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

Logistics in brief
Easy identification US-based HazMat Systems has launched a non-intrusive method that identifies and measures the chemical contents of sealed.... more
(24 March 2005 16:44)

Cyclics picks PolymersNet
Germany’s Cyclics has appointed PolymersNet to sell its cyclic polybutylene terephthalate (CBT) resin-based compounds and masterbatch concentrate.... more
(24 March 2005 16:44)

Kuehne & Nagel posts best year
Switzerland’s Kuehne & Nagel said results for 2004 ‘were the best in its 115-year history’. more
(24 March 2005 16:44)

Germany-Turkey freight link
A  regular rail connection between Germany and Turkey started up on 5 March. more
(24 March 2005 16:44)

Tanker salvage
BRAZIL: TANKER SALVAGE The salvage of the chemical tanker Vicuna, which sank in the port of Paranagua, Brazil, on 15 November last year, is.... more
(24 March 2005 16:44)

People on the move
Cabot Cabot Corporation has elected two new members to its board of directors. They are Juan Enriquez-Cabot and Henry McCane, both of whom will.... more
(24 March 2005 16:44)

Profitability peak
The coming petrochemicals peak is likely to exceed the 1994-95 peak and could rival the super-peak of 1988-89. Joseph Chang reports more
(24 March 2005 16:44)

Main contender
After a prolonged downturn since 2000, the US chemicals industry has come out fighting, with 2004 setting record results, although a weak dollar.... more
(24 March 2005 16:44)

Top 20 take over
What a good year 2004 was for North America’s top 20 chemical companies. Sales turnover showed double-digit sales growth for virtually every player,.... more
(24 March 2005 16:44)

Gas to burn
There is no doubt that the US must do more to meet its future energy needs if it is to avert a natural gas crisis, but volatility of demand makes.... more
(24 March 2005 16:44)

Fine chemicals in brief
Pharma tests Danish firm Niro has opened a pharmaceutical test centre to allow customers to work on R&D and process-evaluation projects.... more
(24 March 2005 16:44)

Ethical standards for stem cell research to be probed
The European Commission’s Sixth Framework Programme is funding a €250 000 multi-disciplinary project to investigate ethical and legal issues.... more
(24 March 2005 16:44)

India set to change patent law
Indian generics manufacturers are set for a shake-up in their businesses following the introduction of patents legislation that will make it illegal.... more
(24 March 2005 16:44)

MS research targets 80 genes
Researchers at the Serono Genetics Institute, part of Swiss biotechnology group Serono, have achieved what the group claims is ‘a major milestone’ in.... more
(24 March 2005 16:44)

Environment in brief
IPPC restrictions According to Air Products, changes to guidance on the Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control (IPPC) could trigger strict.... more
(24 March 2005 16:44)

Initiative now extended to more HPV substances
The American Chemistry Council (ACC) in cooperation with the Soap and Detergent Association (SDA) and the Synthetic Organic Chemical Manufacturers.... more
(24 March 2005 16:44)

EU aid allows Italians to switch
The European Commission has authorised the payment of subsidies, under EU state aid rules, to two Italian chlorine producers which will allow them to.... more
(24 March 2005 16:44)

GM crops impact on wildlife
The UK government’s Department for Environ-ment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has said that growing GM herbicide tolerant winter oilseed rape has.... more
(24 March 2005 16:44)

Brazil elastomers upbeat
Brazil’s domestic sales volumes of synthetic elastomers are forecast to climb 9% to 374 000 tonne this year, driven by rising demand from tyre and.... more
(24 March 2005 16:44)

Markets in brief
Price hike for Dow Dow Europe says it intends to raise prices for its polyalkylene glycols synthetic lubricant base stocks from 15 April, or as.... more
(24 March 2005 16:44)

HdPE leads PE market growth
Ukrainian polyethylene (PE) markets grew by 20% in 2004, with high-density polyethylene (hdPE) leading the way, showing a growth in consumption of.... more
(24 March 2005 16:44)

Market Trends: Ethylene awaits propylene outcome
Ethylene demand is low due to poor downstream activity. Many markets remain static or have increased slightly due to tight supply or stronger crude.... more
(24 March 2005 16:44)

British Vita recommends improved offer from TPG
British Vita has agreed to recommend an improved offer to shareholders from US private equity company Texas Pacific Group (TPG) valuing the.... more
(24 March 2005 16:44)

Customer loss forces end of C6
UK based fine chemicals producer C6 Solutions is closing this summer with the loss of 300 jobs. more
(24 March 2005 16:44)

BP picks Innovene for its name
Innovene is to be the new name of the olefins and derivatives business that BP plans to spin-off in April, building on the well-known polyolefins.... more
(24 March 2005 16:44)

New projects in brief
Biodiesel progress Argent Energy has completed the pre-commissioning and mechanical and electrical-process commissioning of its £15m.... more
(24 March 2005 16:44)

Gov’t slated in China race
German engineering firms are losing out in the race to build chemical plants in China, according to their contractors’ industry association, VDMA. more
(24 March 2005 16:44)

$200m PVC expansion on table
Solvay Indupa is considering a $200m expansion of its polyvinyl chloride (PVC) production in Brazil or Argentina. more
(24 March 2005 16:44)

Sterol unit to be world’s largest
Forchem is planning a €40m expansion of its crude tall-oil production with the construction of one of the world’s largest plant-derived sterol.... more
(24 March 2005 16:44)

£5m funding goes to Yorkshire
A UK regional development agency, Yorkshire Forward, has announced a £5m (€7.2m/$9.5m) funding package for three university-based centres to help .... more
(24 March 2005 16:44)

The way forward for hydrogen
At its second general assembly, the European Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Platform presented its proposals for the medium to long-term development of.... more
(24 March 2005 16:44)

Grass is the key to plastics
US-based Metabolix and BP have agreed to establish a programme to develop renewable and biodegradable plastics. more
(24 March 2005 16:44)

JM improves PET resin catalyst
Johnson Matthey Catalysts (JM) has introduced a new catalyst, Vertec AC450, aimed at the PET resin market. more
(24 March 2005 16:44)

US petchems is slave to gas
The US petrochemical industry is a mixed bag. more
(24 March 2005 16:44)

Ethylene pipeline prompts EC in-depth investigation
The European Commission has launched an in-depth investigation into whether the intended €70m grant offered by Bavaria towards the construction of an.... more
(24 March 2005 16:44)

ACC president swipes at Reach
Reach, the European chemicals registration and testing programme, ‘will be very detrimental to the European chemicals industry and to our [North.... more
(24 March 2005 16:44)

Russians take stake in IPE
Russian business partners of Mikhail Khodorkovsky, the Yukos chief detained in Russia on fraud and tax evasion charges, are set to acquire a.... more
(24 March 2005 16:44)

Government invited to mediate pay row
France’s main chemicals industry trade unions want the government to mediate in their pay dispute with employers’ organisation Union des Industries.... more
(24 March 2005 16:44)

Business in brief
US may lose out The US chemicals industry may lose out on the benefits of the globally harmonised system for chemicals classification unless US.... more
(24 March 2005 16:44)

Methanol is surprisingly stable
The rollover in methanol prices at €230/tonne for the fourth consecutive quarter is an ‘historical event’ according to market players. more
(24 March 2005 16:44)

Tough year ahead for PET
The European polyethylene terephthalate (PET) market could become a ‘bloodbath’ by the end of the year, with a rash of new capacity seeing more.... more
(24 March 2005 16:44)

Hope of a sea change over PVC fortunes
Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) producers are hoping the European market is set for an upturn after a dismal start to the year. more
(24 March 2005 16:44)

France in move to ban phosphates
France could unilaterally ban phosphates from its €1.3bn/year domestic washing powders market as of 1 July 2007, according to ecology and sustainable.... more
(24 March 2005 16:44)

Linde denies BOC merger…
Linde is not in talks with UK industrial gases rival BOC about a merger, has not been in the past and is unlikely to be in the future, said the.... more
(24 March 2005 16:44)

Share price plunges 14%
The share price of German drugmaker Schering plunged 14% to below €50 last week on the back of a discouraging clinical trial result for a metastatic.... more
(24 March 2005 16:44)

Linde starts €50m saving drive
Linde has launched a ‘growth and performance’ cost-saving scheme for its gas business designed to save €50m annually over three years. more
(24 March 2005 16:44)

Donau Chemie sells business
Austria’s Donau Chemie is selling its €30m/year sales fertiliser business to France’s Roullier. The business, with a production facility in.... more
(24 March 2005 16:44)

Ineos to build phenol plant
Ineos Phenol is planning to build a phenol/acetone plant near Shanghai in China. more
(24 March 2005 16:44)

TIDCO hunts for sponsors
Tamil Nadu Industrial Development Corp (TIDCO) has made fresh calls for project sponsors for a naphtha cracker-based petrochemical complex in Tamil.... more
(24 March 2005 16:44)

BASF reveals $60m US plasticiser investment plan
BASF is planning to invest $60m in the restructuring of its plasticiser business in Pasadena, Texas, US. more
(24 March 2005 16:44)