Solvay Opens Microbiology Lab for Energy in UK
Solvay has opened a new advanced microlab for the energy sector at Oldbury in the UK.
News
Alexion Strengthens Genomics with LogicBio Buy
AstraZeneca’s rare disease arm Alexion has agreed to acquire LogicBio, a US clinical-stage specialist in genomic medicines.
Bloomberg Antipollution Fund Irks Industry
Michael Bloomberg’s $85 million campaign against the proliferation of large chemicals and plastics production complexes and the pollution they can cause has been praised by environmental advocacy groups but has not gone down well with representatives of the US industries.
Nouryon Expands Portfolio with ADOB Fertilizers Buy
Nouryon has agreed to buy ADOB Fertilizers, a Polish-based supplier of chelated micronutrients, foliars and other specialty fertilizers. The move will expand Nouryon’s product portfolio and broaden its offerings for customers in the crop nutrition market.
Azelis Acquires Italy’s Eurotrading
Azelis has entered into an agreement to buy Eurotrading, an Italian specialty chemicals distributor with an extensive product portfolio in actives, emollients and emulsifiers.
Merck Grants Sinopharm Rights to Covid Pills
US drugs giant Merck & Co has granted Sinopharm exclusive import and distribution rights to its oral Covid treatment Lagevrio (molnupiravir) in China.
Trinseo Consults Closure of German Styrene Unit
Trinseo is once again looking at the potential closure of its loss-making styrene production plant in Böhlen, Germany and is consulting with the local works council.
Solenis to Buy KLK Kolb’s Paper Process Chemicals
Solenis, globally oriented producer of specialty chemicals for water-intensive industries, has entered a definitive agreement with Kolb Distribution, part of KLK Kolb, to acquire Kolb’s paper process chemicals business. The deal is expected to close by the end of Q1 2023, subject to regulatory approval and customary closing conditions.
Green Hydrogen Is the Way out of the Energy Crisis
Green hydrogen is experiencing an enormous upswing in the current energy crisis. The increased demand will be difficult to meet on a local level. So, right on time, the Port of Antwerp-Bruges is preparing to bring large quantities of the climate-friendly energy carrier from non-European countries to Western Europe.
GSK Names Julie Brown as First Female CFO
From next year, GSK’s top management will be led by a double female team, a pioneering move for the global pharmaceutical industry. The UK drugs giant this week announced the appointment of Julie Brown, the first woman to be its chief financial officer.
GSK Names Julie Brown as first female CFO
From next year, GSK’s top management will be led by a double female team, a pioneering move for the global pharmaceutical industry. The UK drugs giant this week announced the appointment of Julie Brown, the first woman to be its chief financial officer.
Arkema Ups Expansion Plans for Pebax Elastomers
Arkema has boosted its previously announced expansion plans for Pebax elastomer at its Serquigny site in France. The company will now increase capacity by 40% rather than the 25% it announced in January this year.
US Biotech Calyxt Considers Strategic Alternatives
The board of directors at US plant-based synthetic biology company Calyxt is evaluating potential strategic alternatives to maximize shareholder value, the company announced on Sept. 22. Options may include financing alternatives, merger, reverse merger, other business combinations, an asset sale or licensing. A timescale for completing the process has not yet been disclosed.
Transition Pathways toward CO2 Neutrality
Chemical parks are locations of intensive value creation. They are a driver for sustainable development with a high economic, ecological and social impact.
Umicore and VW Arm Establish European Battery JV
Belgian chemical producer and recycler Umicore and PowerCo, the newly created battery company of the Volkswagen (VW) group, have officially founded their envisioned joint venture to produce precursor and cathode materials for VW’s European vehicle fleet.
Lonza Completes HPAPI Expansion at Visp
Lonza has completed of the expansion of its Highly Potent API (HPAPI) multipurpose suite at the Basel-based CDMO’s alpine production site in Visp, Switzerland, adding development and manufacturing capacity for ADC payloads.
Borealis Sells Rosier Stake to Yildirim
Borealis has agreed to sell its 98.09% stake in Belgian fertilizer producer Rosier to Turkey’s Yildirim Group. The proposed deal puts an enterprise value of €35 million on Rosier.
Iberdrola Solar Facility to Power Solvay’s Plants
Solvay is linking up with Spanish energy supplier Iberdrola in a project that will provide green electricity for its plants in Tavaux and Saint Fons, France.
Germany Inks new Middle East Gas Deals
After months of difficult negotiations, Germany’s coalition government has reached initial agreements with Qatar and the United Arab Emirates for the supply of liquefied natural gas (LNG) to help close energy gaps following the shutdown of pipelines from Russia.
Corteva Buys Spanish Microbiological Expert
US agricultural company Corteva, which combines businesses formerly belonging to DuPont, Dow and Pioneer, has agreed to buy Symborg, an expert in microbiological technologies based in Murcia, Spain. Financial terms were not disclosed.
Arkema Joins PET Recycling Project
French chemicals and materials company Arkema is participating in a Spanish consortium to explore and advance the recyclability of post-consumer polyester resin (PET from bottles and other items) in order to regain monomers for use in more sustainable powder coatings.
New Specialty Life Science Player Actylis Debuts
US specialty materials manufacturer Aceto and 10 other companies with business operations in North America, Europe, India and China have merged into a new cross-industry player called Actylis, under the umbrella of private equity investor New Mountain Capital.
Unilever Chief to Quit sooner after failed GSK Bid
British-multinational consumer products giant Unilever has announced that its chief executive, Alan Jope, will retire at the end of 2023. The potentially earlier than planned departure announcement had been anticipated.
Bloomberg Funds Program to Block US Petchem Projects
Michael Bloomberg, the founder of US-based financial, software, data and media group Bloomberg LP and a United Nations special envoy on climate ambition and solutions, has launched a campaign to stop the expansion of petrochemicals and plastics production in the US.
Celanese Makes Concessions on DuPont Acquisition
Celanese has offered concessions to EU regulators to allay concerns about its proposed $11 billion acquisition of DuPont’s Mobility and Materials business, according to Reuters.
Olon Expands Indian API Capabilities
Italian API producer Olon has announced plans to install a new high-containment production line at its site in Mahad, India.
BASF Licenses RiKarbon’s Bio-based Emollient Technology
BASF has entered into an exclusive licensing deal with US start-up RiKarbon to commercialize the latter’s proprietary emollient technology.
Consortium Plans Carbon Capture in Singapore
Air Liquide, Chevron, PetroChina and Keppel Infrastructure are planning to form a consortium that will explore the development of large-scale carbon capture, utilization and sequestration (CCUS) solutions and integrated infrastructure in Singapore.
Bachem Secures Major Peptide Contracts
Bachem, a Swiss specialist developer and manufacturer of peptides and oligonucleotides, has announced the signing of two major contracts for supplying large volumes of peptides over the next two years. The orders are worth 25 million and 150 million Swiss francs for 2023 and 2024, respectively.
SABIC at K Show 2022
During this year’s K show, SABIC will highlight its commitment to circular, sustainable solutions designed to reduce plastic waste and support the shift to product electrification.
Syngenta and Bioceres Collaborate on Crops
Swiss-based and Chinese-owned agrochemicals company Syngenta has entered into a global commercial and R&D collaboration with Bioceres, a US-based provider of biological inoculants. Implementation of the agreement is subject to regulatory clearances.
Roquette Acquires Indian Excipient Manufacturer
Roquette, a French-based provider of pharmaceutical and nutraceutical excipients, has acquired Crest Cellulose, an Indian excipient manufacturer, reinforcing its presence in India and Asia.
Solvay Expands French Rare Earths Site
Solvay has announced plans to expand its rare earths operations in La Rochelle, France, in order to enter the permanent magnets sector in Europe and serve customers in the fast-growing electric vehicle, wind power and electronics markets.
Neste Studies Porvoo Shift to Renewable, Circular Feedstocks
Finnish oil refiner Neste has launched a study on transforming its Porvoo facility to renewables and circular feedstocks, ending crude oil refining in the mid-2030s.
Topsoe and First Ammonia in Electrolyzer Agreement
Haldor Topsoe and First Ammonia have entered into a capacity reservation agreement that they said will kickstart the global market for green ammonia.
