ICIS - Search Articles by Date : January 22 2007 - January 28 2007

Borouge ups output
ABU DHABI-based petrochemical maker Borouge has celebrated its fifth year of production with a promise to increase polyolefins output to 620,000.... more
(23 January 2007 16:35)

MARKETS - Data Bank
      SPOT BULK CHEMICAL PRICES .... more
(23 January 2007 11:53)

Ferro drills down to the core
After completing the long and painful process of getting up to date on its financials, new chairman, president and CEO James Kirsch aims to rev up.... more
(23 January 2007 09:07)

Who's moving where?
RandyPearson has been named by the Society of the Plastics Industry (SPI) to chair the committee that will organize the National Plastics Expo.... more
(27 January 2007 11:07)

25 YEARS AGO100 YEARS AGO
February 1, 1982 Merck Chemical Division has come up with a new ­industrial biocide which the ­company says has a "broad spectrum" of activity.... more
(27 January 2007 11:07)

Bush plan pointless - but passable
THE ENERGY policy goals set by President George W. Bush in his State of the Union address are termed impractical, pointless or hopelessly beyond.... more
(27 January 2007 11:07)

Benzene faces uncertain recovery
AFTER BEING driven to record heights in early October, benzene prices stumbled, then fell. Price recovery is happening, but it is uncertain if it.... more
(27 January 2007 11:07)

SAFC speeds into new year
FOLLOWING A successful jump-off from its 2006 platform, SAFC (Sigma Aldrich Fine Chemicals) is gearing up to tackle a challenging year with a focus.... more
(27 January 2007 11:07)

A cleaner imagein Europe
The Brussels-based International Association for Soaps, Detergents and Maintenance Products welcomes REACH as an opportunity to recover the public's.... more
(27 January 2007 11:07)

Oleochemicals: trimming the fat
The industry scrambles to adapt to a volatile market with cutbacks, price increases, and restructuring more
(27 January 2007 11:07)

Phthalates fight is not child's play
FOLLOWING A successful jump-off from its 2006 platform, SAFC (Sigma Aldrich Fine Chemicals) is gearing up to tackle a challenging year with a focus.... more
(27 January 2007 11:07)

Think Thank
European chemical analysts at Merrill Lynch have some good advice for investors: If you are thinking about the sector in 2007, be stock specific. more
(27 January 2007 11:07)

Refiners wary of Bush ethanol plan
PRESIDENT GEORGE W. Bush in his State of the Union address last week called for new and greatly expanded production of bio-based ethanol, but a major.... more
(27 January 2007 11:07)

PTT may alter Mab Ta Phut plans
THAI ENERGY major PTT might have to alter its investment plans for the Mab Ta Phut industrial estate if the government tightens pollution control.... more
(27 January 2007 11:07)

IN BRIEF Environment watch
European farmers are lagging behind the rest of the world in terms of access to agricultural biotechnology, according to Marc Van Montagu, chairman.... more
(27 January 2007 11:07)

Sumitomo wants CSR-based bosses
Japan's Sumitomo Chemicals has vowed to improve its efforts to promote corporate social responsibility-based (CSR) management. more
(27 January 2007 11:07)

INEOS ready for downturn
INEOS polyolefins has made its move to get itself into shape for when the industry hits a downturn. The company has announced that it is investing.... more
(27 January 2007 11:07)

German drug researchers face axe
Two-Thirds of German drug makers plan to cut jobs in 2007, as most expect lower sales and earnings in the country, the German association of.... more
(27 January 2007 11:07)

IN BRIEF Europe watch
Five trade unions in France representing Shell workers held meetings last week protesting the company's strategic review of its refining and.... more
(27 January 2007 11:07)

IN BRIEFAsia watch
China National Petroleum Corp., the parent company of Petro­china, has reported a 4.9% rise in 2006 pretax profits to yuan (CNY) 185.6bn ($238.7m).... more
(27 January 2007 11:07)

China's latex to surge ahead of Europe and US
The synthetic latex polymer (SLP) market has expanded by around 15%/year in China and is expected to grow at a higher rate than in the US and Europe,.... more
(27 January 2007 11:07)

SK Corp's operating profit eases back
South Korea's SK Corp saw its overall operating profit for 2006 fall by 3% to won (W) 1,168bn ($1.24bn, E1.07bn), despite sales rising by 8% to.... more
(27 January 2007 11:07)

Saudi firms celebrate
Strong demand from emerging markets has boosted earnings in 2006 for petrochemical companies in the Middle East. more
(27 January 2007 11:07)

Kuwait to cut oil dependency
Kuwait is the latest Arab nation to announce plans to minimize its dependency on oil revenues, and diversify income. more
(27 January 2007 11:07)

Avgol raises cash with IPO
Avgol Nonwoven Industries, a subsidiary of Israel Petrochemical Enterprises (IPE), has raised $75m in an initial public offering (IPO) and bond issue.... more
(27 January 2007 11:07)

Jam Petchem delays its cracker start-up again
JAM PETROCHEMICAL, a subsidiary of Iran's National Petrochemical Co. (NPC), has delayed commercial production at its cracker from August until the.... more
(27 January 2007 11:07)

n-Butyl acetate
DEMAND 2004: 211m lbs 2005: 214m lbs 2009: 225m lbs, projected. Demand equals production plus imports (2004: 5.1m lbs 2005: 13m lbs) less exports.... more
(27 January 2007 11:07)

IN BRIEF Industrial specialties XxxxxxXXXXXX Xxxxxxx more
(27 January 2007 11:07)

QUOTES OF THE WEEK
"You can't turn an economic ugly duckling into an economic swan" more
(27 January 2007 11:07)

Big rewards for beating the Street
Consistently beat the Street and you'll be rewarded. more
(27 January 2007 11:07)

5 - Minute News Watch
Methanex reports record earnings Methanex reported record earnings in 2006, with net income in the fourth quarter of $172.4m up 52% from the.... more
(27 January 2007 11:07)

Petrochemical hub coming to the Amazon
BRAZIL PLANS to develop a petrochemical complex in the Amazon region using natural gas from a pipeline being constructed by state-run oil company.... more
(27 January 2007 11:07)

Albemarle flies high
Albemarle blew away Wall Street expectations, posting EPS (earnings per share) of $1.18 versus analysts' estimates of 93 cents. more
(27 January 2007 11:07)

DuPont posts gain, but guides lower
DUPONT'S UNDERLYING fourth-quarter profits jumped to $418m versus a hurricane-impacted $123m in the year-ago period on 8% higher sales of $6.3bn. EPS.... more
(27 January 2007 11:07)

Industrial gases in rarefied air
INDUSTRIAL GAS companies had a sublime December quarter, posting strong profit gains and beating Wall Street estimates. more
(27 January 2007 11:07)

Asian benzene forecast
ICIS FORECASTING has launched ­a monthly report for the benzene-styrene-polystyrene-EPS product chain covering the Asia market more
(27 January 2007 11:07)

Petrochemical training seminars
ICIS is running more advanced courses to expand on its beginners' seminars on the petrochemical industry more
(27 January 2007 11:07)

Lyondell trumps Street forecasts
LYONDELL CHEMICAL blew away Wall Street expectations, as underlying fourth-quarter earnings per share (EPS) of 93 cents outpaced analysts' estimates.... more
(27 January 2007 11:07)

Rohm and Haas falls on forecast
ROHM AND HAAS posted a 3% gain in adjusted fourth-quarter earnings to $177.5m on 2% higher sales of $2bn. While earnings per share (EPS) of 81 cents.... more
(27 January 2007 11:07)

ICIS radio: Chemical News Central: 22 January 2007
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(22 January 2007 15:55)

ICIS radio: Americas: Detergents
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(23 January 2007 10:44)

ICIS radio: Americas: Holliday talks carbon
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(23 January 2007 10:47)

ICIS radio: Chemical News Central: 25 January 2007
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(26 January 2007 15:33)

Sinopec speeds up its PP grade changes
As polymer producers around the world increasingly look to specialty grades as a way to compete against low-cost commodity producers in the Middle.... more
(26 January 2007 19:13)

Asian benzene forecast
ICIS FORECASTING has launched ­a monthly report for the benzene-styrene-polystyrene-EPS product chain covering the Asia market. more
(26 January 2007 19:13)

Petrochemical training seminars
ICIS is running more advanced courses to expand on its beginners' seminars on the petrochemical industry more
(26 January 2007 19:13)

Growing Business
Taking advantage of the booming pharmaceutical andpetrochemical markets, Achilles sprouts new buds of business more
(26 January 2007 19:13)

ICIS celebrates innovation
Winners of the ICIS Innovation Awards 2006 met up in the UK last week to toast their successes. more
(26 January 2007 19:13)

Chemical Profile: Isopropanol
Uses Isopropanol (IPA) is a solvent (and extractant) with outlets in cosmetics and personal care products, de-icers, paints and resins,.... more
(26 January 2007 19:13)

IN BRIEF Environment Watch
EUROPE TRAILING IN FARMING BIOTECH European farmers are lagging behind the rest of the world in terms of access to agricultural biotechnology,.... more
(26 January 2007 19:13)