ICIS - Search Articles by Date : January 31 2005 - February 06 2005

Logistics in brief
Tennants deal Germany’s Penta has integrated another European distributor as the company aims to strengthen its European coverage. Manchester,.... more
(04 February 2005 19:54)

People on the move
Air Products Air Products has chosen Merck executive Margaret McGlynn to sit on its board of directors. McGlynn is president of US human health.... more
(04 February 2005 19:54)

Oils in Brief
biobased products The US Department of Agriculture has issued a final ruling on the procurement of biobased products by federal agencies. The rule.... more
(04 February 2005 20:48)

European Union Promotes Increased Biodiesel Production
With the European Commission’s biofuel directive coming into effect this year, major producers are stepping up their biodiesel capacities. In France,.... more
(04 February 2005 20:48)

Oils Spot Prices
LATE SPOT PRICES more
(04 February 2005 20:48)

Cargill Expands Oilseed Crushing and Refining Activities in Europe
Cargill has stepped up its oilseed and vegetable oils investments in Europe, the latest being the expansion of its oilseed crush capacities in.... more
(04 February 2005 20:48)

Jobs and People
Comings and goings in the industry. more
(04 February 2005 20:48)

Big Pharma Margins Remain Under Pressure
With the last of the pharma majors unveiling mixed year-end results, the pharmaceutical industry clearly has yet to emerge from under the dark clouds.... more
(04 February 2005 20:48)

Spectrum Pharmaceuticals Snags Altair’s RenaZorb
Making good on its promise to diversify its portfolio of novel therapeutics, Irvine, Calif.-based Spectrum Pharmaceuticals has captured the global.... more
(04 February 2005 20:48)

Executive Insights: Dow Chemical--Dow’s CEO Discusses Strategy
Andrew Liveris, president and CEO of The Dow Chemical Company, took on the position of Dow’s CEO last year. Following the completion of his first.... more
(04 February 2005 20:48)

Manufacturing Continues To Increase, but More Slowly
Both global and US manufacturing activity increased in January, but at a slower rate as manufacturing indices climbed only slightly on a global basis.... more
(04 February 2005 20:48)

Companies on the Move: Techmer PM
Techmer PM, a Clinton, Tenn.-based producer of color and additive concentrates for the fiber and plastics markets, is holding its own in the highly.... more
(04 February 2005 20:48)

Valeant Plans To Acquire Xcel
Valeant Pharmaceuticals Interna-tional has entered into a definitiveagreement to acquire specialty phar-maceutical company Xcel Pharma-ceuticals in a.... more
(04 February 2005 20:48)

Raw Materials Slam Valspar
Coatings firm Valspar Corp. brushed back earnings expectations, warning it will fall short of Wall Street estimates in its fiscal first quarter.... more
(04 February 2005 20:48)

Back to drawing board for Inchon
THE outlook for Inchon Oil, which had looked decidedly rosy when Sinochem signed a final contract to acquire the refinery last year, has suddenly.... more
(04 February 2005 18:59)

LG Chem’s Q4 operating profit ‘disappointing’
ON THE surface, LG Chem’s preliminary financial results for the year 2004 appear encouraging – a 26% increase in sales to Won7120bn (US$6.92bn) and a.... more
(04 February 2005 18:59)

Metro Alliance’s BPC gamble
BUYING a moribund polyethylene plant – even on the cheap – seems to fly in the face of brutal commercial reality. more
(04 February 2005 18:59)

Continuing the bull run
Methanol producers are looking forward to another profitable year even as the long list of new projects clouds future prospects. Malini Hariharan.... more
(04 February 2005 19:15)

Global roundup
From stories supplied by the CNI and ACN teams more
(04 February 2005 18:59)

Market Trends: Benzene sees surge
Benzene prices climb during the week, but values begin falling in the US. Styrene trading increases as prices firm on benzene costs and higher demand more
(04 February 2005 18:59)

Market Trends: Butadiene bullish
Markets strengthen, despite a drop in demand for rubber, as traders build up stocks ahead of the Lunar New Year holidays. Ethylene is up on tight.... more
(04 February 2005 18:59)

Benzene to stay firm in Q1
ASIAN benzene prices are expected to stay firm in Q1 2005 on the back of increased demand from new styrene and phenol units that will be coming.... more
(04 February 2005 18:59)

PE, PP up before new year
FOR the second successive year, polyolefin prices in Asia rose ahead of Lunar New Year, on the back of mounting feedstock costs, bucking the trend.... more
(04 February 2005 18:59)

DOP producers optimistic of early recovery
DIOCTYL phthalate (DOP) producers were last week optimistic of an early recovery in margins as they expected buyers to resume purchases at higher.... more
(04 February 2005 18:59)

MEG/PTA producers confident of upswing
ASIAN monoethylene glycol (MEG) and purified terephthalic acid (PTA) producers were last week optimistic that markets would remain bullish in Q1 2005.... more
(04 February 2005 18:59)

New projects summary
As reported in ACN 31 January-6 February 2005 more
(04 February 2005 18:59)

Alison to build PTA in phases
SHANGHAI Alison Petrochemical is planning to build a 1.8m tonne/year purified terephthalic acid (PTA) facility in Shanghai, China, in two equal.... more
(04 February 2005 18:59)

CPC gets land for Yunlin project
CHINESE Petroleum Corp (CPC) has been granted 1847ha of land in Yunlin Offshore Industrial Zone, Taiwan, for its refinery-cracker project, according.... more
(04 February 2005 18:59)

Maoming to expand aromatics
MAOMING Petrochemical plans to debottleneck its aromatics facility, which will double its capacity to 1400-1500 tonne/day (462 000–495 000.... more
(04 February 2005 18:59)

Russian refinery likely in Vietnam
A RUSSIAN company plans to build a US$500m refinery in Phu Yen, Vietnam, said a Vietnamese industry source. more
(04 February 2005 18:59)

PetroVietnam looks at building third refinery
PETROVIETNAM is considering building a third refinery in southern Vietnam, industry sources told ACN. more
(04 February 2005 18:59)

Vinachem carbon black plans for central Vietnam
VIETNAM National Chemical Corp (Vinachem) plans to build a carbon black plant in central Vietnam, a company official told ACN. more
(04 February 2005 18:59)

SCCC: new methanol in ’07
SHANGHAI Coking & Chemical Corp (SCCC) expects to complete work on a new 450 000 tonne/year line at its coal-based methanol plant in Shanghai, China,.... more
(04 February 2005 18:59)

20 years ago
ECN 4 February 1985 more
(04 February 2005 19:54)

All in the timing
Brazilian group Unipar has projects coming onstream at the peak of the petchem cycle, as demand is rising, writes Anna Jagger more
(04 February 2005 19:54)

Getting a handle on buckets
Risks and liabilities are one ‘bucket’ of information important in assessing chemical acquisitions. But two others help show how companies perform in.... more
(05 February 2005 13:50)

Is CSR on your company’s CV?
The caring, socially responsible company has long been a part, and indeed a successful part, of western capitalism. more
(04 February 2005 19:54)

Mercury’s phase-out set for 2011
T he European Commission has decided to phase out the export of mercury by 2011. more
(04 February 2005 19:54)

Industry told to scrutinise TDM
Following a risk assessment on tert-dodecanethiol (TDM), which indicated that the chemical poses a risk to the environment, the UK’s Environment.... more
(04 February 2005 19:54)

Climate change
Scientists from around the world met last week in the UK to advance scientifc understanding and encourage debate on the long-term implications of.... more
(04 February 2005 19:54)

Rhodia recognises its responsibility
Rhodia has reached an agreement with the International Federation of Chemical, Energy, Mine and General Workers’ Unions (ICEM) related to the group’s.... more
(04 February 2005 19:54)

Biodegradable plastic waste exemption
Germany’s amended packaging ordinance has removed a hurdle to the use of degradable plastic packaging based on renewable raw materials. more
(04 February 2005 19:54)

Sale discrepancy probed
The state prosecutor’s office in Frankfurt, Germany, is investigating allegations that former Hoechst chairman Jürgen Dormann, along with Richard.... more
(04 February 2005 19:54)

BASF buys Merck electronics division
Merck KGaA has sold its global electronic chemicals business to BASF for €270m to concentrate on its pharmaceuticals and chemicals divisions. more
(04 February 2005 19:54)

Price fixing investigated
The European Commission is investigating up to 18 companies that may have fixed prices and rigged the European market for hydrogen peroxide,.... more
(04 February 2005 19:54)

Danisco gets go-ahead for alternative plasticiser
Food ingredients and sugar company Danisco has received authorisation to use and sell its vegetable oil-based plasticiser in the European Union. more
(04 February 2005 19:54)

NPC floats Shiraz: another four subsidiaries to follow
The board of Iran’s state-owned National Petro­chemical Company (NPC) is evaluating a further five subsidiaries it intends to privatise in the coming.... more
(04 February 2005 19:54)

Governance changes could invalidate case
Shareholders complaining that US-based Fortune 500 firm Ashland did not protect their interests could find their case invalid now that the company.... more
(04 February 2005 19:54)

Bayer slated over Lanxess debt risk
A small group of protesters led by the Bayer-critical pressure group CBG Network and Catholic peace activists made a stand against last week’s stock.... more
(04 February 2005 19:54)

Power costs hit French producers
France’s electricity-intensive chemicals producers are ‘in a delicate situation’ after deregulation in the electricity market, warned the trade group.... more
(04 February 2005 19:54)