ICIS - Search Articles by Date : March 21 2005 - March 27 2005

Stop exports from UK to Europe, demands Ineos
UK chlorine producer Ineos Chlor last week called for a halt to UK natural gas exports through the interconnector pipeline that links the country.... more
(21 March 2005 10:23)

Bayer performance yields success
Bayer turned in an improved performance in 2004, driven largely by its MaterialScience and CropScience businesses, with earnings above last year’s.... more
(21 March 2005 10:23)

EU tough on pipeline plans
The European Union’s competition commissioner Neelie Kroes is considering a tough stance on state aid to link olefins pipelines into a trans-European.... more
(24 March 2005 22:00)

TPG to buy British Vita
British Vita, the specialty polymers producer, agreed last week to a £668 million ($1.25 billion) bid by the investment group Texas Pacific Group.... more
(24 March 2005 22:00)

License Deals in Brief
Arkema licenses tin technology more
(24 March 2005 22:00)

News Watch in Brief
FMC to beat street more
(24 March 2005 22:00)

Cancer drug is delayed
Novartis Pharma AG and Schering AG were dealt a blow last week when late-stage clinical trial results showed their drug PTK/ZK failed to prolong.... more
(24 March 2005 22:00)

Oils, Fats & Waxes in brief
ACME HARDESTY Company has been appointed Mumbai, India-based VVF Ltd.’s exclusive distributor of fatty alcohols in the US. VVF, an oleochemical and.... more
(24 March 2005 22:00)

Jobs and People
Doug Frey more
(24 March 2005 22:00)

Petrochemicals in brief
BTX Spot benzene deals were sealed at $3.90 per gallon for March and $3.95 for April. Toluene prices hovered around $2.25 per gallon. Mixed xylene.... more
(24 March 2005 22:00)

Pfizer sells API facility
After a two-year evaluation of its global manufacturing operations, Pfizer Inc. plans to divest a facility in Holland, Mich. If a buyer cannot be.... more
(24 March 2005 22:00)

Price movements
Akzo Nobel Polymer Chemicals more
(24 March 2005 22:00)

CIDX moves on cybersecurity
Several initiatives are underway for 2005. Patricia Van Arnum reports. more
(24 March 2005 22:00)

Savient sells its biologics manufacturing business
Looking to narrow its focus to a burgeoning rheumatology portfolio, Savient Pharmaceuticals Inc. has shed its global biologics manufacturing.... more
(24 March 2005 22:00)

Sterling closing would impact sodium cyanide
Acrylonitrile (ACN) is not the only product that would be affected by a permanent closing of Sterling Chemicals Inc.’s Texas City, Tex., facility. more
(24 March 2005 22:00)

Explosion rocks BP’s refinery
An explosion in an isomerization unit rocked BP’s Texas City, Tex., refinery late on Wednesday, March 23, leaving 14 dead and scores injured. The.... more
(24 March 2005 22:00)

Sojitz to probe transaction losses
SOJITZ Holdings has formed a committee to investigate losses from unauthorised commodities transactions by its energy and mineral resources division,.... more
(21 March 2005 10:25)

TiO2 on the rise
RISING raw-material costs, tight supply and robust demand are expected to drive leading titanium dioxide (TiO2) producers to hike their Asian.... more
(21 March 2005 10:29)

Jianfeng plans ammonia/urea
JIANFENG Chemical plans to build ammonia, urea, and melamine units in Fuling, Chongqing, Sichuan, China, a company source told ACN. more
(21 March 2005 10:30)

Zhenrong aroms study in
ZHENRONG has submitted a feasibility study to the Chinese government on an aromatics project in Zhuhai Harbour Industrial Zone, Guangdong, industry.... more
(21 March 2005 10:27)

IOC mulls second PX/PTA
INDIAN Oil Corp (IOC) is considering building its second paraxylene (PX) and purified terephthalic acid (PTA) plants in India, said a company source. more
(24 March 2005 15:15)

Two companies start Shaanxi MTO study
HONG KONG’s Benefit Sales Ltd has started a feasibility study on a Rmb6.92bn (US$836.1m) methanol-to-olefins (MTO) project in Yuheng Coal Chemistry.... more
(24 March 2005 15:15)

Chenhongli halts PVC works
CHENHONGLI Group has halted work on its Rmb2.6bn (US$314.1m) polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and chlor-alkali project in Wusitai Development Zone, Inner.... more
(24 March 2005 15:15)

Huvis shelves PTA project
SICHUAN Huvis Chemical Fibre has shelved its plans to build a 500 000 tonne/year purified terephthalic acid (PTA) plant in Zigong, Sichuan, China,.... more
(24 March 2005 15:15)

Sinopec plans Hainan PX, PTA
SINOPEC plans to build a 450 000 tonne/year paraxylene (PX) facility and a 600 000 tonne/year purified terephthalic acid (PTA) plant in Yangpu.... more
(24 March 2005 15:15)

Tianfa mulls refinery-petchems
HUBEI Tianfa Petroleum is mulling investing in a refinery-petrochemical facility in Wuhan, in Hubei province, China, said sources close to the.... more
(24 March 2005 15:15)

China’s next 5-year plan
THE Chinese government’s 11th five-year plan (2006-10) will deal with the challenges faced by the country’s petrochemicals industry, said Bai Yi,.... more
(24 March 2005 15:15)

Too ambitious, too soon?
Iran is forging ahead with its ambitious petrochemical plans, but consistent delays have raised doubts on how quickly the plans will be achieved..... more
(24 March 2005 15:15)

Peak expectations
Opinion is divided on how long the current boom in the petrochemical markets will last, although there is a quiet confidence in some quarters that.... more
(24 March 2005 15:15)

Petchems’ tanker blues
THE Asian petrochemicals market is facing limited tanker availability because of a surge in demand over the past few months, sources in the shipping.... more
(24 March 2005 15:15)

Tsunami: Little change in demand for PVC
THREE months have passed since the tsunami that destroyed much of Aceh in Indonesia and wrecked seaside resorts and villages in Thailand. more
(24 March 2005 15:15)

PTT to boost brand name
THAILAND’s national oil-and-gas giant PTT Pcl could form a new company to take charge of the marketing of its polymers and olefins businesses and to.... more
(24 March 2005 15:15)

Honam mulls options in new long-term plan
OVERSEAS investments, a new cracker, and merging the recently acquired companies with itself are a few options being considered by Honam.... more
(24 March 2005 15:15)

Yen3bn emissions carrots
JAPAN’s Ministry of the Environment is offering Yen3bn (US$28.6m) in incentives as part of the emissions-trading scheme that it is launching on 1.... more
(24 March 2005 15:15)

China polyester struggles on
WHEN Zhu Xiangding, vice general manager of Zhejiang Cifu Polyester, said his company’s polyester yarn production was ‘dying’, he was only half.... more
(24 March 2005 15:15)

PetroChina mulls Thai C2
PETROCHINA is considering investing in a gas-based cracker project in Thailand, industry sources told ACN. more
(24 March 2005 15:15)

JAM to construct ABS unit in Assaluyeh
JAM Petrochemical plans to build a 200 000 tonne/year acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) unit in Assaluyeh, Iran, said an official from its parent.... more
(24 March 2005 15:15)

Styrene set to remain tight
THE Asian demand and supply balance for styrene looks set to remain tight for H1 2005 owing to a decline in the volume of deep-sea material arriving.... more
(24 March 2005 15:15)

Q2 acrylo to be bullish
ACRYLONITRILE players in Asia were looking forward last week to a bullish Q2 2005, in contrast to their diffidence in the early part of Q1. more
(24 March 2005 15:15)

Soda ash set to stay strong during 2005-06
ASIAN soda ash markets are expected to stay bullish throughout 2005 and 2006 on the back of tight supply and increased demand. more
(24 March 2005 15:15)

China polymers show promise
The polymers sector in China is as unpredictable as ever, but forecasts point to an upswing in consumption in 2005, with EPS, PVC, and ABS in the lead more
(24 March 2005 15:15)

Market Trends: Styrene stays firm
Benzene and toluene fall on weak buying sentiment, while mixed xylenes edge upwards on strong buying interest. Phenol continues to be strong more
(24 March 2005 15:15)

Market Trends: C2 falls but C3 rises
Fears of oversupply cause ethylene to weaken despite high crude. Propylene, butadiene, and ammonia markets, on the other hand, remain bullish more
(24 March 2005 15:15)

Global roundup
The Indian government ordered a probe into possible securities-law violations by Reliance Industries, and the Fed raised its key interest rate to.... more
(24 March 2005 15:15)

North America ideal for facility
North America is the frontrunner for the location of Cyclics’ second CBT resins plant, which will have a capacity of 25 000-50 000 tonne/year. more
(21 March 2005 10:23)

Easter settlement on cards
Quarter two (Q2) contract negotiations are well under way in the European olefins markets. more
(21 March 2005 10:23)

UK/China jv to use Cativa
BP and Sinopec/YPC, China’s state-owned oil firm, have signed a 50:50 joint venture (jv) agreement to build a 500 000 tonne/year acetic acid plant in.... more
(21 March 2005 10:24)

Campaign: Reach out for PS
Chemical industry trade associations and companies agree that invigorated and robust company product stewardship programmes and processes are crucial.... more
(21 March 2005 15:18)

Spring cleaning
As the chemicals industry struggles to get to grips with the burden of financial regulation and reporting standards, Ernst & Young’s Jonathan Bourne.... more
(21 March 2005 15:02)

20 years ago
ECN 25 March 1985 more
(24 March 2005 16:44)