ICIS connect

A new member of the ICIS REACH Group

SimonRobinson — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 16:25:00 GMT

I was surprised and delighted when MarkR, joined ICIS Connect and became a member of our ICIS REACH group. Mark is the first consultant to take the plunge and become a commenting member. He's got some wise words to say on the cost involved in the process of registering substances for REACH. I've known mark, in the internet sense of knowing someone, for a couple of years. He commented regularly on my Big Biofuels Blog, and holds senisble opinions. Hopefully, more people will feel encouraged to join the conversations and start contributing to the Group.

Making things simpler

SimonRobinson — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 14:55:00 GMT

I've been listening to our users and have modified ICIS Connect to make it easier to use and to shape it more towards what's being used and what isn't. I've been getting quite a bit of feed back from users having difficulty in differentiating between Forums and Groups. So I've closed a number of forums that were getting very little traffic, hidden others where there is content that would be useful to move, and we are going to concentrate our efforts into groups.

We are getting some traction from our newly launched ICIS REACH Group about Regulation, Evaluation and Authorisation of Chemicals in the EU and ICIS TSCA US Toxic Substance Control Group. These are is open to all. We will also be launching In The News, as the new place to discuss stories on ICIS news once we've transferred content from the Chemical Industry Conversations Forum. I also plan to move the threads from Xperimania into the Chemical education and recruitment group at a later stage.

I hope that you find the changes make it easier to get around our ICIS Groups.

Groups of common interest.

SimonRobinson — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 11:13:00 GMT

ICIS launched its Connect product a couple of years ago and we've been looking at how to get the best out of it.

Our latest idea is to tailor our efforts into areas of common interest around issues that will affect the global chemical industry and its client industries in Groups.These are a feature of our software that enables us to have conversations about specific topics.

We have created one where you and ICIS can add data and information about REACH, the European Union's Chemical Regulation, Evaluation and Authorisation process. The ICIS REACH Group, is a place where you can join ICIS journalists and the industry in conversations about the REACH regulation, the REACH processes and some of the underlying legislation. Its worth checking out the ICIS REACH group if you're affected by the legislation. The impact of REACH will be felt all the way down product chains from chemical producers to final retailers of products from cars to shirts, from cosmetics to paints and everything in between.

Managing ICIS Connect

SimonRobinson — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 11:08:00 GMT

Hi there, I'm Simon Robinson and one of my jobs as online Editor at ICIS is to help run our information and discussion section, ICIS Connect. I'm going to be posting in the coming weeks and months about the process of running ICIS Connect, the challenges and opportunities that the site offers. I hope that you find it interesting and useful.

Welcome to the Ashland Fairfield, CA Quality Assurance Laboratory

Ashland Ken Forbes QA Lab Fairfield CA — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 21:55:00 GMT

Welcome

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Ongoing: Tracking the Green Chemistry Startups.

green underworld — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 14:53:00 GMT

I'm hoping to see more hands on deck building a list of green chemistry startups. See the recent post from Doris De Guzman - http://www.icis.com/blogs/green-chemicals/2009/09/green-chem-startups-to-watch.html

The Industry sources that do a pretty good job, like Lux Research, or the Cleantech Group, are not focused on the chemical industry. And frankly, investor-oriented research does not have a sophisticated approach to the unique business needs of chemistry.

So, maybe, it is up to us to do it right. I have a few names to add to the list. I hope that some of you do, too.

More soon.

g.u.

Pedro turns back clock, beats Lincecum

slogs — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 20:23:00 GMT

For one night, the old man who was once surely among the best two or three pitchers in the game was able to best the young right-hander who can make the same claim these days.

Gasoline markets slip, financial markets stumble

Chemicals & The Economy — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 19:47:44 GMT

Yesterday's financial market action was very revealing. As Olivier Jakob of Petromatrix perceptively describes it, "liquidation on gasoline led to a correction in crude oil, which in turn pressured equity markets". The problem is that financial Read More......(read more)

Canada plans to ban phthalates

Green Chemicals — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 16:02:44 GMT

Last week Friday, Canada's Minister of Health announced their planned proposal to ban phthalates in soft vinyl toys and child-care articles as well as further reduction limits of lead in consumer products. Canada is proposing regulations to prevent Read More......(read more)

Carbon cap and trade costs little

Green Chemicals — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 15:36:46 GMT

I was working about the Cash for Clunkers bill (where you can exchange your old car for money voucher for a new supposedly more environment-friendly car) and it was more complicated than I thought...I need to do more research about that. So for now let's Read More......(read more)

Plastic windows face wrath of conservationists

ICIS Chemicals Confidential — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 13:35:16 GMT

"I'm afraid conservation areas are suffering a plague of plastic windows," the chief executive of English Heritage was quoted in today's Telegraph.co.uk . "I would never in a million years put one in," he continued. The conservationist Read More......(read more)

World Bank sees deeper recession

Chemicals & The Economy — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 09:57:51 GMT

The chemical industry is always a leading indicator of the global economy. One of the blog's oldest friends used to be a central banker, and he made no secret of the fact that our discussions about demand levels were often an important factor in his Read More......(read more)

Swine flu stalks the ACC conference

ICIS Chemicals Confidential — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 09:40:10 GMT

ICIS Houston managing editor Stephen Burns survived the ACC conference, and sends this tale and video ... The American Chemistry Council ( ACC ) has revealed that an attendee at its annual meeting in Colorado Springs earlier this month had contracted Read More......(read more)

Real time global carbon counter in NYC

Green Chemicals — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 18:19:13 GMT

I haven't seen this yet but definitely worth checking out during my lunch break. A new real-time global carbon counter was unveiled last week in the heart of New York City at 33rd Street and 7th Avenue, outside Madison Square Garden and Penn Station Read More......(read more)

P&G resin wins Green Chem award

Green Chemicals — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 16:45:49 GMT

This news came in this morning from Procter & Gamble (P&G) Chemicals about their green alkyd resin Chempol® MPS winning this year's EPA Presidential Green Chemistry Challenge award under the category Greener Chemicals Design. The resin is Read More......(read more)

Washing machine replaces water with tiny nylon polymer beads

ICIS Chemicals Confidential — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 14:00:20 GMT

A new green-friendly washing machine -- that uses only one cup of water along with tiny nylon polymer beads - is set to go on sale next year, according to this article today. The machine leaves clothes virtually dry and aims to save up to 90% of water Read More......(read more)

Enron - London theatre to stage new play

ICIS Chemicals Confidential — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 13:55:55 GMT

A new play entitled "Enron" will be coming to the London stage in September, and the Blog can't wait to see it. Starring Tim Pigott-Smith as Ken Lay and Samuel West as Jeffrey Skilling, the play at the Royal Court theatre in Sloane Square Read More......(read more)

After destocking, chemical volumes remain down 15-20%

Chemicals & The Economy — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 19:06:24 GMT

The great wave of destocking is finally coming to an end. And it is clear that underlying global demand is well below previous "normal" levels. The evidence for this can be seen in the above chart, based on American Chemistry Council data, which Read More......(read more)

Ineos appoint Morgan Stanley for Grangemouth

Chemicals & The Economy — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 09:19:52 GMT

The blog's close eye on Scotland's media has again been rewarded this morning, as 'The Scotsman' reveals that Ineos have appointed Morgan Stanley, the investment bank, to advise on the sale of Grangemouth. It suggests that a company such Read More......(read more)

Wood Mackenzie staff in the money

ICIS Chemicals Confidential — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 08:10:59 GMT

Wood Mackenzie, the energy consultancy and long-term supporter of the ICIS Aromatics Conference, was sold yesterday for £533 million , in a deal whereby 100 of the company's staff share a total payout of about £100 million. The Blog was delighted Read More......(read more)

Billionaire stuck with chemicals after Setanta failure

ICIS Chemicals Confidential — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 08:08:17 GMT

Poor Len Blavatnik, bored with chemicals after LyondellBasell's bankruptcy, won't be buying Setanta after all, now they can't broadcast Premier League football. Read More......(read more)

BPA under fire from new studies

Green Chemicals — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 18:36:44 GMT

And the bisphenol-A (BPA) cycle of "is it safe or not?" goes on... Several studies have again come out mostly from the Endocrine Society and none of them were pleasing to the BPA manufacturers' (and consumers') ears. First stop is during Read More......(read more)

Poo Power rises

Green Chemicals — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 17:02:11 GMT

Don't underestimate the chemical power of waste and sh*t (I think I've just been bleeped!) In Manchester, UK, United Utilities and National Grid have teamed up in building a plant producing biomethane from wastewater sludge. The plant will soon Read More......(read more)

Chemical jokes - 28 of them

ICIS Chemicals Confidential — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 14:46:41 GMT

Never let it be said that chemicals folk don't have a sense of humour. An industry friend has sent the Blog a few samples from this website devoted to hilarious side-splitting chemistry jokes. After some years in the aromatics business, the Blog's Read More......(read more)

Six flags gone green

Green Chemicals — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 21:19:07 GMT

Following Mickey Mouse's carbon footprint, Bugs Bunny and the rest of Six Flags amusement park 's characters are joining to save world from the evil greenhouse gas emissions...and save money at the same time. Six Flags said all their vehicles Read More......(read more)