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Albemarle reports record quarterly sales, income, and EPS in 1Q 2011
FOCUS Pacific’s vitamins market, the fastest growing fermentation chemicals market, is projected to top the $1 bn market by 2015. (Editor’s note: “fermentation chemicals” is a portmanteau term that embraces both enzymes and the products of enzymic reactions such as ethanol and citric acid). Chemical Business (India), Jan 2011, 25 (1), 66-67 (Website: http://www.printsjournals.com/)
Rhodium price rises after creation of ETF The price of rhodium, which is an essential element in autocats, rose by 20% after an Exchange Traded Fund had been created for it by Deutsche Bank last week. Financial Times (London), 1 Jun 2011, 32
Better FT catalysts Fischer-Tropsch (FT) synthesis is experiencing a revival with the launch of a number of FT-based projects across the globe. These projects are intended for the production of fuels and chemicals using crude oil alternatives such as natural gas, coal, and biomass. As a result, FT catalyst production is on a rise. Over the next 20 years, fuels with various chemical co-products using FT synthesis for the production of gas-to-liquid (GTL), coal-to-liquid (CTL), and biomass-to-liquid (BTL) are set to emerge as the fastest growing energy sector in the world. By 2030, GTL capacity could increase to several millions barrels a day of oil equivalent, from about 300,000 bbl/day in 2011, almost 2 M bbl/day of CTL and a few million barrels per day of BTL. Before this projected output is achieved, FT catalyst producers must resolve several technology hurdles. One factor hindering FT projects from reaching the commercial phase is the difficulty in realizing perfect harmony between the various phases of FT synthesis. Outside South Africa, there are only a handful of FT projects that are full industrial-scale operations. One of the major FT projects is Shell’s Pearl GTL in Qatar. Pearl GTL is set to begin full operations in 2012 with a capacity of 260,000 bbl/day of lubricants, naphtha, and fuels. Chemistry and Industry (London), 9 May 2011, (9) (Website: http://www.chemind.org)
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COMPANY NEWS Albemarle reports record quarterly sales, income, and EPS in 1Q 2011 Albemarle Corp reported 1Q ended Mar 2011 earnings of $106.6 M, or $1.15/share, compared to 1Q 2010 earnings of $63.3 M, or 69 cts/share. Polymer Solutions delivered net sales of $258.2 M in 1Q 2011, a 19% increase over net sales in 1Q 2010, due primarily to favourable pricing. Catalysts generated net sales of $261 M in 1Q 2011, a 15% increase over net sales in 1Q 2010, due primarily to higher volumes and favourable pricing. PR Newswire, 19 Apr 2011 (Website: http://www.prnewswire.com)
Albemarle expands its biofuels catalyst portfolio by acquiring Catilin Albemarle Corp has expanded its presence in the biofuels market with the acquisition of Catilin Inc. Based in Ames, IA, Catilin is a technology leader in the development and application of heterogeneous biodiesel catalysis. PR Newswire, 11 May 2011 (Website: http://www.prnewswire.com) & Chemistry and Industry (London), 6 Jun 2011, (11), 13 (Website: http://www.chemind.org)
Alcoa to partner with Codexis and CO2 Solution in carbon capture Alcoa announced a new pilot programme, in collaboration with Codexis Inc and CO2 Solution Inc, focused on carbon capture technology designed to sequester industrial carbon emissions, neutralizing the material to create a commercially viable product. The project is the latest innovation from the world’s leading aluminium producer and will be funded by Alcoa, along with approximately $13.5 M in funding from the US Department of Energy received from an award with the National Energy Technology Laboratory. This funding was made available by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The pilot programme, part of Alcoa’s ongoing commitment to enhance its operational sustainability, will use an innovative and proprietary in-duct scrubber technology to capture
emissions. The collaboration is intended to devise solutions that treat and utilize a primary by-product of the aluminium manufacturing process known as alkaline clay, or bauxite residue, as well as other alkaline industrial residues. This pilot project will test a scrubbing process that combines treated flue gas, enzymes, and alkaline clay to create a mineral-rich neutralized product that could be used for environmental reclamation projects. Press release from: Alcoa Inc, 1600 Harvard Ave, Cleveland, OH 44105 3092, USA. Tel: +1 216-641 3600. Website: http://www.alcoa.com (7 Apr 2011)
Almac introduces selectAZyme Almac’s biocatalysis business continues its strong growth and boosts its visibility with the launch of the selectAZyme Brand. As expected, Almac’s biocatalysis business has expanded from its 2009 launch with the sale of six enzyme screening kits, to the current supply of hundreds of kilograms of chiral intermediates for drug manufacture, regular enzyme supply to speciality chemical companies, and continued growth of its screening kits offering. Almac is providing a diverse, A-Z range of enzymes including reductases, transaminases, hydrolases, nitrilases, and many others. Almac enzymes are used in the A-Z of applications from medicinal chemistry to full production and in the manufacture of speciality chemicals. PR Newswire, 4 May 2011 (Website: http://www.prnewswire.com)
BP and Davy to collaborate with engineers on FT UK companies BP and Davy Process Technology have inked a collaboration agreement with engineering contractors CB&I Lummus UK, USbased Jacobs Engineering Group, and The Shaw Group of the USA, to licence and bring to market their Fischer Tropsch gas-to-liquids technology. Successfully demonstrated at a 300 bbl/day complex in Nikiski, AK, USA, the technology allows conversion of synthesis gas from biomass, natural gas, or coal into liquid hydrocarbons including diesel, naptha, and jet fuel. ICIS Chemical Business, 9 May 2011 (Website: http://icischemicalbusiness.com)
JULY 2011
Rhodium price rises after creation of ETF The price of rhodium, which is an essential element in autocats, rose by 20% after an Exchange Traded Fund had been created for it by Deutsche Bank last week. Financial Times (London), 1 Jun 2011, 32
Better FT catalysts Fischer-Tropsch (FT) synthesis is experiencing a revival with the launch of a number of FT-based projects across the globe. These projects are intended for the production of fuels and chemicals using crude oil alternatives such as natural gas, coal, and biomass. As a result, FT catalyst production is on a rise. Over the next 20 years, fuels with various chemical co-products using FT synthesis for the production of gas-to-liquid (GTL), coal-to-liquid (CTL), and biomass-to-liquid (BTL) are set to emerge as the fastest growing energy sector in the world. By 2030, GTL capacity could increase to several millions barrels a day of oil equivalent, from about 300,000 bbl/day in 2011, almost 2 M bbl/day of CTL and a few million barrels per day of BTL. Before this projected output is achieved, FT catalyst producers must resolve several technology hurdles. One factor hindering FT projects from reaching the commercial phase is the difficulty in realizing perfect harmony between the various phases of FT synthesis. Outside South Africa, there are only a handful of FT projects that are full industrial-scale operations. One of the major FT projects is Shell’s Pearl GTL in Qatar. Pearl GTL is set to begin full operations in 2012 with a capacity of 260,000 bbl/day of lubricants, naphtha, and fuels. Chemistry and Industry (London), 9 May 2011, (9) (Website: http://www.chemind.org)
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COMPANY NEWS Albemarle reports record quarterly sales, income, and EPS in 1Q 2011 Albemarle Corp reported 1Q ended Mar 2011 earnings of $106.6 M, or $1.15/share, compared to 1Q 2010 earnings of $63.3 M, or 69 cts/share. Polymer Solutions delivered net sales of $258.2 M in 1Q 2011, a 19% increase over net sales in 1Q 2010, due primarily to favourable pricing. Catalysts generated net sales of $261 M in 1Q 2011, a 15% increase over net sales in 1Q 2010, due primarily to higher volumes and favourable pricing. PR Newswire, 19 Apr 2011 (Website: http://www.prnewswire.com)
Albemarle expands its biofuels catalyst portfolio by acquiring Catilin Albemarle Corp has expanded its presence in the biofuels market with the acquisition of Catilin Inc. Based in Ames, IA, Catilin is a technology leader in the development and application of heterogeneous biodiesel catalysis. PR Newswire, 11 May 2011 (Website: http://www.prnewswire.com) & Chemistry and Industry (London), 6 Jun 2011, (11), 13 (Website: http://www.chemind.org)
Alcoa to partner with Codexis and CO2 Solution in carbon capture Alcoa announced a new pilot programme, in collaboration with Codexis Inc and CO2 Solution Inc, focused on carbon capture technology designed to sequester industrial carbon emissions, neutralizing the material to create a commercially viable product. The project is the latest innovation from the world’s leading aluminium producer and will be funded by Alcoa, along with approximately $13.5 M in funding from the US Department of Energy received from an award with the National Energy Technology Laboratory. This funding was made available by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The pilot programme, part of Alcoa’s ongoing commitment to enhance its operational sustainability, will use an innovative and proprietary in-duct scrubber technology to capture
emissions. The collaboration is intended to devise solutions that treat and utilize a primary by-product of the aluminium manufacturing process known as alkaline clay, or bauxite residue, as well as other alkaline industrial residues. This pilot project will test a scrubbing process that combines treated flue gas, enzymes, and alkaline clay to create a mineral-rich neutralized product that could be used for environmental reclamation projects. Press release from: Alcoa Inc, 1600 Harvard Ave, Cleveland, OH 44105 3092, USA. Tel: +1 216-641 3600. Website: http://www.alcoa.com (7 Apr 2011)
Almac introduces selectAZyme Almac’s biocatalysis business continues its strong growth and boosts its visibility with the launch of the selectAZyme Brand. As expected, Almac’s biocatalysis business has expanded from its 2009 launch with the sale of six enzyme screening kits, to the current supply of hundreds of kilograms of chiral intermediates for drug manufacture, regular enzyme supply to speciality chemical companies, and continued growth of its screening kits offering. Almac is providing a diverse, A-Z range of enzymes including reductases, transaminases, hydrolases, nitrilases, and many others. Almac enzymes are used in the A-Z of applications from medicinal chemistry to full production and in the manufacture of speciality chemicals. PR Newswire, 4 May 2011 (Website: http://www.prnewswire.com)
BP and Davy to collaborate with engineers on FT UK companies BP and Davy Process Technology have inked a collaboration agreement with engineering contractors CB&I Lummus UK, USbased Jacobs Engineering Group, and The Shaw Group of the USA, to licence and bring to market their Fischer Tropsch gas-to-liquids technology. Successfully demonstrated at a 300 bbl/day complex in Nikiski, AK, USA, the technology allows conversion of synthesis gas from biomass, natural gas, or coal into liquid hydrocarbons including diesel, naptha, and jet fuel. ICIS Chemical Business, 9 May 2011 (Website: http://icischemicalbusiness.com)
JULY 2011