ICIS - Search Articles by Date : February 28 2005 - March 06 2005

GTL to supply base oil markets
Gas-to-liquid (GTL) projects are set to serve Asian and European base oil markets by the end of the decade as the need for greater fuel economy and.... more
(28 February 2005 09:09)

Opportunity knocks
For those companies looking for long-term investment opportunities, Russia holds much potential. Cath O’Driscoll finds out what predictions are being.... more
(28 February 2005 09:10)

Jobs and People
Movements in the industry. more
(04 March 2005 21:40)

Lingering Safety Questions Cloud Outlook for Crestor
Confidence in AstraZeneca’s cho-lesterol-lowering drug Crestor (rosuvastatin) is dwindling, leading more analysts to slash their forecasts for the.... more
(04 March 2005 21:40)

Pharmaceuticals in Brief
Siegfried Group, Zofingen, Switzerland, has purchased the Valverde product line from Novartis Consumer Health for an undisclosed sum. Valverde.... more
(04 March 2005 21:40)

Pharmaceutical Outsourcing in Brief
SC Easton Don Bell, former president of Siegfried (USA), has founded Sales Consultants of Easton, a recruiting firm specializing in the.... more
(04 March 2005 21:40)

Biomanufacturing Likely to Tighten
For the moment, there is a slight excess of capacity for the fermentative production of biopharmaceuticals, but given the number of biologics in the.... more
(04 March 2005 21:40)

Celltrion Bringing 50,000 Liters of Cell Culture to South Korea in 2006, Triple by 2010
Celltrion’s 50,000 liter mammalian cell culture facility in Incheon, South Korea, is scheduled to be substantially complete in mid-2005. Its.... more
(04 March 2005 21:40)

Financial Insights: Should the SEC Reform Oils and Gas Reserves Accounting?
The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is being urged by some parties to reform its system of reporting reserves of oil and gas to more.... more
(04 March 2005 21:40)

Global Manufacturing Activity Held Steady in February
Global manufacturing activity remained steady in February, with little change over January and all major indices at levels consistent with an.... more
(04 March 2005 21:40)

Sarbanes-Oxley Drives Rise in Financial Restatements
Financial reporting requirements under Sarbanes-Oxley provisions were a major factor behind the record number of financial restatements last year..... more
(04 March 2005 21:40)

Shell and QP in Cracker Project
Amid a flurry of liquefied natural gas (LNG) project announcements, Shell Chemicals and Qatar Petroleum (QP) have signed a letter of intent (LOI) for.... more
(04 March 2005 21:40)

GE Responds
In a recent CMR article about the water treatment chemicals market (CMR, 2/21/05, pg.6), one analyst was quoted as saying that General Electric (GE).... more
(04 March 2005 21:40)

Adhesive Growth Resumes
After five years of stagnant or declining sales, the US adhesives and sealants industry is forecast to resume growth, spurred by growth in the US.... more
(04 March 2005 21:40)

Specialties Pricing
Ashland Inc. will increase pricing of Isogrip moisture-cured urethane adhesives by 9 percent on March 15. more
(04 March 2005 21:40)

Tasnee and Basell to Build Polyethylene Complex
National Petrochemical Industri-alization Company (Tasnee Petroche-micals) and Basell have signed an agreement to build a new integrated polyethylene.... more
(04 March 2005 21:40)

Biogen Idec Tumbles on Tysabri Suspension
Biogen Idec and Elan Corp. were sideswiped last week after announcing the voluntary suspension of commercial supplies of the multiple sclerosis drug.... more
(04 March 2005 21:40)

LG Chem eyes Indian market
LG CHEM has decided to put India up front in its global expansion strategy, second only to China, the company’s president and chief executive officer.... more
(28 February 2005 09:02)

Kureha plans to double earnings by 2008
KUREHA Chemical aims to double its operating profit to Yen20bn (US$191.1m) by 2008, compared with its operating profit for 2004, according to its new.... more
(04 March 2005 16:42)

Second chance for six firms
THE six chemical companies that lost their right to self-inspection of their plants after they were found guilty of falsifying their inspection.... more
(04 March 2005 16:42)

Thai PE, PP imports surge
THAILAND’s polyethylene (PE) imports rose by 36.14% last year to US$270.39m, compared with US$198.61m in 2003, while its polypropylene (PP) imports.... more
(04 March 2005 16:42)

Correction – Basell
ASIAN Chemical News accepts that there is no agreement between Basell and Qenos for closing the Qenos Polypropylene (PP) plant in Altona,.... more
(04 March 2005 16:42)

Daiichi, Sankyo to merge operations
DAIICHI Pharmaceutical and Sankyo have agreed to merge their business operations in October this year, ACN was told. more
(04 March 2005 16:42)

Eisai launches Italian branch
EISAI has set up a marketing subsidiary in Italy to provide a stable supply of its pharmaceutical products and product information for users in the.... more
(04 March 2005 16:42)

Specialities roundup
The European Commission (EC) has confirmed that it has begun proceedings against companies allegedly involved in price fixing in the market for.... more
(04 March 2005 16:42)

Phu My targets 15% hike in domestic PVC market share
PHU My Plastics and Chemicals Ltd (PMPC), one of Vietnam’s two domestic polyvinyl chloride (PVC) producers, aims to increase its domestic market.... more
(04 March 2005 16:42)

Smiling for S Korea
South Korea’s economic slowdown has had hardly any impact on its petrochemical producers. Most of them are in good financial shape and looking.... more
(04 March 2005 16:42)

Holding firm
In the short term, LG Chem is facing pressure from rising raw-material costs, but the longer term outlook is promising more
(04 March 2005 16:42)

Honam upbeat
With an upturn in the petrochemicals market and a recovery forecast for the South Korean economy, Honam is looking to maximise its profits until at.... more
(04 March 2005 16:42)

Integration pays
Hanwha is keen on expanding in PVC, but without sacrificing the benefits of integration more
(04 March 2005 16:42)

Star performer
Thanks to high naphtha-cracker margins last year, LG Petrochemical posted record results and looks set to benefit from the continuing strength of the.... more
(04 March 2005 16:42)

Global roundup
From stories supplied by the CNI and ACN teams. more
(04 March 2005 16:42)

Market Trends: Benzene surges
Asian benzene prices follow US values upwards, with deals rising by US$60-90/tonne. Mixed xylenes and styrene also see increases. Toluene remains.... more
(04 March 2005 16:42)

Market Trends: Naphtha strengthens
Naphtha firms in response to higher crude prices, rising by US$14/tonne cfr Japan. Propylene and butadiene prices also strengthen on tight supply more
(04 March 2005 16:42)

Benzene still going strong
THE question on everyone’s lips last week was: how long can benzene’s bull run continue? more
(04 March 2005 16:42)

TDI producers confident of prices staying high
ASIAN toluene diisocyanate (TDI) producers expected prices to remain above US$2000/tonne in the coming few weeks. more
(04 March 2005 16:42)

New projects summary
As reported in ACN 21-27 February 2005 and ACN 28 February-6 March 2005 more
(04 March 2005 16:42)

Zhenghao hands in assessment
JINAN Zhenghao Advanced Fibre Co has submitted an environmental assessment of its purified terephthalic acid (PTA) project in Jinan, Shandong, China,.... more
(04 March 2005 16:42)

Juhua plans 120ktpa PVC
ZHEJIANG Juhua Co plans to build a 120 000 tonne/year polyvinyl chloride (PVC) plant in Quzhou, Zhejiang, China, according to a company source. more
(04 March 2005 16:42)

Samnam mulls China QTA
SAMNAM Petrochemical is considering building a plant – probably for qualified terephthalic acid (QTA) – in Qingdao, Shandong, China, said a company.... more
(04 March 2005 16:42)

Tianjin eyes ‘08 C2 start-up
TIANJIN Petrochemical aims to start work on its 1m tonne/year cracker project in Dagang, Tianjin, China, this year and bring it onstream in 2008,.... more
(04 March 2005 16:42)

Ningbo chlor-alkali expansion
NINGBO Donggang Electrochemical Co plans to expand, in two stages, its chlor-alkali facility in Ningbo Daxie Development Zone, Zhejiang, China, to.... more
(04 March 2005 16:42)

Wanhua targets 300ktpa MDI
YANTAI Wanhua Polyurethanes aims to expand its methyl di-p-phenylene isocyanate (MDI) production in Ningbo, Zhejiang, China, a company source told.... more
(04 March 2005 16:42)

Winsway eyes 5mtpa aroms
WINSWAY Group plans to produce 5m tonne/year of aromatics in Zhoushan, Zhejiang, China, in phases, a source close to the project told ACN. more
(04 March 2005 16:42)

Shell sets sights on Qatar
THE start-up of Shell Chemicals’ proposed cracker in Qatar, in the early part of the next decade would coincide with strong demand for petrochemicals.... more
(04 March 2005 16:42)

Hexal and Eon deals spark debate
Novartis’ planned purchase of Hexal and Eon Labs has sparked debate over whether a big maker of patented pharmaceuticals can be successful in the.... more
(28 February 2005 09:04)

Stocks set for disruption in Q2
A series of maintenance turnarounds, combined with record levels of demand, is set to severely disrupt European caustic soda supplies during the.... more
(28 February 2005 09:08)

Energy futures look dim
Energy costs have been on the chemical industry’s mind all this winter, and they are finally finding voice with appeals in France, Germany, the US.... more
(04 March 2005 17:04)

Business in brief
Ciba purchase Ciba Specialty Chemicals last week bought Metasheen high-reflectance aluminium pigments and plant from Wolstenholme International.... more
(04 March 2005 17:04)

BASF to centralise services
BASF plans to establish a centre for routine accounting and human resources services in the former east Berlin. more
(04 March 2005 17:04)