DuPont announced that it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire San Francisco-based Granular, Inc., a leading provider of software and analytics tools that help farms improve efficiency, profitability and sustainability. Granular also operates AcreValue.com, the leading digital marketplace for...

Shell has completed the sale of its 50% share in Sadaf, the petrochemicals joint venture, located in Al Jubail, in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to SABIC for $820 million. This sale was announced on 22 January 2017. Completion follows anti-trust filings in the relevant countries and regulatory approval...

Zirax, a company whose area of operation includes development of technologies, production and sales of specialty process chemicals used in oil & gas, foods, construction and other industries, together with Khalid Y. Al Fulaji & Partners Co. have successfully finalized multi-step registration...

Uralkali, one of the world’s largest potash producers, has signed a loan agreement in the amount of US$850 million with 11 international banks. Coordinating Mandated Lead Arrangers and Bookrunners of the pre-export finance facility were Commerzbank AG, Credit Agricole Corporate and Investment...

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Munich-based chemicals group Wacker is strengthening its presence in Middle East and Africa (MEA) by expanding the service portfolio of its technical center in Dubai. The center of excellence located at the “Dubai Silicon Oasis” (DSO) technology park now also includes a dedicated laboratory...

Kaneka Corporation has decided to establish a new plant of expanded polyolefin foam (product name: EPERAN™, EPERAN™-PP) in Hemaraj Eastern Seaboard Industrial Estate, Rayong, Thailand aiming at a further business expansion as well as meeting the increasing demand in the Southeast Asia and...

Electrolube, the established global manufacturer of electro-chemicals, will showcase some specialist encapsulation resin systems and thermal management materials for Australia’s LED manufacturers at this year’s Electronex, held at Melbourne Park Function Centre, Melbourne, Australia, from...

Andrey Vovk has been appointed the general director of PhosAgro-Region, the largest distributor or mineral fertilizers in Russia and CIS.  Before this appointment, Andrey Vovk had spent more than 10 years working at the Belgorod branch of PhosAgro-Region and PhosAgro-Belgorod, and spent the past...

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Ashland announced it has declared a force majeure in Europe on 1.4 butanediol (BDO), tetrahydrofuran (THF) and formaldehyde as a result of a fire at its manufacturing facility in Marl, Germany, that led to the shutdown of production operations on August 10.  Production has been suspended while...

The Linde Group, a world leading industrial gases and engineering company, announced that it has signed an agreement with Wanhua Chemical Group (“Wanhua Chemical”), the world’s largest producer of isocyanate (MDI), to expand the supply of gas to Phase II of Wanhua Chemical’s Yantai...

Saudi Aramco signed a contract with a consortium comprising Saudi Archirodon Company Ltd and Huta Hegerfeld AG Saudia Company for dredging, reclamation and marine structures for King Salman International Complex for Maritime Industries and Services in Ras Al-Khair.  The contract is the first major...

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Phillips Carbon Black Ltd (PCBL) is investing Rs.300 crore (€40 million), to increase carbon black capacity at its Palej and Mundra facilities in Gujarat, India by 80 kilotonnes per annum (ktpa) before the end of its fiscal 2019. The RP SanJlv Goenka Group company is also evaluating plans for a...

India may impose anti—dumping duty of up to USD 452.33 per tonne on a certain variety of Chinese pneumatic radial tyres to guard domestic players from cheap imports. The commerce ministry’s investigation arm — Directorate General of Anti—dumping and Allied Duties (DGAD) —...

INEOS Styrolution, the global leader in styrenics, announces that StyLight®, the new generation of thermoplastic composites, will be presented at the 23rd China International Composites Industrial Technical Expo in Shanghai, China (September 6-8, 2017) and at the 12th Composites Europe Trade Fair...

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The specialty chemicals Group Altana has acquired a technology portfolio and research and development platform from U.S. based NuLabel Technologies, Inc. It comprises innovative technologies for additive manufacturing of sustainable decoration solutions as well as novel technology for resealable packaging....

BUDIT® IS 3001 is a new coated intumescent combination based on ammonium polyphosphate developed by Budenheim. This efficient flame retardant formulation offers an exceptional balance between cost and performance. It's optimized for polyolefin applications in a variety of industries, such as...

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Chemetall, a leading surface treatment supplier and global business unit of BASF’s Coatings division, expanded its Aluminum Competence Center in Hamm, Germany. New state-of-the-art facilities strengthen Chemetall’s position as global supplier of products for the Aluminum Finishing industry. “After...

Kronospan plans on investing 330 million euros at its Sanem site in Luxembourg over the next four years. Before the planned new construction of a particleboard plant in the second project phase, the existing OSB plant will be partially refurbished and modernized. The multi-opening plant, in operation...

PhosAgro, one of the world’s leading vertically integrated phosphate-based fertilizer producers, announces its operational results for 1H 2017. Overall fertilizer production grew by 8.8% year-on-year to almost 4 million tonnes, while sales increased by 11.8% year-on-year to 4.1 million tonnes. In...

Braskem, the largest petrochemical company in the Americas, is advancing in another partnership with customers by approving and supplying the new Polypropylene (PP) resin to Dart do Brasil, a manufacturer for the Tupperware® brand. The RP 340R polymer is part of the Maxio® line and offers greater...

VESTOLIT GmbH, a 100% subsidiary of Mexichem, announced that the capacity expansion published in May 2015 at the Mexichem Marl, Germany plant started up. Initial product runs have been completed and the test analysis has confirmed all quality standards and product specifications have been met. This...

KBR, Inc. has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Saudi Aramco to expand and develop KBR's services for Saudi Aramco in line with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's (KSA) localization objectives. The MoU and initiative is in line with Saudi Aramco's In-Kingdom Total Value Add...

On June 16 2017, the ECHA Member State Committee (MSC) unanimously agreed to identify 4,4'-isopropylidenediphenol (bisphenol A, BPA) (EC 201-245-8, CAS 80-05-7)  as a Substance of Very High Concern (SVHC) under REACH due to alleged endocrine disrupting (ED) properties which cause probable serious...

Wacker, the Munich-based chemical company, will be premiering its new ELASTOSIL® R plus 4350/55 solid silicone rubber at this year’s international trade fair for plastics processing Fakuma. An outstanding property of this extrudable and addition-curing silicone grade is its high resistance...

Evonik is investing an amount in the upper double-digit million euro range in the expansion of its fumed silica capacities in Antwerp, Belgium. The production complex is scheduled to become operational in the summer of 2019. Typical applications of these specialty silica, which Evonik markets under the...

The members of the Board of Directors of PJSC PhosAgro (Moscow Exchange, LSE: PHOR), one of the world’s leading vertically integrated phosphate-based fertilizer producers, have unanimously confirmed Andrey Guryev as Chairman of the Management Board and CEO of PhosAgro. A report on performance...

The merger brings together two strong specialty chemicals businesses with similar EBITDA margins at 17.2% (including synergies). It will reap complementarity benefits between Performance Products, Care Chemicals and Natural Resources, which represent approx. 35% of HuntsmanClariant combined sales and...

By the end of 2017, BASF will concentrate the production of XPS boards (extruded polystyrene) at its Verbund site in Ludwigshafen, Germany, which will ensure the direct supply of raw materials, optimised logistics, and direct access to research and development facilities. In view of overcapacities and...

Braskem, the largest petrochemical company in the Americas, has developed in its Technology and Innovation Center in Triunfo (RS) another pioneering solution for Brazilian industry. The MDF powder/PVC composite is a product with unique characteristics in the domestic market and offers a number of advantages...

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KBR, Inc. announced that it has been awarded a contract by Dorogobuzh JSC (owned by JSC ACRON) to provide licensing and basic engineering design (LBED) to revamp an ammonia plant – originally built by KBR – located in the Dorogobuzh, Smolensk region of Russia. Under the agreement KBR will...

The Lubrizol Corporation's Engineered Polymers business announces the launch of a new Pearlbond(TM) thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) grade for adhesive powders, webs and films: Pearlbond 1160L. Pearlbond 1160L complements Lubrizol Engineered Polymers' current high-crystalline offering for adhesive...

The Finance Ministry of India has imposed definitive anti-dumping duty on Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) imports from China. Based on the recommendations of the Designated Authority in its second sunset review, the revenue department has imposed anti-dumping duty of $ 2,637 per tonne on PTFE imports...

H.B. Fuller Company has signed an agreement to purchase adhesives company, Adecol Ind. Química, Limitada, a highly respected manufacturer of quality adhesive technologies in Brazil.  Adecol works closely with customers to develop innovative, high-quality hot melt, reactive and polymer-based...