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Biomass to chemicals demonstration project launched
FOCUS Majestic inauguration of Sadara, a JV of Dow & Saudi Aramco Sadara Chemical Company, a joint venture between The Dow Chemical Company and Saudi Arabian Oil Company (Saudi Aramco), was inaugurated by the king of Saudi Arabia, representing the strategic significance of Sadara to the country's growth and economic diversification strategy Saudi Vision 2030. Comprising 26 manufacturing units, Sadara is one of the world's largest integrated chemical facilities and the largest ever built in a single phase. The complex possesses flexible cracking capabilities and will produce more than 3 M tonnes of high-value performance plastics and speciality chemical products, capitalizing on rapidly growing markets such as transportation, infrastructure, packaging and consumer products. The performancefocused products will add new value chains to the Kingdom's vast petroleum reserves, resulting in the diversification of the economy and region. Sadara will employ thousands of talented Saudis and foreign nationals, and will help diversify the economy by adding value to the Kingdom's vast petroleum reserves and making chemical products not produced before in the Middle East. Dow has estimated that the project will create 14,000 new jobs in Saudi Arabia, nearly 4000 of which are from direct employment and the rest indirectly. The complex has started its mixed feed cracker and commissioned three polyethylene trains, qualifying 25 products to date and shipping polyethylene to nearly 100 customers in more than 25 countries. Sadara remains on schedule for a sequenced start-up process, continuing with the polyethylene and polyolefins envelope, the propylene oxide/ isocyanates/polyurethanes envelope, and finally the ethylene oxide/propylene oxide/ speciality chemicals units.
Original Source: Dow, 2016. Found on SpecialChem Plastics and Elastomers Formulation, 6 Dec 2016, (Website: http://www. specialchem4polymers.com).
Dow starts commercial production of new-catalyst EPDMs Dow Chemical Co has commenced the commercial manufacturing of new EPDM grades based on the company's advanced molecular catalyst technology, which was retrofitted to its existing plant in Plaquemine, LA, US. One of the new grades is the Nordel 6555 OE, which is used for sponge weathership applications. Low-cost feedstock from the shale gas reserve in the US will be utilized by the new solution-process EPDM facility.
Original Source: European Rubber Journal, 8 Dec 2016, (Website: http://www. european-rubber-journal.com) © Crain Communications Ltd 2016.
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group of 14 European firms benefiting from the EU funding under the Horizon 2020 programme, has launched a demonstration project to transform woody biomass to chemical building blocks. This will be conducted in logistical hubs such as Port of Rotterdam. The three-year project, which begins in Sep 2016, has a budget of € 16.2 M. Of that value, € 9.9 M is coming from the Bio Based Industries Joint Undertaking, a publicprivate collaboration between the Biobased Industries Consortium and the EU. Bioforever includes Phytowelt, API Europe, Avantium Chemicals, DSM, Borregaard, Novasep Process, MetGen, Suez Group, Green Biologics and Green Technologies. It aims to demonstrate the viability of several new value chains from lignocellulosic feedstocks from woody biomass, such as waste wood, for conversion to other chemicals.
Original Source: Speciality Chemicals, Sep 2016, 36 (7), 8 (Website: http://www.specchemonline. com) © Quartz Chemicals Ltd 2016.
SDCmaterials and Wuxi Weifu Lida sign agreement for commercialization of advanced automotive catalyst technology On 29 Nov 2016, SDCmaterials Inc (SDC) announced that it entered into an agreement with China's leading automotive catalyst supplier, Wuxi Weifu Lida, to commercialize products incorporating SDC's high performance active ingredients for automotive catalytic converters. Under the agreement, SDCmaterials will work with Wuxi Weifu Lida to commercialize catalysts for automotive OEMs in China. These catalysts will incorporate SDCs Nano-on-Nano ingredient formulations which require as little as 40% of the platinum-group metals needed in traditional catalysts, essentially doubling the efficiency of the precious-metal composition.
Original Source: SDCmaterials Inc, 2016. Found on PR Newswire, 29 Nov 2016, (Website: http:// www.prnewswire.com).
Sinopec accounts for 65% of domestic catalyst market Sinopec Catalyst Company (SCC) implements the strategy of innovation-driven development and produces high-end products. As the largest manufacturer, supplier and service provider of refining and chemical catalysts in Asia, SCC accounted for 65% of domestic catalyst market, while having more than 60 overseas customers in nearly 20 countries and regions.
Original Source: Sinopec, 17 Nov 2016, (Sinopec, website: http://www.sinopecgroup.com/english/) © Sinopec 2016.
Biomass to chemicals demonstration project launched
Fulcrum wins BP backing for jet fuel
Bioforever (BIO-based products from Forestry via Economically Viable European Routes), a
BP has invested $30 M to Fulcrum Bioenergy to advance the building of municipal waste-tofuel plants. The funding is part of an
January 2017
agreement that further consists of a 10year, 190 M L/y jet fuel acquisition deal. Fulcrum is building its initial plant, outside of Reno, NE, US, where it will utilize a Fischer-Tropsch process to convert 200,000 tonnes of waste to 38 M L of synthetic crude oil.
Original Source: Chemical and Engineering News, 14 Nov 2016, 94 (45), 14 (Website: http://cen. acs.org/index.html) © American Chemical Society 2016.
Solabia acquires Algues & Mer to expand algae-based cosmetics ingredients portfolio Solabia Group has announced the acquisition of Algues & Mer to complete its offer by capitalizing on the wealth and diversity of algae. Algues & Mer was created in 1994 with its head office in Ouessant, Brittany, France. Solabia is one of the global leaders in biotechnology (fermentation and enzyme biocatalysis), fine chemicals and plant extraction technologies.
Original Source:: Solabia, 2016. Found on SpecialChem Cosmetics and Personal Care Innovation and Solutions, 15 Nov 2016, (Website: http://www.specialchem4cosmetics.com).
PPG counts on chemistry to give it an edge The Allison Park Coatings Innovation Center of PPG Industries in downtown Pittsburgh, PA, US has just finished a $7.8 M upgrade. The research facility has over 280 synthetic chemists, formulation experts, chemical engineers and analytical chemists. The company has added robotic paint spray booths at the facility and laboratories for synthesizing paint and adhesive resins. The company intends to hire additional chemists to support the development of new types of coatings. The Allison Park researchers are vital to the plan of PPG to compete with rival Sherwin-Williams, which is expected to complete its Valspar purchase in early 2017. Paint sales of PPG reached $14.2 bn in 2015, representing 93% of sales. Over the following three years, PPG will allot over $500 M in acquisitions. The Cuming Microwave takeover in 2015 added speciality coatings and materials that absorb radio waves and microwaves. The MetoKote acquisition in early 2016 added a service operation that paints parts for customers and maintains coatings lines at the sites of customers. The 3% of sales assigns by PPG to research, now around $500 M, will also rise as the size of PPG expands. The company produces 20% of sales from products that are five years old or less, which PPG intends to expand to 25%. The company plans to construct one centre in Asia and another in Europe. PPG has developed Aerocron 2100, an electrodeposited acrylic primer that utilizes nonchromium corrosion inhibitors to effectively do the job chromium does, as well
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Original Source: Dow, 2016. Found on SpecialChem Plastics and Elastomers Formulation, 6 Dec 2016, (Website: http://www. specialchem4polymers.com).
Dow starts commercial production of new-catalyst EPDMs Dow Chemical Co has commenced the commercial manufacturing of new EPDM grades based on the company's advanced molecular catalyst technology, which was retrofitted to its existing plant in Plaquemine, LA, US. One of the new grades is the Nordel 6555 OE, which is used for sponge weathership applications. Low-cost feedstock from the shale gas reserve in the US will be utilized by the new solution-process EPDM facility.
Original Source: European Rubber Journal, 8 Dec 2016, (Website: http://www. european-rubber-journal.com) © Crain Communications Ltd 2016.
ON
C ATA LY S T S
group of 14 European firms benefiting from the EU funding under the Horizon 2020 programme, has launched a demonstration project to transform woody biomass to chemical building blocks. This will be conducted in logistical hubs such as Port of Rotterdam. The three-year project, which begins in Sep 2016, has a budget of € 16.2 M. Of that value, € 9.9 M is coming from the Bio Based Industries Joint Undertaking, a publicprivate collaboration between the Biobased Industries Consortium and the EU. Bioforever includes Phytowelt, API Europe, Avantium Chemicals, DSM, Borregaard, Novasep Process, MetGen, Suez Group, Green Biologics and Green Technologies. It aims to demonstrate the viability of several new value chains from lignocellulosic feedstocks from woody biomass, such as waste wood, for conversion to other chemicals.
Original Source: Speciality Chemicals, Sep 2016, 36 (7), 8 (Website: http://www.specchemonline. com) © Quartz Chemicals Ltd 2016.
SDCmaterials and Wuxi Weifu Lida sign agreement for commercialization of advanced automotive catalyst technology On 29 Nov 2016, SDCmaterials Inc (SDC) announced that it entered into an agreement with China's leading automotive catalyst supplier, Wuxi Weifu Lida, to commercialize products incorporating SDC's high performance active ingredients for automotive catalytic converters. Under the agreement, SDCmaterials will work with Wuxi Weifu Lida to commercialize catalysts for automotive OEMs in China. These catalysts will incorporate SDCs Nano-on-Nano ingredient formulations which require as little as 40% of the platinum-group metals needed in traditional catalysts, essentially doubling the efficiency of the precious-metal composition.
Original Source: SDCmaterials Inc, 2016. Found on PR Newswire, 29 Nov 2016, (Website: http:// www.prnewswire.com).
Sinopec accounts for 65% of domestic catalyst market Sinopec Catalyst Company (SCC) implements the strategy of innovation-driven development and produces high-end products. As the largest manufacturer, supplier and service provider of refining and chemical catalysts in Asia, SCC accounted for 65% of domestic catalyst market, while having more than 60 overseas customers in nearly 20 countries and regions.
Original Source: Sinopec, 17 Nov 2016, (Sinopec, website: http://www.sinopecgroup.com/english/) © Sinopec 2016.
Biomass to chemicals demonstration project launched
Fulcrum wins BP backing for jet fuel
Bioforever (BIO-based products from Forestry via Economically Viable European Routes), a
BP has invested $30 M to Fulcrum Bioenergy to advance the building of municipal waste-tofuel plants. The funding is part of an
January 2017
agreement that further consists of a 10year, 190 M L/y jet fuel acquisition deal. Fulcrum is building its initial plant, outside of Reno, NE, US, where it will utilize a Fischer-Tropsch process to convert 200,000 tonnes of waste to 38 M L of synthetic crude oil.
Original Source: Chemical and Engineering News, 14 Nov 2016, 94 (45), 14 (Website: http://cen. acs.org/index.html) © American Chemical Society 2016.
Solabia acquires Algues & Mer to expand algae-based cosmetics ingredients portfolio Solabia Group has announced the acquisition of Algues & Mer to complete its offer by capitalizing on the wealth and diversity of algae. Algues & Mer was created in 1994 with its head office in Ouessant, Brittany, France. Solabia is one of the global leaders in biotechnology (fermentation and enzyme biocatalysis), fine chemicals and plant extraction technologies.
Original Source:: Solabia, 2016. Found on SpecialChem Cosmetics and Personal Care Innovation and Solutions, 15 Nov 2016, (Website: http://www.specialchem4cosmetics.com).
PPG counts on chemistry to give it an edge The Allison Park Coatings Innovation Center of PPG Industries in downtown Pittsburgh, PA, US has just finished a $7.8 M upgrade. The research facility has over 280 synthetic chemists, formulation experts, chemical engineers and analytical chemists. The company has added robotic paint spray booths at the facility and laboratories for synthesizing paint and adhesive resins. The company intends to hire additional chemists to support the development of new types of coatings. The Allison Park researchers are vital to the plan of PPG to compete with rival Sherwin-Williams, which is expected to complete its Valspar purchase in early 2017. Paint sales of PPG reached $14.2 bn in 2015, representing 93% of sales. Over the following three years, PPG will allot over $500 M in acquisitions. The Cuming Microwave takeover in 2015 added speciality coatings and materials that absorb radio waves and microwaves. The MetoKote acquisition in early 2016 added a service operation that paints parts for customers and maintains coatings lines at the sites of customers. The 3% of sales assigns by PPG to research, now around $500 M, will also rise as the size of PPG expands. The company produces 20% of sales from products that are five years old or less, which PPG intends to expand to 25%. The company plans to construct one centre in Asia and another in Europe. PPG has developed Aerocron 2100, an electrodeposited acrylic primer that utilizes nonchromium corrosion inhibitors to effectively do the job chromium does, as well
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