ICIS - Search Articles by Date : February 26 2007 - March 04 2007

IN BRIEF Europe Watch
Axa reduces its stake in merck French private equity group Axa said that it has reduced its stake in Germany's Merck KGaA to 3.3%. Late last.... more
(26 February 2007 14:00)

MIDDLE EAST INSIDER
Multinationals miss out despite opening more
(26 February 2007 18:11)

Methanex to make decision
Canada's Methanex expects to make a final decision on whether to go ahead with its planned methanol project in Egypt soon, according to CEO Bruce.... more
(02 March 2007 17:16)

IN BRIEFAsia watch
East India benefits from gas pipeline India's Reliance Group plans to lay 690 miles of gas pipeline in the country's eastern states, a move that.... more
(02 March 2007 17:16)

Booming China and India see use of polymers soar
Delays in new polyolefin projects in China caused by a construction boom will result in a need for importing 3m tonnes/year of polyethylene (PE) and.... more
(02 March 2007 17:16)

IN BRIEFEurope watch
Equity cost grumble over payouts Hedge funds are driving up acquisition prices by holding out for bigger payouts, private equity companies.... more
(02 March 2007 17:16)

BASF files for SE status
BASF is planning to trade in its German Aktiengesellschaft status to become a European Company (Societas Europeae - SE). BASF will be the first.... more
(02 March 2007 17:16)

MOL buys larger slice of the TVK pie
Hungary's MOL has raised its stake in its Tiszai Vegyi Kombinat (TVK) petrochemicals subsidiary from 52.61%, to 84.17%. The firm bought.... more
(02 March 2007 17:16)

A final-quarter boost for Repsol
High olefins prices and low naphtha numbers have boosted Repsol YPF's fourth-quarter adjusted operating income in its chemical activities by 78% to.... more
(02 March 2007 17:16)

Bayer Schering job cuts
Schering is set to cut 950 jobs at its former Berlin headquarters by 2009. This is due to the merger between Schering and Bayer's pharmaceutical.... more
(02 March 2007 17:16)

EU INSIDER
THE ROAD TO CHINA IS A NO-GO FOR EU BUSINESSES Is it getting any easier to get into China? Not much, according to a study carried out.... more
(02 March 2007 17:16)

IN BRIEFEnvironment watch
UK ships must recycle to EU standards The UK government has put forward its strategy to ensure that all UK government-owned and commercial ships.... more
(02 March 2007 17:16)

GE taps into environment spotlight
Demands for improved energy conservation, sustainable design and better recycling are creating opportunities for developing suitable building.... more
(02 March 2007 17:16)

Chemical profile - polybutadiene rubber
      DEMAND 2005: 563,000 tonnes;.... more
(02 March 2007 17:16)

Commentary - Asian contagion?
IN WHAT is considered a bull market by US standards, the hypothetical investor who owned a portfolio consisting of every component of the Dow Jones.... more
(02 March 2007 17:16)

Quotes of the week
QUOTES OF THE WEEK "Brazil needs markets for its ethanol, and we need more ethanol" James Lucier, Prudential Securites See page 8 .... more
(02 March 2007 17:16)

US still due for soft landing - economist
THE LATEST economic releases on gross domestic product (GDP) and new home sales have done little to alter a prediction of a soft landing for the US.... more
(02 March 2007 17:16)

ICIS radio: Americas: 26 February 2007
Feed Air Products weblink more
(26 February 2007 11:42)

ICIS radio: Chemical News Central: 2 March 2007
Feed Air Products Weblink more
(02 March 2007 15:45)

Lanxess is expected to put money into India this year
Lanxess is planning a significant investment in new projects this year, in addition to an acrylonitrile-butadiene styrene (ABS) expansion that is.... more
(26 February 2007 14:11)

EWG warns of 1,4 dioxane in cosmetics
US public interest body Environmental Working Group (EWG) claims that common petroleum-based cosmetics could be contaminated with 1,4-dioxane. .... more
(28 February 2007 13:09)

Oman hit by gas shortages
The  lack of gas in Oman has forced the government to ­postpone gas-intensive downstream projects, according to a news report. Oman's.... more
(26 February 2007 14:12)

Nova expands EPS output
Nova Innovene is raising its European expandable polystyrene (EPS) capacity from 350,000 to 410,000 tonnes/year. The company, a joint venture.... more
(26 February 2007 14:19)

Eastman sells off Spanish PET arm
Eastman Chemical has sold its polyethylene terephthalate (PET) polymers assets and related polyester resins business to La Seda de Barcelona (LSB).... more
(26 February 2007 14:15)

ACMG raises cash in shares sale
The Alcar Chemicals Group (ACMG) has signed a letter of intent to sell 55% of its shares to a Southeast Asian consortium of private investors,.... more
(26 February 2007 14:16)

Opportunity knocks
The UK is at the top of its game when it comes to biotechnology research. But how can it use this lead to improve our lives and, more importantly.... more
(02 March 2007 17:13)

The root to all things green
With the emphasis on safer, greener chemicals motivating interest in the biorefineries of the future, what's in store for the industry? more
(02 March 2007 17:13)

The great white way
Germany's detergent industry has led the way in giving industrial biotech an acceptable "clean" face more
(02 March 2007 17:13)

NEW PROJECTS REPORTED BY ICIS 26 February-4 March 2007
Company Product Capacity Process Contractor Cost Startup Status Air Liquide .... more
(02 March 2007 17:13)

India: is it a case of misplaced optimism?
The optimists might be in danger of running away with themselves in India. Like their Chinese counterparts, they are convinced that we have.... more
(02 March 2007 17:13)

THINK TANK - A bumper year for BASF and few clouds in sight
BASF is not so much on a roll as confident that it can once again deliver solid results in 2007. Fourth quarter and full year 2006 results.... more
(02 March 2007 17:13)

Ready to grow
Europe's fledgling industrial biotech sector needs a major injection of cash if it is to grow to its full potential and become a major player on the.... more
(02 March 2007 17:13)

Chipping into success
For US pulp mills, the answer to declining global competitiveness may be a technological transformation that puts them at the cutting edge of the.... more
(02 March 2007 17:13)

Deals are few and far between
Solitary deals are heard for European butadiene and toluene. Other markets are also quiet, as contract discussions get under way. Asian players.... more
(02 March 2007 17:13)

MARKETS DATA BANK
SPOT BULK CHEMICAL PRICES Asia $/tonne   Change .... more
(02 March 2007 17:13)

In This Week - 20 YEARS AGO/10 YEARS AGO
20 Years Ago ECN 9 March 1987 Sterling acquires US Gulf cracker ICI, Solvay and Union Pacific have found a buyer for their.... more
(02 March 2007 17:13)

Conferences and events
Fertilizer Latin America Conference 2007 18-20 March Florida, US Healthcare 2007 19-20 March Brussels, Belgium Asia Masterbatch 2007.... more
(02 March 2007 17:13)

IN BRIEF Environment Watch
UK SHIPS MUST RECYCLE TO EU STANDARDS The UK government has put forward its strategy to ensure that all UK-government owned and commercial ships.... more
(02 March 2007 17:13)

IN BRIEF Innovations
BASF targets crop launches at Asia BASF is stepping up efforts to introduce new agricultural products into the Asian growth markets of India and.... more
(02 March 2007 17:13)

IN BRIEF Supply chain
UNIVAR MAKES CZECH ENZYME INVESTMENT Univar Czech, a subsidiary of Rotterdam, Netherlands-based chemical distributor Univar, has acquired the.... more
(02 March 2007 17:13)

IN BRIEF Markets Watch
Lanxess outage Production at Lanxess' hydrazine hydrate facility in Weifgang, China, has stopped following an operating incident. As a result,.... more
(02 March 2007 17:13)

PET sellers can't wait for the spring season
Europe's polyethylene terephthalate (PET) suppliers, still reeling from last November's €100/tonne ($132/tonne) price drop, are adamant that some.... more
(02 March 2007 17:13)

IN BRIEF Europe Watch
PE firms grumble over payouts Hedge funds are driving up acquisition prices by holding out for bigger payouts, private equity (PE) companies.... more
(02 March 2007 17:13)

EU INSIDER
THE ROAD TO CHINA IS A NO-GO FOR EU BUSINESSES Is it getting any easier to get into China? Not much, according to a study carried out recently.... more
(02 March 2007 17:13)

ASIA INSIDER
What next from the land of surprises? There seems to be no end to surprises from Thailand. First, there was the military coup late last year.... more
(02 March 2007 17:13)

IN BRIEF Asia Watch
East India benefits from gas pipeline India's Reliance Group plans to lay 1,100km (690 miles) of gas pipeline in the country's eastern states, a.... more
(02 March 2007 17:13)

WASHINGTON INSIDER
Board stresses wide-ranging applications Aiming to make a greater impact on chemical safety, the US Chemical Safety Board (CSB) has released its.... more
(02 March 2007 17:13)

TOP STORIES FROM 23 Feb - 1 Mar
1. Reliance to build $3bn cracker, petchem complex SINGAPORE - Reliance Industries will build a $3bn (€2.2bn) integrated cracker and.... more
(02 March 2007 17:13)

QUOTES OF THE WEEK
"Power-generation companies are beginning to move away from natural gas to alternative feeds" Ali Aissaoui, senior research officer, Apicorp .... more
(02 March 2007 17:13)

COMMENT - US M&A barriers tested
The sale of Lyondell Chemical's titanium dioxide (TiO2) operations to Saudi Arabia's Cristal (see page 4) marks the first real incursion of Middle.... more
(02 March 2007 17:13)