- Email: [email protected]
Verenium licenses enzyme to Bunge
FOCUS €39.3 M (Jan-Sep 2009: €22.4 M). EBITDA was negative, at -€3.6 M (Jan-Sep 2009: -€7.9 M), as was the EBIT, at -€5.7 M (Jan-Sep 2009: -€9.7 M). Key financial data are tabulated. This Business Unit is enjoying a distinct recovery from the drop in demand caused by the recession in 2009. The Battery Materials Industry Group recorded a marked increase in revenue. Results were affected by the high, but scheduled, start-up costs caused by expanding the Battery Materials operations. As of 30 Sep 2010, this Business Unit employed 186 personnel (30 Sep 2009: 175). Süd-Chemie Report 3Q 2010, 27 Oct 2010, 7 (SüdChemie AG, Lenbachplatz 6, 80333 Munich, Germany. Tel: +49 89 5110 0. Fax: +49 89 5110 375. Website: http://www.sud-chemie.com)
OEP to quit Süd-Chemie One Equity Partners (OEP) is preparing to pull out of Süd-Chemie. This is expected to happen in 2011. An extensive listing on the stock exchange would be possible, but a sale to a strategic investor is also conceivable. The exit of OEP offers opportunities to Süd-Chemie. A concomitant increase in capital could bring in fresh capital for investment in future technologies. Süd-Chemie is one of the leaders in batteries for electric vehicles and holds important patents for the production of synthetic fuels from biomass. Süd’s share price values it at €1.2 bn. The company now expects sales to rise by up to 10% in 2010, rather than the 5% forecast earlier. Sales fell from €1.2 bn to €1.1 bn in 2009. Operating profits will increase 10% in 2010. SüdChemie expects to supply 600 tonnes of lithium-ion cathodes for electric car batteries in 2010. It is erecting a €60 M 2500 tonne/y plant in Canada. But this is just the beginning. Handelsblatt Wirtschafts- und Finanzzeitung, 5 Oct 2010, (192), 20 (in German)
Petrobras and Novozymes partner on cellulosic ethanol Petrobras and Novozymes have entered an agreement to develop a new route to produce second generation biofuel from sugarcane bagasse. The agreement covers the development of enzymes and production processes to produce
DECEMBER 2010
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second generation lignocellulosic ethanol from bagasse in an enzymatic process. The commercial potential of cellulosic ethanol in Brazil is substantial due to the great amount of sugarcane bagasse, a fibrous residue of sugarcane production, available in the country. Brazil is the world’s largest sugarcane producer with an extraction capacity of approximately 600 M tonne/y, currently yielding 27 bn litres (7 bn gallons) of ethanol. It is estimated that bagasse-to-ethanol technology can increase the country’s ethanol production by some 40% without having to increase the crop area. Novozymes is already carrying out research on enzymes to convert bagasse to cellulosic ethanol in order to make the process commercially viable. Since 2006 Petrobras has been carrying out research on integrated biochemical processes for converting sugarcane bagasse to ethanol. Chemical Week, 25 Oct 2010, 172 (26), 4 & Press release from: Novozymes A/S, Krogshojvej 36, 2880 Bagsvaerd, Denmark. Tel: +45 4446 0000. Fax: +45 4446 9999. E-mail: [email protected]. Website: http://www.novozymes.com (15 Oct 2010)
Rive Technology Inc has an agreement with WR Grace Rive Technology Inc and WR Grace & Co have agreed to co-develop and commercialize Rive’s proprietary zeolite technology for application in catalysts used in fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) processes at petroleum refineries. Under the deal, the partners will jointly develop, produce, and distribute catalysts integrating Rive’s technology worldwide. Rive’s proprietary technology enables zeolite refining catalysts that are more accessible to hydrocarbon molecules, leading to higher generation of transportation fuels and less coke. This improved catalytic performance potentially benefits refiners by enhancing refinery throughput, allowing handling of heavier crude oil, and optimizing output of high quality fuels. Hydrocarbon Processing, Sep 2010, 89 (9), 7
Verenium licenses enzyme to Bunge Massachusetts-based Verenium has licensed to Bunge Oils, a Bunge Ltd subsidiary, a lipase enzyme for edible oil that the two companies jointly
developed. Under the agreement, Verenium will handle discovery and optimization of novel enzymes for making edible oil products with improved nutritional profiles. Bunge intends to exploit the enzyme to commercialize edible oil products such as cooking oils. Chemical Week, 18 Oct 2010 (Website: http://www.chemweek.com)
NEW PLANTS Albemarle starts capital investment in Yeosu USA-based Albemarle has embarked on its biggest capital investment in Yeosu, South Korea, where R&D and pilot plant equipment are already in place for modification to allow production of pilot samples of metallocene catalysts. Commercial production will start in mid-2011, following customer qualification exercises in 2010. The company will commence trimethyl gallium production in early 2011 and will phase in other high purity metal organics during 2011. Chemistry and Industry (London), 11 Oct 2010, (19), 13 & Press release from: Albemarle Corp, Baton Rouge Tower, 451 Florida Street, Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70801, USA. Tel: +1 800 535 3030, or +1 225 388 7402. Fax: +1 225 388 7686. Website: http://www.albemarle.com (20 Oct 2010)
BASF begins upgrade of North American catalyst manufacturing operations BASF Corp is revamping its production operations for copper-chrome catalysts at its Erie, PA, and Elyria, OH, sites. The company’s catalyst arm has initiated a number of capital investment projects to re-engineer, retrofit and further automate the two sites. The projects will be completed in stages through early-2011. Chemical Engineering (New York), Sep 2010, 117 (9), 63
Nippon Shokubai to boost its zirconiasheet capacity by 50% Nippon Shokubai has begun work on a project to increase production capacity for its zirconia sheets at its Himeji site in Japan, from the current 2 M/y sheets to 3 M/y sheets by
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OEP to quit Süd-Chemie One Equity Partners (OEP) is preparing to pull out of Süd-Chemie. This is expected to happen in 2011. An extensive listing on the stock exchange would be possible, but a sale to a strategic investor is also conceivable. The exit of OEP offers opportunities to Süd-Chemie. A concomitant increase in capital could bring in fresh capital for investment in future technologies. Süd-Chemie is one of the leaders in batteries for electric vehicles and holds important patents for the production of synthetic fuels from biomass. Süd’s share price values it at €1.2 bn. The company now expects sales to rise by up to 10% in 2010, rather than the 5% forecast earlier. Sales fell from €1.2 bn to €1.1 bn in 2009. Operating profits will increase 10% in 2010. SüdChemie expects to supply 600 tonnes of lithium-ion cathodes for electric car batteries in 2010. It is erecting a €60 M 2500 tonne/y plant in Canada. But this is just the beginning. Handelsblatt Wirtschafts- und Finanzzeitung, 5 Oct 2010, (192), 20 (in German)
Petrobras and Novozymes partner on cellulosic ethanol Petrobras and Novozymes have entered an agreement to develop a new route to produce second generation biofuel from sugarcane bagasse. The agreement covers the development of enzymes and production processes to produce
DECEMBER 2010
ON
C ATA LY S T S
second generation lignocellulosic ethanol from bagasse in an enzymatic process. The commercial potential of cellulosic ethanol in Brazil is substantial due to the great amount of sugarcane bagasse, a fibrous residue of sugarcane production, available in the country. Brazil is the world’s largest sugarcane producer with an extraction capacity of approximately 600 M tonne/y, currently yielding 27 bn litres (7 bn gallons) of ethanol. It is estimated that bagasse-to-ethanol technology can increase the country’s ethanol production by some 40% without having to increase the crop area. Novozymes is already carrying out research on enzymes to convert bagasse to cellulosic ethanol in order to make the process commercially viable. Since 2006 Petrobras has been carrying out research on integrated biochemical processes for converting sugarcane bagasse to ethanol. Chemical Week, 25 Oct 2010, 172 (26), 4 & Press release from: Novozymes A/S, Krogshojvej 36, 2880 Bagsvaerd, Denmark. Tel: +45 4446 0000. Fax: +45 4446 9999. E-mail: [email protected]. Website: http://www.novozymes.com (15 Oct 2010)
Rive Technology Inc has an agreement with WR Grace Rive Technology Inc and WR Grace & Co have agreed to co-develop and commercialize Rive’s proprietary zeolite technology for application in catalysts used in fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) processes at petroleum refineries. Under the deal, the partners will jointly develop, produce, and distribute catalysts integrating Rive’s technology worldwide. Rive’s proprietary technology enables zeolite refining catalysts that are more accessible to hydrocarbon molecules, leading to higher generation of transportation fuels and less coke. This improved catalytic performance potentially benefits refiners by enhancing refinery throughput, allowing handling of heavier crude oil, and optimizing output of high quality fuels. Hydrocarbon Processing, Sep 2010, 89 (9), 7
Verenium licenses enzyme to Bunge Massachusetts-based Verenium has licensed to Bunge Oils, a Bunge Ltd subsidiary, a lipase enzyme for edible oil that the two companies jointly
developed. Under the agreement, Verenium will handle discovery and optimization of novel enzymes for making edible oil products with improved nutritional profiles. Bunge intends to exploit the enzyme to commercialize edible oil products such as cooking oils. Chemical Week, 18 Oct 2010 (Website: http://www.chemweek.com)
NEW PLANTS Albemarle starts capital investment in Yeosu USA-based Albemarle has embarked on its biggest capital investment in Yeosu, South Korea, where R&D and pilot plant equipment are already in place for modification to allow production of pilot samples of metallocene catalysts. Commercial production will start in mid-2011, following customer qualification exercises in 2010. The company will commence trimethyl gallium production in early 2011 and will phase in other high purity metal organics during 2011. Chemistry and Industry (London), 11 Oct 2010, (19), 13 & Press release from: Albemarle Corp, Baton Rouge Tower, 451 Florida Street, Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70801, USA. Tel: +1 800 535 3030, or +1 225 388 7402. Fax: +1 225 388 7686. Website: http://www.albemarle.com (20 Oct 2010)
BASF begins upgrade of North American catalyst manufacturing operations BASF Corp is revamping its production operations for copper-chrome catalysts at its Erie, PA, and Elyria, OH, sites. The company’s catalyst arm has initiated a number of capital investment projects to re-engineer, retrofit and further automate the two sites. The projects will be completed in stages through early-2011. Chemical Engineering (New York), Sep 2010, 117 (9), 63
Nippon Shokubai to boost its zirconiasheet capacity by 50% Nippon Shokubai has begun work on a project to increase production capacity for its zirconia sheets at its Himeji site in Japan, from the current 2 M/y sheets to 3 M/y sheets by
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