ICIS - Search Articles by Date : August 18 2003 - August 24 2003

Product profile: Phenol
The sector is set for some interesting times. Anti-dumping duties, new capacity, lower demand growth and potential closures are just some of the.... more
(18 August 2003 10:44)

Akzo Nobel to Build $30MM Facility in Michigan
Seeking to expand in the US market, Akzo Nobel NV is investing $30 million to establish an R&D center and new manufacturing plant in Pontiac, more
(21 August 2003 16:17)

IT in Brief
WAM, Lyondell Link WAM Systems Inc., a provider of supply chain planning solutions, reports that Lyondell Chemical Company and its joint more
(21 August 2003 16:17)

Arch Sells Hickson & Welch for $18 Million
Arch Chemicals Inc. has sold Hickson & Welch Ltd. for £11 million ($18 million) to Dunedin Capital Partners Ltd., a private equity firm more
(21 August 2003 16:17)

Business In Brief
Clariant Creates Tech Center Clariant has established a research-based technology center at its Hoechst facilities in Frankfurt, Germany. The more
(21 August 2003 16:17)

Blackout Stills Northeastern and Canadian Operations
A massive power outage that swept across seven states and Ontario, Canada, leaving more than 50 million people without electricity, did not spare more
(21 August 2003 16:17)

Breaking News Roundup
Hercules Shareholders Vote to Rescind Poison Pill With the results in from the votes cast at Hercules Inc.'s annual meeting last month, more
(21 August 2003 16:17)

TiO2 Outlook Remains Mixed as the Weak Economy Held Back 2Q Demand
The outlook for the titanium dioxide (TiO2) market is murky and will primarily depend on the strength of the US and European economies. Bad weather more
(21 August 2003 16:17)

Plastics & Caotings In Brief
POLYESTER FIBER markets have been under pressure from both imports of finished goods from the Far East, led by China, as well as a poor economic more
(21 August 2003 16:17)

Chemical Commodities Monthly
BTX Spot pricing for benzene continued to show strength with prices in the $1.57 per gallon range for August. In addition, September spot deals more
(21 August 2003 16:17)

Dow to Idle PE Capacity in North America
Dow Chemical Company's polyolefins and elastomers business has begun idling roughly 885 million pounds (400,000 metric tons) of polyethylene more
(21 August 2003 16:17)

DuPont Enters Exclusive Negotiations for DTI Sale to Koch
Last week, DuPont confirmed that it is in exclusive negotiations with Wichita, Kan.-based Koch Industries Inc. for the sale of DuPont Textiles more
(21 August 2003 16:17)

BMS and ImClone File Erbitux Biologics License Application
ImClone Systems Inc. and Bristol-Myers Squibb Company have finally submitted a biologics license application (BLA) to the Food and Drug more
(21 August 2003 16:17)

Chemical Industry Slammed With Credit Ratings Downgrades
Downgrades outpace upgrades 20 to 1 year to date. Joseph Chang reports. more
(21 August 2003 16:17)

Natural Gas Is the Number One Energy Issue
The lack of adequate supplies of natural gas at affordable prices is the number one energy issue in America, industry officials told members of a more
(21 August 2003 16:17)

Inorganics in Brief
BORIC ACID Rio Tinto Borax says it plans to increase its boric acid production capacity by 90,000 to 100,000 metric tons per year by 2005. By 2005, more
(21 August 2003 16:17)

US Chloralkali Market Suffers From Slower Seasonal Demand
The US chloralkali market ap-pears to be languishing in the summer doldrums. Caustic soda is showing signs of improving after being long for more
(21 August 2003 16:17)

Jobs and People
Rich Ryan Rich Ryan has been appointed executive vice president of the Imerys pigments to paper business group and as a member of the Imerys more
(21 August 2003 16:17)

Everchem Seeks to Become Preferred Outlet for Suppliers and Customers
Launched in June 2002 by former chemical industry executives with a high level of expertise in the urethanes market, Aston, Pa.-based sales and more
(21 August 2003 16:17)

Clarification:
BASF AG's restructuring program entails cutting one-third of its service personnel, or approximately 1,000 employees, in the Nafta region rather more
(21 August 2003 16:17)

Kraton Polymers to Expand Capacity
Kraton Polymers will expand its capacity for Kraton D polymers at its plant in Paulinia, Brazil. The expansion is in response to increasing demand more
(21 August 2003 16:17)

Utah's Michael Leavitt Tapped for Top EPA Slot
President George W. Bush has nominated Utah Governor Michael Leavitt to head the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), a nomination that is more
(21 August 2003 16:17)

AstraZeneca's Crestor Gets FDA Okay
AstraZeneca PLC has gained US marketing approval for its anti-cholesterol drug Crestor (rosuvastatin). Last week, the Food and Drug Administra-tion more
(21 August 2003 16:17)

Celltech's Zavesca Targets Niche Market
The UK biotechnology company Celltech Group PLC has scored a victory with the US approval of Zavesca (miglustat). Earlier this month, the Food and more
(21 August 2003 16:17)

NL Industries Unveils Spinoff of Kronos
NL Industries Inc. plans to spin off its titanium dioxide (TiO2) subsidiary Kronos Inc. to shareholders by the fourth quarter, offering investors a more
(21 August 2003 16:17)

Kemira Acquires Majority Stake in Kemiron
Finnish chemicals group Kemira has increased its stake in US water treatment company Kemiron from 15 to 60 percent and negotiated an option to more
(21 August 2003 16:17)

Degussa Lowers Fiscal Expectations for 2003
Degussa issued a profit warning last week after reporting that the strong euro, higher raw material prices and lower demand in some sectors dented more
(21 August 2003 16:17)

Europe in Brief
COGNIS had a 7 percent decrease in sales to  E1.5 billion ($1.7 billion) in the first half of the year, mainly because of the effects of the weak US more
(21 August 2003 16:17)

Fluorocarbon Makers Critical Of HFC Phase-Out Plan for Cars
European fluorocarbon producers are objecting to plans by the European Commission (EC) to phase out hydrofluorocarbon-134a (HFC-134a) in more
(21 August 2003 16:17)

Ag Majors Expect High Margins
The worldwide crop protection sector is showing signs of life after several years of decline following persistent pressures on farmers' incomes and more
(21 August 2003 16:17)

MG Reevaluates Its Operations
MG Technologies is carrying out a thorough review of the future of both its chemicals business, which consists mainly of Dynamit Nobel, and its more
(21 August 2003 16:17)

Aventis Sues to Block Generic Lovenox Entry
In an effort to stave off generic competition for its billion dollar-plus drug, Lovenox (enoxaparin), Aventis has filed patent infringement suits more
(21 August 2003 16:17)

Total Plans to Resume Melamine Production
Total plans to resume production of melamine through a joint venture in Abu Dhabi with Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC). Plans call for the more
(21 August 2003 16:17)

Hot Weather Slows Chemicals
Intense heat and drought in many parts of Europe are triggering cuts in chemical production and forcing companies to switch from river more
(21 August 2003 16:17)

News In Brief
Potash Corp. to Up Capacity Potash Corp. of Saskatchewan Inc. will invest $80 million to expand the annual potash production at PCS Rocanville more
(21 August 2003 16:17)

Olive Oil Gains Ground in US Salad and Cooking Oils
Olive oil is savoring its increased popularity in the US household pourable oil market as consumption is expected to increase, allowing olive oil more
(21 August 2003 16:17)

Oils In Brief
CENEX HARVEST STATES Cooperatives has changed its legal name to CHS Inc., effective August 5. DARLING INTERNATIONAL Inc., the largest publicly more
(21 August 2003 16:17)

Ozone Loss Declining
The rate of ozone loss in the upper reaches of the Earth's atmosphere is slowing, and scientists credit the worldwide reduction in the use of more
(21 August 2003 16:17)

Pediatric Drug Testing Bill Passes in Senate
The Senate has approved legislation that would require pharmaceutical companies to study the safety of their drugs in children. The House of more
(21 August 2003 16:17)

Butadiene Demand Stalls, Yet Outlook Remains Positive
With US demand easing and exports all but dried up, the US market for butadiene has softened considerably. However, the outlook for the fall is more
(21 August 2003 16:17)

Methanol, MTBE Begin to Firm
Methyl tertiary-butyl ether (MTBE) prices saw a significant gain the past two weeks, thanks to limited supplies and an increase in gasoline prices. more
(21 August 2003 16:17)

Petrochemicals In Brief
BTX Spot pricing for benzene continued to show strength with prices in the $1.57 per gallon range for August. In addition, September spot deals more
(21 August 2003 16:17)

Generic Onslaught Could Permanently Alter PPI Market
The unprecedented success of AstraZeneca's Prilosec (omeprazole) generated a maelstrom of interest in the market for proton pump inhibitors (PPIs). more
(21 August 2003 16:17)

Global Watch: Saudi Strategy Means Slower Ethylene Capacity Growth
Late last month, the government of Saudi Arabia made official its decision to split its ambitious plans for an expansion of gas, water, electricity more
(21 August 2003 16:17)

Fed Keeps Interest Rates Unchanged
The Federal Reserve Board voted last week to keep interest rates un-changed as its Federal Open Market Committee decided to keep its target for the more
(21 August 2003 16:17)

Schering-Plough Reports Shortfall in Operating Income
Plagued by the financial impact of its manufacturing deficiencies and suffering from generic competition for its antihistamine Claritin more
(21 August 2003 16:17)

Overcapacity to Keep Tantalum Pricing at Low Levels
Selling for above $200 per pound almost three years ago, tantalum ore, or tantalite, is now selling for between $20 and $30 per pound, and players more
(21 August 2003 16:17)

WHO Report Promotes Reduction in Levels of Livestock Antimicrobials
In another strike against the market for growth-promoting antibiotics, the World Health Organization (WHO) has released a report that supports more
(21 August 2003 16:17)

Erco to Buy Sodium Chlorate Producer Albchem
Erco Worldwide, a division of Calgary, Canada-based Superior Plus Inc., has agreed to buy the Alberta-based sodium chlorate company Albchem more
(21 August 2003 16:17)

Meti reveals safety-report list
Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (Meti) has provided ACN with the full list of the 48 chemical and oil companies which are required to.... more
(22 August 2003 18:37)