Solvay is collaborating with two companies to collect and reuse the limestone residues from its soda ash production in Rosignano, Italy. The move will enable the residues to be reused in construction and agriculture.
Swedish multinational CDMO Recipharm has bolstered its sterile filling capabilities at its facility in Kaysersberg, France, by installing Lab+ continuous automated technology.
Indian chemical plant contractor Nuberg EPC has been tapped to build a 250 t/d chlor-alkali plant planned by Indian chemical major Chemfab Alkalis at Karaikal, Puducherry.
The newly launched bivalent mRNA-based Covid-19 booster shots from Moderna and Pfizer/BioNTech did not show a major improvement over the companies’ first-generation vaccines targeting the original strain, a small US study conducted by Columbia University and the University of Michigan has found. Detailed data have not yet been released.
Together with compatriot project partner OQ Chemicals, Germany’s Röhm has broken ground on a new world-scale methyl methacrylate (MMA) plant it is building at OQ Chemicals’ Bay City, Texas site.
Ineos’ vinyls business Inovyn has rebranded as Ineos Inovyn with effect from Oct. 21. At the same time, Inovyn’s hydrogen business has been renamed Ineos Hydrogen.
Dutch CDMO Symeres has acquired Exemplify Biopharma, a US-based contract research organization (CRO) based in Cranbury, New Jersey, USA. The deal further strengthens Symeres’ foothold in the US, where it already generates about 50% of its revenues.
Catalent has announced a $12 million expansion program to increase biologics CGMP analytical capabilities at its flagship facility in Kansas City, Missouri.
The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced additional actions to phase down the use of ozone-depleting hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), lending a boost to president Joe Biden’s agenda for combating climate change.
Vopak Singapore is considering expanding its ammonia infrastructure in response to growing demand for sustainable energy. The expansion at its Banyan terminal would include full import and export capabilities for low-carbon power generation and bunker fuels.
The European Commission proposed last month an emergency intervention in Europe’s energy markets to address recent dramatic price rises as the EU faces the effects of a severe mismatch between energy demand and supply. What is in the proposal?
Italy’s SABO, a producer of polymer additives, cosmetics ingredients and specialized products for a variety of zootechnical and industrial applications, is acquiring the TAA derivatives business of Germany’s Evonik, including two production sites at Marl, Germany, and Liaoyang, China.
Italmatch, an Italian multinational specialty chemicals company, has started building a second flame retardants manufacturing plant in China. The expansion will expand capacity of the compay’s Phoslite range, which is based on inorganic phosphinates.
Canadian pharma Sunshine Biopharma has taken over compatriot company Nora Pharma for C$30 million.
In response to what it describes as a “challenging macroeconomic environment” marked by continuing erosion of consumer sentiment in Europe and the lack of any meaningful recovery in Asia following the Covid-19 lockdowns in the first half of 2022, US plastics producer Trinseo said it is evaluating its asset footprint to improve its economic position and operating flexibility.
Ineos Enterprises has agreed to acquire Ashta Chemicals from Bigshire Mexico for an undisclosed sum. The deal that includes a 100,000 kg/y potassium hydroxide (KOH) and a 65,000 t/y chlorine plant, is targeted to close before the end of 2022, subject to regulatory approvals.
Specialty ingredients and chemicals distributor Univar Solutions has added pharmaceutical ingredient laboratories at four of its flagship centers around the world: in Houston, Texas, USA; Osasco, Sao Paulo, Brazil; Mexico City, Mexico; and Essen, Germany.
Having survived the pandemic so far in good condition, chemical distributors are well positioned to grow, provided they understand how the rules for winning have changed. Distributors that keep their customers’ needs front and center will be best positioned to succeed, regardless of what the future brings.
ExxonMobil, LyondellBasell and Cyclyx International have agreed to jointly establish a plastic waste sorting and processing facility in Houston, Texas, USA, providing feedstock for both mechanical and advanced recycling technologies.
South Korea’s LG Chem is to acquire US biopharma Aveo Oncology for an equity value of $566 million. Based in Boston, Massachusetts, Aveo is focused on developing cancer treatments.
The European Public Prosecutors Office (EPPO) has confirmed that it is looking into the EU Commission’s ordering of Covid-19 vaccines, with the probe thought to pertain in particular to order activity outside the usual purchasing channels.
As QatarEnergy works to expand its gas production and trading operations amid a surge in global demand, it has stressed that it will not divert liquefied natural gas (LNG) contracted with Asian buyers to Europe as some governments had hoped.
Lilly has agreed to acquire Akouos, a precision genetic medicine company that is developing gene therapy treatments for hearing loss. Both companies’ boards have approved the deal, which is expected to close in the fourth quarter and cost Lilly up to $610 million.
Ineos O&P Europe, the olefins and polyolefins arm of the Ineos group that steers its European business, will invest €30 million to convert existing capacity at its polyethylene plant at in Lillo in the Port of Antwerp to either monomodal or bimodal grades of high-density polyethylene (HDPE).
Bodo Möller Chemie has acquired Portuguese distributor Anmapi for an undisclosed sum. Located in Valbom, Gondomar (Porto) – north of Lisbon – Anmapi supplies Henkel’s brand of Bonderite cleaners and corrosion protection products for the metal industry in Southern Europe.
Purolite, a US manufacturer of ion exchange resins that is also part of Ecolab, has opened up a new facility in Llantrisant, Wales, tripling its bioprocessing resin production. The company said the extra output will meet growing global demand for biopharmaceutical products.
Every year, the chemical industry sees hundreds of mergers and acquisitions (M&A). Traditional M&A drivers, such as consolidation and portfolio extension, are still important. But many transactions also show that the nature of M&A is evolving, as chemical companies look for ways to contend with ongoing volatility and move to a more sustainable future.
The increasing complexity in drug development and the highly competitive industry landscape are creating a dramatic shift in how pharmaceutical and biotech companies plan for and execute drug development and production.
Many chemical executives say their companies have made significant progress in their digitalization efforts in the last two years – and they are even more excited about it now.
Many chemical executives say their companies have made significant progress in their digitalization efforts in the last two years – and they are even more excited about it now.
Saudi Arabia’s ACWA Power is partnering Korea Electric Power Corp. to jointly develop green hydrogen/ammonia projects. The companies propose to work on projects in the Middle East and other agreed geographies, including decarbonizing KEP’s operations in South Korea.
US drugmaker Merck & Co is going ahead with plans to develop a therapeutic cancer vaccine called mRNA-4157 together with Covid vaccine maker Moderna. This fulfills an agreement first signed in 2016 and amended in 2018.
French energy giant TotalEnergies has signed an agreement with waste management and advanced recycling specialist Indaver covering offtake of petrochemical feedstock generated from the Belgian company’s advanced recycling of mixed polyolefins waste.
Romanian oil group OMV Petrom is investing €130 million to add an aromatics plant at its Petrobrazi refinery. The new unit, to be installed over the next three years, will replace an existing facility that started production in 1961.
Swiss distributor DKSH is poised to acquire North American specialty chemicals distributor Terra Firma, expanding the platform of its Performance Materials business unit to the US and Canada.
