NEWS
ALTANA acquires ABB Micafil's polyurethane casting resins business
The specialty chemicals Group ALTANA has acquired with immediate effect the polyurethane casting resins business of ABB Micafil, a business unit of ABB Switzerland. The business is operated under the brand names of Micares and Resodip. Polyurethane casting resins are used in electrical and electrical engineering applications for high voltage applications, among others, and in the automotive industry. The acquired business will be incorporated into the ELANTAS Electrical Insulation division. In the future, the products will be manufactured at the production sites in Collecchio (Italy) and Hamburg (Germany).
BASF to increase prices for butanediol and derivatives in Europe
With immediate effect, or as existing contracts permit, BASF SE will increase its European selling prices for the following products:
1,4 Butanediol (BDO): +250 EUR/mt
Tetrahydrofuran (THF): +250 EUR/mt
Polytetramethyleneetherglycol (PolyTHF®): +330 EUR/mt
N-Methyl-2-Pyrrolidone (NMP): +250 EUR/mt
Gamma Butyrolactone (GBL): +250 EUR/mt
New BASF Product Finder Now Online
Exactly what products does BASF produce, and for which industries? Quick answers to those questions are now available for customers and any other interested parties on the BASF company website at www.basf.com/productfinder. The product finder lists all the main BASF products along with matching market criteria. In addition to searching for selecting products by name, users can also look up products by client industry, basic chemical substance and availability in different countries. Users define the desired search parameters and a list of product lines is then displayed. Each product line comes with a brief description, links for further information and contact details. A search for vitamins for the food industry for instance will show 21 BASF product lines.
An added benefit of the new online application, which is updated on a continuous basis: it makes BASF products easier to find via popular search engines such as Google and Yahoo.
Bayer MaterialScience raises prices for aliphatic isocyanates
Bayer MaterialScience AG is raising its selling prices for aliphatic isocyanates in the Europe, Middle East, Africa (EMEA) region by between 6 and 8 percent with immediate effect. This price increase affects the monomeric diisocyanates HDI (hexamethylene diisocyanate), IPDI (isophorone diisocyanate), and H12MDI (dicyclohexyl methane diisocyanate, Desmodur® W) and their derivatives, the HDI and IPDI polyisocyanates from the Desmodur® N, Desmodur® BL, Desmodur® Z and Bayhydur® product families. Further increases were announced for the product groups diphenylmethane diisocyanate (MDI), toluene diisocyanate (TDI) and polyether (PET) worldwide by EUR 0.25/kg effective June 1, 2010. Current contractual agreements will be fulfilled.
Polyurethane coating for better protection
BRAND Gmbh & CO KG: The PUR coating envelops the volumetric flasks BLAUBRAND®, PURprotect, Class A like a protective skin.
In the event of glass breakage, the safety coating helps contain the glass fragments. Compared to uncoated glass flasks the electrostatic charge is not increased. The light blue coating facilitates optical distinction. The maximum operating temperature at dry heat is 135 °C (exposure time < 30 min). Frequent autoclaving at 121 °C reduces splintering protection. Cleaning up to max. 95 °C.
Cario re-launches
After the take-over by Dr.-Ing. Gerhard Bosch, who brings with him many years experience in the industry, Cario is re launching as Cario Dosiertechnologie GmbH. Cario is well-known for its customised dispensing machinery, built individually according to customer requirements. 40 years experience will be combined with modern engineering for continued service in dispensing machines, plant engineering and toll manufacturing. The individual approach will remain in the foreground, to ensure that Cario products are optimally integrated into customers processes.
Cario Dosiertechnologie GmbH is active in all kinds of mixing and dosing technology used for adhesives, castings, sealants, and foaming.
Chemtura Opens Technical Center of Excellence in Nanjing, China for Asia-Pacific Region
In May 2010, Chemtura Corporation announced the opening of a new Application Development Center (ADC) in the Nanjing Economic & Technological Development Zone, serving as Chemtura's technical center of excellence for its businesses in the Asia/Pacific region. The ADC consists of a group of state-of-the-art laboratories serving as a technical center of excellence for Chemtura businesses in the Asia-Pacific region, including AgroSolutions(TM), Antioxidant/UV Stabilizers, Consumer Products, Flame Retardants, Petroleum Additives, and Urethanes.
According to Charles Guo, Director of the ADC, external initiatives will be supported such as development of new formulations aimed at local customer needs, evaluation of new-product opportunities, training of local distributors and key customers to increase their competitiveness, provision of technical support for tolling or contract manufacturing, and the enhancement of Chemtura product quality. The ADC also will support internal employee training, promotional activities and regulatory requirements, quality control on locally sourced material, and transfer to the local technical team of knowledge gained through research and development, Guo said. Chemtura recently expanded its region headquarters in Shanghai, and is recruiting additional staff in Shanghai, Nanjing and elsewhere to fulfill its growth plan in China and the region.
Dow Raises Prices for all Polyols, MDI, and PU Systems in Europe, Middle East, and Africa
Dow Europe GmbH, Dow Polyurethanes and Dow Formulated Systems will raise prices for all Polyols, MDI, and for polyurethane systems up to 250 Euro per metric ton in Europe, Middle East, and Africa. The increase is effective immediately or as contracts allow.
Dow Automotive Systems reacts to increasing costs
Despite relentless cost increases in energy and raw material feedstocks directly impacting its glass bonding product range, Dow Automotive Systems is preparing to introduce two new glass bonding technologies which demonstrate that it continues to proactively invest in R&D and is committed to providing innovative solutions to its customers. Benefiting from the R&D investment and material and production knowledge of The Dow Chemical Company, Dow Automotive Systems will introduce two innovative bonding solutions for both OEM and aftermarket applications:
- BETASEALTM 1580: A crash-test proven, easy-to-apply adhesive compatible with standard application guns. It enables 30-minute safe drive-away time (SDAT) making it one of the fastest and safest one-component systems on the market today.
- BETAWIPETM Hydro: A VOC-free, pre-treatment technology that will be part of a novel, zero-emission glass bonding system and is the world's first one-component, water-based activation technology in automotive glazing. It is "ready to use" and requires neither premixing nor specific equipment investment. BETAWIPE Hydro can help save time and labor while reducing complexity - plus, it is compatible with Dow Automotive Systems' BETASEALTM Uni-wipe adhesive systems.
"The challenges affecting our business are significant," said Grant Fisher, vice president, glass and plastic bonding. Stressing that customer relations are a key component of continued business success, he added, "We are now meeting with all of our customers to discuss together how we can best manage the increased cost pressures affecting all polyurethane adhesive materials. We are determined to continue providing maximum value as demonstrated by our new BETASEAL adhesive and BETAWIPE Hydro, our zero-emissions, pre-treatment technology."
Dr. Freist Automotive buys the Bielefeld (Germany) site of AKsys
On 1st of May 2010 Dr. Freist Automotive GmbH (located in Goslar, Germany) bought the Bielefeld site of international automotive supplier AKsys, with 75 employees. Production of acoustic systems for the automotive industry will continue.
Liquidator Tobias Hoefer managed the Bielefeld site through insolvency for 12 months, and implemented a reorganisation and restructuring program. This allowed him to run the business at full scale production, even after the insolvency proceedings opened on 1st September, 2009. This was an important condition for the sale. By the beginning of April, Hoefer was already able to announce the sale of the noise absorption business unit to FAIST ChemTec GmbH and the HANNOVER Finanz Group.
Automotive supplier Borgers AG has bought the Isolation business unit with sites in Krumbach and Ellzee. Up to now, Hoefer was able to save 1 025 worldwide in both business units of the former AKsys.
Huntsman to Expand Llanelli, Wales Specialty Amines Manufacturing Capacity
Huntsman Performance Products announced that it will expand manufacturing capacity of its specialty amines manufacturing facility located in Llanelli, Wales. The planned expansion will increase existing capacity by more than 50%. The investment will boost its production capabilities primarily related to its JEFFAMINE® polyetheramines family of products, as well as for Diglycolamine® Agent (DGA® Agent) and morpholine. Daniele Ferrari, President of Performance Products, said, "The Llanelli site is a strategic cornerstone for meeting our global customer needs. This expansion represents our commitment to these high-growth product lines that we have identified as being strategically important for our future growth and complements other investments in our amine manufacturing capacity, especially in Jubail, Saudi Arabia, where we have recently commissioned our joint venture world-scale ethyleneamine plant and announced a memorandum of understanding to study a future Morpholine-DGA® Agent investment." "This is great news for Llanelli and for Wales - and comes at a crucial phase of recovery from recession," said Deputy First Minister Ieuan Wyn Jones. He added, "The Huntsman Corporation is a truly global player, and their decision to expand in Wales underlies the advantages our country offers as a location for ambitious companies." John Smyth, Vice President, Performance Products for Europe, Middle East, and Africa, said: "This expansion is required to ensure Huntsman remains ahead of the demand curve and continues to satisfy the dramatic growth that we have seen in recent years for polyetheramines in the epoxy composite and construction market segments, as well as for Diglycolamine® Agent (DGA® Agent) and morpholine for gas treating and electronics end-uses."
Huntsman to Expand its JEFFAMINE® Capacity in Singapore
Huntsman announced that it will expand manufacturing capacity of its JEFFAMINE® polyetheramine manufacturing facility located on Jurong Island, Singapore. The planned expansion is anticipated to occur by the end of the third quarter of this year and will increase existing capacity by more than 50%.
"This facility, which began operations in 2007, has been a critical strategic manufacturing platform in meeting the regional demands for JEFFAMINE® polyetheramines in Asia over the past three years. Rapidly growing regional demand necessitates this additional investment to meet the markets' increasing requirements," said Steve Stilliard, Vice President, Performance Products - Asia Pacific.
Johnson Controls Expresses Interest in Acquisition of Visteon Interiors and Electronics Businesses
Johnson Controls, Inc. (NYSE: JCI) announced that it sent a letter to Visteon Corporation expressing interest in acquiring Visteon's interiors and electronics businesses. Johnson Controls is offering $1.25 billion in cash for the businesses, subject to due diligence, the execution of a definitive agreement and the approval of the Johnson Controls Board of Directors. In June 2010, Visteon has rejected this unsolicited proposal from Johnson Controls, Inc. but Johnson Controls remains interested in its proposal.
Perstorp doubles Di-Penta production in Bruchhausen
As the largest global producer of di-pentaerythritol, Perstorp, is working on all fronts to meet customer demand for Perstorp Di-Penta and the performance it offers in wide range of end products. The company has now nearly doubled the production of Di-Penta at its Bruchhausen site and is on track to reach nearly triple the total production capacity since starting the project, by the end of this year. The demand for Perstorp Di-Penta grows from its power to enable improved performance in many environmentally friendly applications including UV cured coatings, synthetic lubricants, high solids alkyd coatings, fire resistant Charmor® coatings and lead-free PVC stabilizers. To provide customers with effective solutions and meet their high quality requirements, Perstorp's work to maximize Di-Penta production capacity is now giving results. "In 2008 we started investigating which of our sites had the highest potential to increase capacity and Bruchhausen was the strongest candidate," said Perstorp Product Manager for Di-Penta, Andreas Nilsson. "Rather than investing in building more capacity at the site, we applied a wealth of engineering expertise and innovation to optimize production efficiency and the high quality that our Di-Penta stands for." The increased efficiency that Perstorp's engineering team has achieved at the Bruchhausen site has so far nearly doubled production capacity. And Perstorp expects further production increase by the end of this year, potentially tripling the total production capacity of the Bruchhausen site since the start of the project. The company's Bruchhausen site is where the majority of Di-Penta for the most important segments in Europe is produced, including those bound for fire-resistant coatings, lead-free PVCs and high solids coatings. While Perstorp is applying the same efficiency innovation mindset to their other Di-Penta production sites, they are not stopping there.
Perstorp reports strong first quarter of 2010
The first quarter of 2010 is characterized by strong volume growth and cost containment for specialty chemicals Group Perstorp, resulting in net sales rising 21% to SEK 3,607 million and operating profit amounting to SEK 430 m. The operating profit before depreciation and amortization recovered dramatically and amounted to SEK 430 (118) m. The increase in operating profit was primarily driven by improved demand, especially for Perstorp's oxo products, specialty polyols and caprolactones. This trend is expected to continue and Perstorp´s current capacity increase for caprolactones will meet the market's growing need for this product when the new plant goes into operation in 2011. Perstorp's business for formalin technology and catalysts, Formox, sold its first "turbo charger" plant, significantly cutting energy consumption. "We have had a very positive start to 2010 with a strong demand for virtually all products in our portfolio and the outlook for the rest of the year remains positive. There are many interesting and exciting activities underway that will further strengthen our position. For example, we will shortly be launching the world's first renewable Penta - VoxtarTM - which is excellent proof that we're living the vision of contributing to a better and more sustainable society through innovative chemical solutions", said Martin Lundin, President and CEO of Perstorp.
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