SHANGHAI, CHINA: Bayer MaterialScience has inaugurated a regional innovation hub for Asia Pacific in Shanghai, China. More than 200 experts will develop novel ideas for the use of high-performance plastics, foams and coatings in key sectors such as mobility, construction, IT and renewable energy. They will work in close cooperation with external scientists, suppliers and customers. The new hub, which is located at the company’s existing Polymer Research & Development Centre (PRDC), wil ...
ZUG, SWITZERLAND: Foster Wheeler AG’s Global Engineering and Construction Group has named Dave Lawson, as President and Global Leader of Metals & Mining, effective from 20 May 2013. In this newly created role, Lawson will be responsible for developing and executing a growth strategy aimed at significantly increasing Foster Wheeler’s presence in the metals and mining market. “Dave is a results-oriented executive leader with extensive international experience in project ma ...
WILMINGTON, US: Ashland Specialty Ingredients, a commercial unit of Ashland Inc, announced the opening of a new research and development laboratory in The Woodlands, Texas, US. The 6,000 square foot facility will serve as Ashland’s technical support centre for the oil and gas industry and will join Ashland’s worldwide network of R&D and technical centres. The new laboratory is outfitted with cutting-edge technology and equipment that can accommodate all major applications associ ...
SAO PAULO, BRAZIL: PolyOne GLS Thermoplastic Elastomers, a global leader in high-performance, custom-formulated thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) solutions, announced the installation of new state-of-the-art TPE production capabilities in Diadema, Sao Paulo, Brazil. The new capabilities will significantly reduce the amount of lead time required to serve South American customers and Brazil’s rapidly growing economy. Further, they will enhance the company’s ability to support global Origin ...
MADRID, SPAIN: The European Investment Bank (EIB) will finance Repsol’s research and development plan (R&D) with €200 million. The EIB will finance a development programme that includes improvements in natural gas transport, energy efficiency, optimisation of refining processes, development and production of petrochemical derivatives and carbon dioxide storage. This will also include programme for systems development in renewable energy, biofuels and transport solutions. The inve ...
INDIANAPOLIS, US: Dow AgroSciences LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of The Dow Chemical Company, gets Health Canada’s Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA) approval for Enlist Duo herbicide with Colex-D Technology for use in Canada. This approval, which makes Canada the first nation to authorize this state-of-the-art herbicide, is a milestone for the company’s Enlist Weed Control System which combines innovative traits, herbicides, and stewardship to deliver the weed control that f ...
LONDON, UK: BP expects to complete the sale of its Carson Refinery and Southwest US retail assets to Tesoro Corporation in the second quarter of this year now that the transaction has received US Federal Trade Commission clearance. The assets include BP’s Carson, California refinery and related logistics and marketing assets in the region. Since that time, BP and Tesoro have been providing information to regulatory authorities to enable the parties to gain approval to complete the transac ...
ST PAUL, US: HB Fuller Company has signed an agreement to purchase adhesives company Plexbond Quimica, S/A, a provider of chemical polyurethane specialties and polyester resins. This business generated nearly $20 million in revenue for the 2012 fiscal year and operates a manufacturing facility in Curitiba, Brazil. “With this acquisition, we will take a step forward on two important elements of our strategic plan - establishing a manufacturing presence in Brazil and accelerating our growth ...
NEW YORK, US: Private equity firm Sun Capital Partners is exploring the sale of Emerald Performance Materials, a specialty chemicals company that could be worth more than $700 million. Sun Capital, which created Emerald in 2006 out of businesses it bought from Lubrizol, has hired investment bank Lazard Ltd to advise on the process. © Reuters News
MALVERN, US: PQ Corporation, a leading producer of inorganic specialty performance chemicals and special custom catalysts, will invest $120 million to expand its manufacturing footprint at its Kansas City facility, US. PQ’s investment will expand the already extensive equipment and manufacturing capacity for PQ’s silica catalyst business and its Zeolyst International specialty catalyst operation. The expansion at its Kansas Avenue site is projected to add 40 to 50 additional new jo ...