NEWS
Arkema launches online technical information centre for Specialty Amines
This new online platform hosted on the Specialchem website is designed to publicize the scope and benefits of Arkema's specialty amine product line for thermoset resins. These resins are used in a large number of applications including adhesives, composites and paints.
Arkema's specialty amines such as DMAPAPA, TMPDA, DEAPA and APDEA* (latest addition to the product range) offer the advantage of a multipurpose behaviour in two-component systems, as they play a role both in catalysis and in the formation of the three-dimensional network, hence avoiding some of the drawbacks of traditional catalysts.
These applicative benefits are described in a Techcenter hosted on the Specialchem website (www.specialchem4polymers.com/tc/specialty-amines/index.aspx), where you can also order samples of these products as well as post technical enquiries.
BASF raises prices for:
ethanolamines, ethyleneamines and isopropanolamines in Europe
Ethanolamines:
Monoethanolamine (MEOA) + 50 €/t
Triethanolamine (TEOA) + 50 €/t
Ethyleneamines:
Ethylenediamine (EAD) + 50 €/t
Diethylenetriamine (DETA) + 50 €/t
Aminoethylethanolamine (AEEA) + 50 €/t
Piperazine + 50 €/t
AMIX 1000 + 50 €/t
Isopropanolamines:
Monoisopropanolamine (MIPOA) +60 €/t Diisopropanolamine (DIPOA) + 60 €/t
Triisopropanolamine (TIPOA) + 60 €/t
Polyurethane products in Europe
With immediate effect, or as contract terms allow, BASF will be increasing its prices for diphenylmethane diisocyanate (MDI), toluene diisocyanate (TDI) and polyol basic products in Europe by 200 Euro per metric ton.
certain polyalcohols
BASF is increasing the prices of its polyalcohols neopentylglycol (NPG), trimethylolpropane (TMP), hydroxypivalic acid neopentylglycol ester (HPN) and 1,6-hexanediol (HDO) with immediate effect or as existing contracts permit.
Masdar and Bayer MaterialScience sign co-operation on sustainable construction
Masdar, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Mubadala Development Company focused on developing sustainable and renewable energy solutions and Bayer MaterialScience, a division of Bayer AG and a global provider of materials used in the building industry, have signed a strategic partnership agreement in sustainable construction.
The agreement focuses on developing the Bayer MaterialScience EcoCommercial Building (ECB) Program through the proposed construction of an EcoCommercial Building prototype in Masdar City, Abu Dhabi.
The Masdar City ECB prototype will be a model for energy efficient and economic construction, incorporating state-of-the art design for a subtropical climate. On completion, the Masdar City ECB prototype is intended to house the Middle East EcoCommercial Building Program organization from Bayer MaterialScience, and will serve as an interactive communication, exhibition and training platform for a broad range of stakeholders with an interest in eco-commercial construction.
Masdar City is a clean-technology cluster located in a sustainable city powered by renewable energy. It seeks to become a global centre for innovation, research, product development and light manufacturing in the fields of renewable energy and sustainable technologies. The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) will also base its headquarters in the city.
Cognis opens new affiliate in Malaysia
On January 1, 2010, specialty chemicals supplier Cognis opened an affiliate in Selangor, Malaysia. Cognis Malaysia Sdn. Bhd. is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Cognis Group. The decision to open an affiliate in Malaysia reflects the country's strategic importance to Cognis.
The Asia-Pacific region is now Cognis' third biggest market after Europe and North America, so it was a logical step for the company to devote more resources to its operations in this region. Cognis Malaysia will employ technical and commercial managers to work on behalf of all three of the company's strategic business units - Care Chemicals, Nutrition & Health, and Functional Products.
CPS Color GmbH establishes a new Service Competence Centre in Hückelhoven, Germany
CPS Colour GmbH has moved its office from Bornich to Hückelhoven. The new 460-m2 facility includes offices, equipment and spare parts warehouse and a showroom for the tinting equipment range. The new office is located in a business park and only 25 km from Sittard, the Netherlands, where CPS Color has one of its colorant production facilities. In the new premises, CPS Color GmbH can pre-install customer equipment, organize equipment inventory for customers, and clean and renew used equipment to prolong its life. The possibility of organizing a telephone service centre for customers and spare parts distribution from Hückelhoven offers the potential to further expand the services provided by the new Competence Centre.
CPS Color's Service Competence Centre will also be offering special training facilities in the near future to coach internal and external service technicians. Some of the 11 employees of CPS Color GmbH work at the new premises, while most of them operate in the field as close to the customers as possible, forming the service network in Germany.
DSM inaugurates new resins plant in Germany
DSM N.V. announces that a new plant for the production of wet polyesters and other specialty resins in Meppen (Germany) has been opened. Total investment costs amounted to EUR 15 million.
The new plant was built at the existing site of DSM NeoResins+ in Meppen. The plant allows for further expansions in the future. With the new plant DSM NeoResins+ reinforces its strong position in the fast growing and important markets such as metal packaging (can), pre-painted metal (coil), specialty decorative markets, specialty adhesives, graphic arts and industrial wood.
The opening of the new plant is the latest in a series of investments in additional production capacity by DSM on the Meppen site. Over the last twenty years DSM has invested EUR 60 million in the site, transforming it into a multipurpose specialty resin site. In Meppen DSM produces a wide variety of resins, including waterborne and solvent borne polyesters, urethanes, acrylics, alkyds and epoxy esters.
LANXESS to build new formalin facility at its Krefeld-Uerdingen site
 LANXESS AG is to build a new facility for formalin production at its site in Krefeld-Uerdingen. The specialty chemicals group will then no longer be dependent on buying in the feedstock, which it needs for the production of trimethylolpropane (TMP).
The total investment for the new building and the process optimization will be in the order of EUR 18 million. As a result, LANXESS will create five additional jobs at its Krefeld-Uerdingen site. Construction of the new plant is expected to begin in the third quarter of this year, with commissioning earmarked for the end of 2011. In addition to the production facility, new formalin and methanol tanks will also be installed across an area measuring around 1,000 square meters.
Merquinsa appoints Zylog Plastalloys to distribute in India its Pearlthane® & Pearlcoat® TPU specialty elastomers product ranges
Merquinsa announced in February 2010 the appointment of the Indian company Zylog Plastalloys as its distributor for Pearlthane® & Pearlcoat® TPU specialty product ranges in its aim to expand its presence in the Indian elastomers market.
Through Zylog Plastalloys, Merquinsa will offer its full portfolio of thermoplastic polyurethanes (TPU) elastomers for molding, extrusion, and calendering applications to serve its local and global customers in the country. The range will include Merquinsa´s high performance polyester, polyether and copolymer TPU grades from 70 Shore A to 77 Shore D hardness, along with the renewablesourced TPU Pearlthane® ECO grades recently developed and already being commercialized.
Zylog Plastalloys is a leading compounder; developing, manufacturing and selling a wide range of TPOs, TPEs and PP Compounds, primarily for the Indian automotive; also servicing agriculture, electronics, appliances, luggage and other such markets.
Zylog Plastalloys has been operating for over 25 years in the Indian market, servicing customers across the country with sales offices in New Delhi, Pune & Chennai.
REPI S.p.A. - Positive Figures Despite the Economic Crisis
REPI S.p.A., the Italian producer of pigment pastes, is very satisfied with the 2009 business growth.
Despite the worldwide economic crisis and the resulting strong decrease in PU consumption, the pigment pastes specialist could exceed the 2009 expectations as far as sales are concerned.
For its core business "pigment pastes for Polyurethane" REPI could even increase the profit (Ebit) compared to 2008. Besides the decrease of raw material costs, the key to success have been the continuous investments made before and during the crisis in terms of production efficiency. Also the strengthening of the sales structure through new recruitment contributed positively to this growth.
The General Management is particularly satisfied with the fact that new customers could be acquired, especially in the Western European region. While the European PU market decreased by 25% on an average, REPI customers increased by 15% in this region. "We consider this as the result of our efforts to offer our customers, in times of crisis, both quick, efficient service and excellent products," deems Michael Rath, Managing Director responsible for the Polyurethanes Division.
For the current year, REPI expects a double-digit increase of turnover. Incoming orders for 2010 first quarter are very promising. In view of the expected growth new personnel have already been hired in order to respond to the customers' increasing demand.
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