PPG Expands in Mexico and USA
PPG has announced separate projects in Mexico and the US to expand capacity for powder coatings and adhesives and sealants respectively.
News
Borealis Retendering Belgian PDH Plant Contracts
Borealis has announced it will retender the majority of contracts for its PDH plant under construction at Kallo, Belgium, after slashing all ties with Italian-French joint venture IREM, a contractor based at Siracusa in Italy.
Bavarian Nordic Struggles to Supply Monkeypox Shot
To meet surging global demand for its Jynneos-branded monkeypox vaccine, Danish biotech Bavarian Nordic (BN) is pulling out all stops. Strategies include outsourcing production of other vaccines to CDMOs and exploring the reuse of millions of doses that have technically expired but are still viable.
ACG to Launch German Process Laboratory
After establishing its first-to-market laboratory for process development in India, ACG, an integrated solutions provider for pharmaceutical companies, now plans to launch a sister process lab in Germany in 2023.
WuXi STA Breaks Ground on US Pharma Campus
Chinese contract research, development and manufacturing organization WuXi STA, a subsidiary of WuXi AppTec, has broken ground on a new pharmaceutical campus in Middletown, Delaware, USA.
Brenntag Buys UK Surfactants Business
Brenntag has acquired Prime Surfactants in the UK for an undisclosed sum. Headquartered in Leeds, the company is a leading distributor of surfactant specialties for the personal care and household, industrial & institutional (HI&I) industries, among other segments, in the UK.
US Chemical Producers Sue EPA over new PFAS Limits
American Chemistry Council (ACC), the industry association representing US chemical producers, is suing the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) over its Lifetime Health Advisories (LHAs) for per-fluoroalkyl and poly-fluoroalkyl chemicals (PFAS).
CureVac and GSK launch Phase 1 for Covid Booster
CureVac and GSK have announced they are launching a Phase 1 clinical trial with their modified mRNA-based Covid 19 vaccine CV051, which would be recommended as a booster to protect against the omicron variant.
Bayer Rolls out US Digital Farming Platform
Under the name ForGround, Bayer is rolling out a US digital farming platform designed to help US growers use environmentally friendly practices and connect them with companies seeking more sustainable food, feed and biofuel ingredients.
Maersk and China’s Debo Partner on Methanol
Danish shipping giant A.P. Moller-Maersk has signed a Letter of Intent with Chinese bioenergy enterprise Debo to take the full output of its proposed green methanol plant.
Gas Constraints Pressure Chemical Industry
Just as the outlook for gas supply to Germany appeared somewhat brighter, at the end of last week Russian gas giant Gazprom announced it would shut down the pipeline NordStream 1 from Aug. 31 to Sept. 2 to carry out repairs.
Azelis Makes Another Move in Turkey
Azelis has agreed to buy Turkish specialty chemicals distributor Dağalti Kauçuk San, marking its third acquisition in the country so far this year.
Wood Wins Uzbekistan MTO Work
British engineering and consulting group Wood has won two contracts from Uzbek contractor Enter Engineering for projects in the Central Asian country. The contracts together are worth more than $200 million.
Evonik to Expand Matting Agents in Taiwan
Evonik is expanding production capacity for its Acematt-branded matting agents at its site in Taiwan.
Bayer Hires US Lobby Firm on Drug Issues
Germany’s Bayer has hired US lobby firm Williams & Jensen to aid its campaign for continued access to contraceptives.
Baker Hughes Opens Chemicals Plant in Singapore
US energy technology company Baker Hughes has opened a new oilfield services chemicals manufacturing facility in Singapore, boosting its local capabilities and expanding its presence in Asia.
Rentschler Appoints Mark Caswell as Vice President, US Facility Site Head
Rentschler Biopharma has appointed Mark Caswell as Vice President and Site Head. He joined Rentschler in July 2022 and is managing all operations at the company’s US facilities in Milford, MA.
Germany’s Merck to Acquire Mecaro’s Chemicals Arm
German chemicals, pharmaceuticals and life science group Merck has signed a definitive agreement to acquire the chemical business of Mecaro, a manufacturer of heater blocks for heating wafers in the semiconductor process or glasses in the LCD (liquid crystal display) process, along with chemical precursors for semiconductors.
Eurotecnica Wins China Melamine Project
Italian contractor Eurotecnica has won a contract from China’s Xinji Energy Chemical to build a high-pressure melamine plant.
Avient Divests Distribution to H.I.G. Capital
Avient, a US-based multinational specialized polymer materials manufacturer, has agreed to sell its distribution business to an affiliate of private equity group H.I.G. Capital for $950 million in cash.
GreenLight and Samsung Achieve Commercial mRNA Run
The strategic partnership of Boston-based US biotech GreenLight Biosciences and Korean CDMO Samsung Biologics has completed the first commercial-scale engineering run for its mRNA production.
New US Law Spells Changes for Drugs and Emissions
Both houses of the US Congress have passed the White House’s $430 billion bill, which could decisively shape issues as diverse as pharmaceutical pricing and greenhouse gas emissions.
Kao Expands Synthetic Fragrance in Spain
Japan’s Kao Corp. is planning to double capacity of synthetic fragrance methyl dihydrojasmonate (MDJ) at its plant in Spain as it aims to expand market share in Europe for the jasmine-scented product.
J&J to Pull Talc-based Baby Powder Worldwide
Johnson & Johnson is finally pulling the plug on its iconic talc-based baby powder worldwide.
Mitsubishi Chemical Hikes UK EVOH Capacity
Mitsubishi Chemical is planning to increase production of its Soarnol ethylene vinyl alcohol copolymer (EVOH) resin at Saltend in the UK.
Solenis Expands Water Treatment Portfolio with Clearon Buy
US specialty chemicals company Solenis has entered into an agreement to buy Clearon, a compatriot manufacturer of sanitizers and disinfectants for water treatment and household, industrial and institutional applications. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Lilly Fined for Medicaid Violation
A US federal court has ordered Eli Lilly to pay over $61 million in damages after whistleblower Ronald Streck filed a lawsuit alleging that the drugmaker had underpaid rebates required under the Medicaid program.
Covestro Selling Additive Manufacturing to Stratasys
German engineering plastics producer Covestro has signed a definitive agreement to sell its Additive Manufacturing Business to US 3D printing specialist Stratasys for about €43 million. Closing of the deal is expected for the first quarter of 2023.
Sartorius to Acquire Albumedix for £415 Million
Göttingen, Germany-based life science group Sartorius, through its French-listed subgroup Sartorius Stedim Biotech, plans to acquire all shares of Nottingham, England’s Albumedix, a specialist in recombinant albumin-based solutions, for about £415 million.
Worley Wins Texas PTA/PET Project
American Australian engineering group Worley has won two contracts from Corpus Christi Polymers (CCP) to build an integrated PTA/PET plant in Corpus Christi, Texas, USA.
Borealis Confirms Squeeze-Out Offer for Rosier
Borealis has confirmed its intention to launch a squeeze-out offer for Belgian fertilizer producer Rosier. It already held 77.5% of Rosier and raised its shareholding to 98.09% through a capital increase late last month.
Catalent to Buy Metrics Contract Services
CDMO heavyweight Catalent is acquiring compatriot Metrics Contract Services, a full-service specialty CDMO with a facility in Greenville, North Carolina, for $475 million. Mayne Pharma Group is the seller.
BASF Pushes Renewable Energy in US
As one of the BASF group’s latest steps to increase sustainability and move closer to net zero emissions, US subsidiary BASF Corporation is embracing one of the newest instruments popular with US industry, virtual power purchase agreements (VPPAs).
Wood Wins Ineos Petchem Contract
British multinational engineering and consulting group Wood has won a contract worth more than $100 million to provide engineering and construction management services to Ineos’ proposed cracker complex in Antwerp, Belgium.
Thermo Fisher Completes Expansion at Grand Island
Thermo Fisher Scientific has completed the planned expansion of its US dry powder media manufacturing capacity in Grand Island, New York, which it said is designed to meet increasing global demand for cell culture media used in the manufacturing of new vaccines and biologics.
