ICIS - Search Articles by Date : May 27 2002 - June 02 2002

Russia must speed up reforms
For a country that owns 37% of the world's gas reserves and around 10% of oil resources, and is competitively positioned to develop its petrochemical.... more
(27 May 2002 16:57)

US Monitor: Cracker outages tighten markets
Styrene numbers continue to rise steadily due to limited supply and delays in startups, with the contract price for April settled at 40-43 cent/lb..... more
(27 May 2002 09:59)

Chemical Industry Management: Under the Magnifying Glass
Wall Street speaks on the issues of shareholder value, the key challenges facing CEOs, industry-shaping events, executive leadership and the state of.... more
(31 May 2002 21:30)

Dow Ups PO/PG Pricing
Faced with rising feedstock costs as well as a projected increase in demand, the Dow Chemical Company will increase the North American off-list more
(31 May 2002 21:30)

Specialties Pricing
DOW CHEMICAL Company is increasing prices for all drum and pail orders of Syltherm 800, Syltherm XLT and Syltherm HF heat transfer fluids in North more
(31 May 2002 21:30)

Pharmaceuticals In Brief
PENTOSTATIN SuperGen Inc. has received Food and Drug Adminstra-tion (FDA) approval for a supplemental new drug application for Nipent (pentostatin more
(31 May 2002 21:30)

CSB Notes Serious Problems in Worker Safety Regulations
There are "serious gaps" in the worker safety, health and environmental regulations that are supposed to protect workers and the public from more
(31 May 2002 21:30)

Successful Growth Models For the Chemical Industry: New Models Set A Future Course
In recent years the chemical industry has provided unacceptable returns for shareholders. Chemical companies have tried to boost their performance more
(31 May 2002 21:30)

Snapshots of Chemical Industry Leadership
Air Products and Chemicals Inc.: John P. Jones III Year assumed position: 2000 Current age: 52 Prior position: executive vice president, more
(31 May 2002 21:30)

Confronting the Chemical Industry Changing Workforce
Executives in many global chemical companies recognize their firms face a wave of retirements from the ranks of R&D, engineering and more
(31 May 2002 21:30)

Antipsychotic Drug Takes On New Importance for BMS
Troubled Bristol-Myers Squibb Company (BMS) released a slew of positive new trial data for its investigational antipsychotic drug, aripiprazole, more
(31 May 2002 21:30)

Symyx Broadens Business Model to Include Intellectual Property
Symyx Technologies Inc. has unrolled a new component to its business strategy: an intellectual property licensing unit that will focus on licensing more
(31 May 2002 21:30)

Plasticizer Market Expected to Shift
Eastman Chemical Company, effective July 1, will be increasing the off-list price of a variety of plasticizers by 5 cents in the Americas. These more
(31 May 2002 21:30)

Total Chemicals Emissions Show Little Change
North American manufacturers cut their toxic air emissions by 25 percent between 1995 and 1999, but that was largely offset by increases in more
(31 May 2002 21:30)

American Soda Still On the Auction Block
In the wake of the Enron Corp. debacle, energy traders such as Dynegy Inc. and Williams Companies Inc. have faced greater public scrutiny and a more
(31 May 2002 21:30)

Spartech Acquires GWB Plastics For $49 MIllion
In a move to enhance its color and specialty compounds business, Spar-tech Corp. has agreed to buy GWB Plastics Holding Company for $48.5 million. more
(31 May 2002 21:30)

On the up
Delegates at the APIC conference held in early May in Seoul were in a fairly upbeat mood, but, asks John Richardson, will that dampen their desire to.... more
(27 May 2002 13:09)

India set to be a big consumer
India is poised to become one of the largest consumers of petrochemicals in the world in the coming decade with domestic demand expected to grow.... more
(27 May 2002 12:28)

Taiwan: 10% growth this year?
The Petrochemical Industry Association of Taiwan (Piat) estimates a 10% growth in domestic demand for petrochemicals in 2002. more
(27 May 2002 12:37)

Thailand poised to see growth
Thailand's petrochemical industry was hit by the global economic slowdown and a capacity overhang in 2001. more
(27 May 2002 12:45)

Japan must wait for recovery
Although the global economy has begun to show signs of a slow recovery in demand, the environment in Japan is becoming increasingly severe. more
(27 May 2002 12:57)

South Korea set for recovery
South Korea's petrochemical industry is set for a significant recovery in 2002, according to the Korea Petrochemical Industry Association more
(27 May 2002 12:10)

Asian PX makers consider cutting operating rates
ASIAN paraxylene (PX) makers were last week mulling reducing operating rates after South Korean major, LG-Caltex Oil, took the lead more
(27 May 2002 09:27)

Adhesives powerhouse
Rohm and Haas has set its sights on becoming an adhesives powerhouse in Asia. more
(27 May 2002 13:30)

Different strokes
Rohm and Haas' choice of growth markets in Asia is interesting. more
(27 May 2002 13:33)

Tough market to crack
Operating in Asia is no easy task. Can the company's inherent strengths help deliver results? more
(27 May 2002 13:24)

Goal: A good paint job
Delivering innovative products to capture market share more
(27 May 2002 13:27)

Great expectations
Confidence, determination and commitment are clearly evident when talking to Thomas Grehl, the Asia Pacific regional director of Rohm and Haas..... more
(27 May 2002 17:37)

Iran's NPC to expand downstream industries
Iran's National Petrochemical (NPC) has launched a programme to expand downstream industries in order to generate jobs and raise non-oil exports. more
(31 May 2002 16:28)

Spic arrives at deal for short-term debt
Southern Petrochemical Industries Corp (Spic) has reached an agreement with its creditors - a consortium of 20 banks - to restructure its Rs10bn.... more
(31 May 2002 16:28)

BASF-YPC drops C4-based units
BASF-YPC Co has decided not to build C4-based facilities downstream of its 600 000 tonne/year cracker, currently under construction in Nanjing. more
(31 May 2002 16:28)

Falling costs drag PE, PP down $10-30...
A steady fall in feedstock costs and Chinese demand resulted in a US$10-30/tonne drop in PE and PP prices last week. more
(31 May 2002 16:28)

C2 eases as traders rush to clear stocks
The downward pressure on ethylene prices increased last week as some traders attempted to clear stocks ahead of a possible slump in demand. more
(31 May 2002 16:28)

China may launch four dumping investigations
If China sniffles, Asia catches a cold. more
(31 May 2002 16:28)

Inchon Oil cries foul over Hyundai move
Inchon Oil has filed a complaint with South Korea's Fair Trade Commission (KFTC) alleging that Hyundai Oil Bank (formerly Hyundai Oil Refinery) is.... more
(31 May 2002 16:28)

TPI Polene stake sale in 4 months?
TPI Polene may conclude the proposed sale of a 77% stake for US$375m to Siam City Cement in another 3-4 months. more
(31 May 2002 16:28)

Petchems in India/Pakistan beef up security
Petrochemical players in India and Pakistan stepped up security at their plants last week, as border tension mounted. more
(31 May 2002 16:28)

European surge lifts Asian styrene
A surge in European styrene prices gave Asian producers a much-needed lifeline last week. more
(31 May 2002 16:28)

Surely it cannot be this good...
Well, no, not quite. Singapore is in many ways a great place to do business, but as Salmon Aidan Lee discovers, the island state is a fair distance.... more
(31 May 2002 16:28)

Global Roundup
The threat of war between India and Pakistan dominated the week 24-30 May. Also, Japan released more disappointing trade figures, investigations.... more
(31 May 2002 16:28)

Taxing questions for Japanese
Japanese petrochemical producers still face huge uncertainty over what kind of tax regime they will confront in the financial year 2002-03. more
(31 May 2002 16:28)

Tight export supply boosts acrylo $20
Acrylonitrile prices rose US$20/tonne last week due to tight export availability and the strong recovery in acrylic fibre markets. more
(31 May 2002 16:28)

Shipping report: NEA activity declines
But there is a flurry of action in USmarkets with all available vessel space for liquids fully booked. In gases, freight rates firm up more
(31 May 2002 16:28)

Titanium dioxide producers hope for a $150 hike
ASIANtitanium dioxide (TiO2)producers are aggressively targeting a US$150/tonne price increase for all grades from July. more
(31 May 2002 16:28)

Toluene stays firm
Lacklustre toluene buying interest from China and a decline in crude oil prices failed to dent the confidence of Northeast Asian toluene producers. more
(31 May 2002 16:28)

Market trends: Styrene rises $5-20
Xylenes prices firm up despite bearish buyer sentiment for isomer grade due to production cutbacks at end-May by a few South Korean PX producers more
(31 May 2002 16:28)

Singapore factfile
Trade and industry contacts Ministry of Trade and Industry www.mti.gov.sg 100 High Street #09-01 The Treasury Singapore.... more
(31 May 2002 16:28)

CPC puts its ABS China project on hold
Chinese Petroleum Corp (CPC) has put on hold a proposal to build a 100 000 tonne/year ABS project in China, due to pressure from the Taiwanese people.... more
(31 May 2002 16:28)

Capro Corp to raise capacity at Ulsan
Capro Corp plans to expand by 120 000 tonne/year the capacity of its 160 000 tonne/year caprolactam plant in Ulsan, South Korea. more
(31 May 2002 16:28)

India's urea ban may go soon
The Indian government is expected to shortly remove a 27-month ban on new urea plants in the country, according to Fertiliser Secretary Nripendra.... more
(31 May 2002 16:28)