ICIS - Search Articles by Date : January 24 2005 - January 30 2005

Reach changes afoot
Major changes are almost certain to be made to the European Commission’s Reach proposals for a chemicals policy for Europe. more
(24 January 2005 08:56)

Lanxess backs down on immediate wage cuts
Lanxess, the Bayer chemicals and polymers spin-off, last week settled a dispute with employees over a controversial plan to save €20m/year in.... more
(24 January 2005 08:54)

Jobs and People
Comings and goings in the chemical industry more
(28 January 2005 20:54)

Methanol Market Quiet
Methanex’s methanol plant in Puntas Arenas, Chile. The company plans to bring on its 840,000-ton Chile IV plant towards the end of the first quarter.... more
(28 January 2005 20:54)

Petrochemicals in Brief
BTX Benzene prices continue to increase, with February prices being discussed in the $3 to $3.05 per gallon range, up more than a nickel for the.... more
(28 January 2005 20:54)

Benzene Prices Continue to Firm
Spot benzene prices continue to rise in the New Year, although the reasons are not entirely clear. Prices have edged higher throughout the month of.... more
(28 January 2005 20:54)

Merck and Schering-Plough Benefit From Joint Venture
Merck & Co. Inc. and Schering-Plough Corp. posted relatively solid fourth-quarter results, given the hardship each company has endured over the past.... more
(28 January 2005 20:54)

Pfizer Sales Healthier Than Expected
Pfizer Inc. posted underlying net income in the fourth quarter of 2004 of $4.39 billion, a 16 percent increase, based on a 7 percent rise in sales to.... more
(28 January 2005 20:54)

IT in Brief
AspenTech in Launch more
(28 January 2005 20:54)

Life Science Insights: US and Global Biotech IPOs Rise
The US biotechnology industry rebounded in 2004 as total financing to the sector increased, and analysts expect that trend to continue in 2005. After.... more
(28 January 2005 20:54)

CIDX Releases Tools for Cybersecurity and E-Business
The Chemical Industry Data Exchange (CIDX) has published two sets of tools to facilitate implementation of cybersecurity and e-business. The tools.... more
(28 January 2005 20:54)

Costs, Regulatory Challenges Highlighted at SDA Meeting
Regulations and raw material costs were the major topics at the 79th annual meeting and industry convention held by the Soap and Detergent.... more
(28 January 2005 20:54)

Solutia to Exit Acrylic Fibers
Solutia Inc. plans to withdraw from the acrylic fibers business, pending bankruptcy court approval. The company’s plant in Decatur, Ala., will.... more
(28 January 2005 20:54)

Industrial Specialties Pricing
Albemarle Corp. has, as of January 21, increased global prices for fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) catalysts and additives by 9 percent. Albemarle.... more
(28 January 2005 20:54)

Specialty Chemical Profits Mixed
The first batch of specialty chemical earnings are coming in mixed, with declines for International Flavors and Fragrances and W. R. Grace, and gains.... more
(28 January 2005 20:54)

New projects summary
As reported in ACN 24-30 January 2005 more
(28 January 2005 15:35)

Indonesian challenge
While Indonesia will be able to absorb the economic impact of the earthquake and tsunami, rebuilding Aceh will be a challenge. The local.... more
(28 January 2005 15:35)

Making a recovery
The outlook for Chandra Asri is looking rosier following a recovery in profitability last year. The company is looking forward to expanding its.... more
(28 January 2005 15:35)

Problems for Peni
After a disappointing 2004, Peni is optimistic about 2005, although it has yet to restart its PE plant more
(28 January 2005 15:35)

Out of the shadows?
With a long-running bond wrangle close to a settlement, can TriPolyta start working on growth plans? more
(28 January 2005 15:35)

MTA: the key to PET cost advantage?
With ever-increasing competition and decreasing margins in the polyester business globally, efforts to find ways to cut costs and increase.... more
(28 January 2005 15:35)

Equipment on order for PTA
YISHENG Chemical has started ordering equipment for its second purified terephthalic acid (PTA) project in Ningbo, Zhejiang, China, said a company.... more
(28 January 2005 15:35)

QTA venture gets green light
DAHUA Group has obtained initial approval for a qualified terephthalic acid (QTA) project in Dalian Economic and Technological Development Zone,.... more
(28 January 2005 15:35)

Yizheng may build third PTA plant
YIZHENG Chemical Fibre is considering building its third purified terephthalic acid (PTA) plant in Yizheng, Jiangsu, China, said sources close to the.... more
(28 January 2005 15:35)

Zhenhai to expand output
ZHENHAI Refining & Chemical Co (ZRCC) plans to increase the capacity of its 16m tonne/year refinery in Ningbo, Zhejiang, China, to 20m tonne/year in.... more
(28 January 2005 15:35)

Gail evaluates Iran cracker
GAIL (India) has held preliminary talks with National Petrochemical Corp (NPC) of Iran on a possible investment in a gas-based cracker project in.... more
(28 January 2005 15:35)

Petrocorp to end talks by June
PETROCORP expects to conclude talks with potential investors by the middle of this year, its chairman, Antonio Garcia, told ACN. more
(28 January 2005 15:35)

Specialities roundup
Namhae Chemicals has formed a joint venture to produce melamine in Malaysia, a company official said. Namhae stopped producing melamine at its.... more
(28 January 2005 15:35)

Carbon fibre: Toray awaits nod
TORAY Industries is awaiting approval from the Japanese and Chinese governments for its plan to export its carbon-fibre technology to China, a.... more
(28 January 2005 15:35)

Saehan debt plan gets extension
SAEHAN Industries’ debt-restructuring programme, originally scheduled to be completed at the end of last year, is now expected to finish at the end.... more
(28 January 2005 15:35)

LG Chem wins fight with KFTC over surcharge
LG CHEM has won a legal battle with the Korea Fair Trade Commission (KFTC) over a Won12bn (US$11.47m) surcharge that the latter imposed in April 2001.... more
(28 January 2005 15:35)

‘Positive signal’
SOME good news for South Korean makers of electronic chemicals emerged from the 2005 International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas,.... more
(28 January 2005 15:35)

Global roundup
From stories supplied by the CNI and ACN teams. more
(28 January 2005 15:35)

Market Trends: Phenol falls by $300
Sharp decline is caused by weak demand ahead of the Lunar New Year holidays. Sentiment improves in benzene spot and contract markets more
(28 January 2005 15:35)

Market Trends: C2 up on tight supply
Naphtha prices strengthen by $16/tonne. Propylene and butadiene markets are also bullish. But methanol, MTBE, and ammonia see muted trading more
(28 January 2005 15:35)

Acetic acid for price hike?
ASIAN acetic-acid producers were last week looking at proposing a US$50/tonne increase for Q1 2005 contracts over Q4 2004 settlements. more
(28 January 2005 15:35)

C2, C3 to be bullish through Q1
OLEFINS markets in Asia should be bullish through Q1 2005 on account of tight supply caused by turnarounds. more
(28 January 2005 15:35)

Asian PX contract markets in flux
ASIAN paraxylene (PX) contract markets were in turmoil last week, as producers, traders and buyers grappled with the challenge of evolving an Asian.... more
(28 January 2005 15:35)

Further expansion for Daxie Island?
NINGBO Daxie Development Zone is exploring ways of freeing up more land for investment, said sources from the zone. more
(28 January 2005 15:35)

Reliance to start up polyester in stages
RELIANCE Industries plans to bring onstream new polyester capacity totalling 550 000 tonne/year in phases between Q4 2005 and Q1 2006, a company.... more
(28 January 2005 15:35)

BPA snug until mid-year
Bisphenol A (BPA) markets are likely to remain tight until the middle of the year, according to producers, possibly helping them to hold on to.... more
(24 January 2005 08:49)

Butadiene price sparks discord
Although initial European butadiene contracts have been settled at €638/tonne FD, an increase of €11/tonne on the previous quarter, there is disquiet.... more
(24 January 2005 08:51)

Sigma-Aldrich build will double facility
Life science and high-technology provider Sigma-Aldrich Fine Chemicals has broken ground on a major expansion at its facility in Madison, Wisconsin,.... more
(24 January 2005 08:55)

Mitsui to boost COC capacity
Mitsui Chemicals is to increase its cyclo-olefin copolymer (COC) capacity in Japan by 600 tonne/year in response to growing demand. more
(24 January 2005 08:52)

People on the move
BASF Walter Seufert, BASF president Europe, has become chairman of BASF plc, BASF’s main operating company in the UK. He replaces Barry.... more
(24 January 2005 13:14)

Ethylene glycol
Producers should enjoy the good times while they last this year before the spectre of overcapacity bears down in 2006 more
(24 January 2005 13:18)

Getting the flags out for Reach
It is a shame that the agreement between the Confederation of British Industry (CBI), the Chemical Industries Association (CIA) and Greenpeace.... more
(28 January 2005 13:44)

Business in brief
Pfizer job cuts Pfizer is to cut up to 1000 jobs at its UK plants in southeast England and Northumberland. The US pharmaceuticals company will.... more
(28 January 2005 13:44)

Dow earnings rocket 62%
Dow Chemical posted record sales of $40.2bn for 2004, up 23% on 2003. Net earnings were $2.8bn, up 62%. more
(28 January 2005 13:44)

Monsanto goes for healthfood
Monsanto has signed an agreement to buy California, US-based seed supplier Seminis for $1.4bn in cash including $400m in debt. more
(28 January 2005 13:44)