of players make functional foods a lively market. Clay Boswell reports. more
(14 June 2002 21:58)