OMV and ADNOC agreed to combine their Borealis and Borouge shareholdings into Borouge Group International. ADNOC has also signed a share purchase agreement with Nova Chemicals, an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of Mubadala Investment Company, to acquire 100% of Nova Chemicals for an enterprise value of $13.4 billion. In addition, ADNOC and OMV have agreed for Borouge Group International to take over Nova Chemicals after closing.
WE Soda has acquired Genesis Alkali (Alkali), the largest US-based producer of natural soda ash, from Genesis Energy in an all-cash transaction for $1.425 billion.
The US pharmaceutical giant AbbVie and Danish biotechnology company Gubra, specializing in preclinical contract research services and peptide-based drug discovery within metabolic and fibrotic diseases, signed a license agreement to develop GUB014295, a potential best-in-class, long-acting amylin analog for the treatment of obesity.
Toray Industries has opened the Toray Taiwan Technical Center. This new facility aims to enhance research and development in advanced semiconductor technologies and materials, and provide technical services in the Taiwan market, which plays a significant role in the global semiconductor supply chain.
Dutch start-up Mavisol has developed an innovative machine vision and AI solution designed specifically for plastic converters, with the aim of promoting environmental sustainability and improving material reuse efficiency.
Plastics Europe strongly supports the European Commission's competitiveness and decarbonization agenda and welcomes the Clean Industrial Deal.
Eli Lilly plans to invest $27 billion to bolster its domestic medicine production across several therapeutic areas by building four new manufacturing sites in the US.
The 15% capacity expansion of Arkema’s PVDF production site in Calvert City, Kentucky, represents an investment of approximately $20 million (€19 million).
Ahead of the unveiling of the EU’s Clean Industrial Deal, Ineos Chairman and CEO, Sir Jim Ratcliffe, authored an open letter to emphasize the importance of supportive political decisions and measures for the European industry. Releasing the open letter, Ineos stated: “A year on from the signing of ‘The Antwerp Declaration for a European Industrial Deal’ we have not seen the action necessary to stem the decline of European industry. Ineos has continued to invest in Europe; however, it is now an exception in a landscape of deindustrialization and closures.” Please read the complete open letter below:
Indian pharmaceutical company Granules India has agreed to acquire Senn Chemicals, a Swiss-based contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) specializing in peptides. The closing of the deal, which is subject to certain conditions, is expected to occur in the first half of 2025. Financial details of the transaction were not disclosed.
As part of a review initiated by Air Products’ newly-elected board of directors and CEO, the company decided to exit three projects in the US. As a result, Air Products expects to record a pre-tax charge not to exceed $3.1 billion in its fiscal 2025 second quarter, primarily to write down assets and terminate contractual commitments.
German flavor and fragrance company Symrise has signed a strategic partnership with Hofseth BioCare (HBC), a Norwegian manufacturer of salmon-based ingredients for the human health and pet nutrition markets. With this partnership, Symrise wants to expand its presence in the health sector with clinically proven marine ingredients, the company said.
BASF India Ltd. has broken ground on a new plant to increase the production capacity of its Cellasto microcellular polyurethane (MCU) in Dahej, India.
Nouryon plans to expand its chromatography media manufacturing facility in Bohus, Sweden, doubling the site’s capacity. Construction will begin in early 2025, and the start of production is expected in early 2027, the company said.
Henkel recently announced the opening of its new Application Center in Busan, South Korea, marking a significant investment in the global sports & fashion industry.
US investment company Pritzker Private Capital (PPC) has agreed to acquire a majority stake in Americhem, a family-owned US manufacturer of custom color masterbatch, performance additive and engineered compound solutions.
US-based biotechnology company FibroGen announced the sale of its China subsidiary to AstraZeneca for approximately $160 million.
Following completion of the required social and corporate procedures, Sanofi and CD&R have signed the share purchase agreement for the sale of a 50% controlling stake in its consumer health business Opella to US private equity firm Clayton Dubilier & Rice (CD&R).
The Global Impact Coalition (GIC), a CEO-led collaborative platform originally incubated at the World Economic Forum, launches the world’s first Automotive Plastics Circularity pilot together with seven global leaders in the chemical and recycling industries.
German specialty chemicals company Lanxess inaugurated its India Application Development Center (IADC) in Mumbai.
EU Commission imposes heavy fine of €462.6 million on Teva for abuse of dominant market position.
TotalEnergies and Air Liquide have signed agreements to develop two projects in the Netherlands, for the production and delivery of some 45,000 t/y of green hydrogen produced using renewable power, generated mostly by the OranjeWind offshore wind farm, developed by TotalEnergies (50%) and RWE (50%).
South Korean chemicals group LG Chem plans to start production of bio-acrylic acid in the second quarter of this year. Initial production capacity will be 100 metric tons (MT) per year, with plans to expand as demand for environmentally friendly resources grows.
US clean technology company Gevo and French technology provider Axens have formed a new strategic alliance to accelerate development and commercialization of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) using the ethanol-to-jet (ETJ) pathway.
Fujifilm plans to invest approximately €25 million to install new production facilities for chemical mechanical planarization (CMP) slurries, which are used in advanced semiconductors, as well as enhance existing facilities for photolithography-related materials at its site in Antwerp, Belgium.
Novonesis has reached an agreement with its partner DSM-Firmenich to dissolve the Feed Enzyme Alliance and take over its sales and distribution activities, for a total cash payment of €1.5 billion. The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions.
Swiss drugmaker Novartis has agreed to acquire Anthos Therapeutics, a Boston, US-based biopharmaceutical company with its lead compound abelacimab, a late-stage medicine in development for the prevention of stroke and systemic embolism in patients with atrial fibrillation.
Global integrated energy group OQ announced that three companies, representing a combined investment of $42 million, will start operations at Oman’s Ladayn Polymer Park in early 2025.
Syensqo recently announced a strategic five-year partnership with Bota Bio, a global industrial biotechnology company specializing in biomanufactured, clean, and high-performance consumer products.
UK sustainable technologies group Johnson Matthey (JM) and German engineering giant Bosch have agreed on a long-term collaboration to develop and produce high-performance catalyst-coated membranes (CCMs) for use in hydrogen fuel cells.
US private equity company Bain Capital has agreed to acquire Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma Corp. (MTPC) from Mitsubishi Chemical Group Corp. in a deal that values the business at approximately 510 billion Japanese yen ($3.3 billion).
Oil giant BP announced plans to sell its refinery in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, operating under the name Ruhr Oel. The assets to be divested include the refinery in Gelsenkirchen and DHC Solvent Chemie in Mülheim an der Ruhr, Germany.
Jabil, a global provider of engineering, manufacturing, and supply chain solutions, has acquired Pharmaceutics International (Pii), a US contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) specializing in early-stage, clinical, and commercial volume aseptic filling, lyophilization, and oral solid dose manufacturing. Financial details of the transaction, which was completed on Feb. 3, 2025, were not given.
Air Products recently announced the appointment of Eduardo F. Menezes as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Air Products effective February 7, 2025, succeeding Seifollah (“Seifi”) Ghasemi, who is leaving the Company after more than 10 years of dedicated service.
Spanish energy and petrochemicals group Repsol has approved an investment of more than €800 million to build its Ecoplant in the area of Tarragona, Spain. The first of its kind in Europe, the facility will use urban waste to produce renewable fuels and circular products through gasification, the company said.
