- Email: [email protected]
BlueFire Renewables signs contract for cellulosic ethanol plant in Mississippi
FOCUS Axens signs agreement for activated alumina business Axens and Rio Tinto Alcan have inked an asset sale agreement for Rio Tinto’s alumina operations in Brockville, ON, Canada. The deal is expected to conclude by end-Sep 2010. Chemical Engineering (New York), Sep 2010, 117 (9), 63
BASF exhibits expertise at the CPhI worldwide in Paris BASF is to showcase its expertise across the entire pharmaceutical value chain at CPhI worldwide on 5-7 Oct 2010 in Paris. The group will exhibit products and services including API’s, excipients, custom synthesis, intermediates, catalysts, and inorganic specialities. SigmaAldrich Inc recently started selling BASF’s ChiPros branded chiral molecules in small quantities of up to 1 kg. BASF’s 2010 pharma portfolio also includes 2 environmentallyfriendly catalysts from BASF’s NanoSelect platform technology for controlled flexibility: the lead-free Pdbased NanoSelect LF 100 and NanoSelect LF 200 catalysts. Characterized by similar activity and selectivity in specific hydrogenation reactions, these new heterogeneous catalysts are an environmentally compatible alternative to Lindlar catalysts. Press release from: BASF SE, D-67056 Ludwigshafen, Germany. Tel: +49 (0) 621 600. Website: http://www.basf.com (5 Oct 2010)
BlueFire Renewables signs contract for cellulosic ethanol plant in Mississippi BlueFire Renewables Inc, a company focused on changing the world’s transportation fuel paradigm through the production of renewable fuels from non-food cellulosic wastes, has finalised and signed an Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) contract for its planned cellulosic ethanol facility in Fulton, MS. The facility will be engineered and built by Wanzek Construction Inc, a wholly owned subsidiary of MasTec Inc, for a fixed price of $296 M, which includes an approximately $100 M biomass power plant as part of the facility. The Fulton, MS, project will allow BlueFire
DECEMBER 2010
ON
C ATA LY S T S
to utilize green and wood wastes available in the region as feedstock for the ethanol plant that is designed to produce approximately 19 M gallons of ethanol/year. BlueFire Renewables Inc was established to deploy a commercially ready, patented, and proven Concentrated Acid Hydrolysis Technology Process for the profitable conversion of cellulosic waste materials to renewable fuel sources. Press release from: BlueFire Renewables Inc, 31 Musick, Irvine, CA 92618. Tel: +1 949 588 3767. Fax: +1 949 588 3972. E-mail: [email protected]. Website: http://bluefireethanol.com (5 Oct 2010)
ClearFuels signs cooperative agreement for remaining DOE biorefinery grant ClearFuels Technology Inc (ClearFuels) has announced that it has signed a cooperative agreement with the US Department of Energy (DOE) to receive the remaining $19.7 M of a $23 M grant award to complete construction of a ClearFuels demonstration scale gasifier that will supply syngas from biomass and integrate it with Rentech Inc’s product demonstration unit at the Rentech Energy Technology Center in Colorado. The award was granted upon successful completion of budget period 1 tasks initiated in Apr 2010. Press release from: Rentech Inc, 1331, 17th Street, Suite 720, Denver, CO 80202, USA. Fax: +1 303 298 8010. Website: http://www.rentechinc.com (27 Oct 2010)
Dia-Nitrix to grow beyond acrylonitrile business Dia-Nitrix Co, a subsidiary of Mitsubishi Rayon and Mitsubishi Chemical, is working on a structural reform to establish a firm business foundation that is less vulnerable to economic swings, according to its president and CEO. The chemical maker boasts of an integrated manufacturing system, from acrylonitrile, acrylamide to acrylamide polymers. For its high-performance catalysts, Dia-Nitrix is contemplating on expanding capacity for its biocatalyst used in-house for the manufacture of acrylamide. For its acrylamide and catalysts, a localized acrylamide production is being considered. Dia-Nitrix is also
conducting feasibility studies in markets, such as India and Australia, Japan Chemical Web, 30 Sep 2010 (Website: http://www.japanchemicalweb.jp)
Enzymicals AG acquires proprietary rights on pig liver esterases (PLE) from Evonik Enzymicals AG gained proprietary rights for the well-known recombinant pig liver esterases (PLE) from Evonik AG in Hanau. The intellectual property (IP) covers a range of PLE isoenzymes for hydrolysis of several compounds such as esters of secondary and tertiary alcohols, lactones, and carboxylic acid esters. These isoenzymes show diverse properties, the most notable of which are significantly different enantioselectivities. By purchasing the IP, Enzymicals AG has now become the exclusive producer of these recombinant PLE isoenzymes, which will also be used in the synthesis of fine chemicals by Enzymicals. In addition, licenses for processes using PLE will be provided for collaborations with the chemical and pharmaceutical industries. Press release from: Enzymicals AG, Walther Rathenau Strabe, 49a, 17489 Greifswald, Germany. Tel: +49 0 3834 515 47 0. Fax: +49 0 3834 515 47 3. E-mail: [email protected]. Website: http://www.enzymicals.com (4 Oct 2010)
Johnson Matthey to acquire Intercat On 6 Oct 2010, Johnson Matthey plc announced that it had signed an agreement to acquire Intercat Inc and its subsidiaries from its private stockholders for approximately US $56.2 M in cash, which is net of adjustments for debt of $29.4 M. Intercat is a leading supplier of Fluid Catalytic Cracking (FCC) additives and addition systems, specialising in the development, manufacture, sale, and technical support of both additives and addition systems for the petroleum refining industry. Press release from: Johnson Matthey Plc, 40-42 Hatton Garden, London EC1N 8EE, UK. Tel: +44 20 7269 8400. Fax: +44 20 7269 8433. Website: http://www.matthey.com (6 Oct 2010)
Kronos’ titania photocatalyst For more than 90 years, the Kronos group has been a large supplier of pigments based on titanium dioxide and pigments intended for the plastics
3
BASF exhibits expertise at the CPhI worldwide in Paris BASF is to showcase its expertise across the entire pharmaceutical value chain at CPhI worldwide on 5-7 Oct 2010 in Paris. The group will exhibit products and services including API’s, excipients, custom synthesis, intermediates, catalysts, and inorganic specialities. SigmaAldrich Inc recently started selling BASF’s ChiPros branded chiral molecules in small quantities of up to 1 kg. BASF’s 2010 pharma portfolio also includes 2 environmentallyfriendly catalysts from BASF’s NanoSelect platform technology for controlled flexibility: the lead-free Pdbased NanoSelect LF 100 and NanoSelect LF 200 catalysts. Characterized by similar activity and selectivity in specific hydrogenation reactions, these new heterogeneous catalysts are an environmentally compatible alternative to Lindlar catalysts. Press release from: BASF SE, D-67056 Ludwigshafen, Germany. Tel: +49 (0) 621 600. Website: http://www.basf.com (5 Oct 2010)
BlueFire Renewables signs contract for cellulosic ethanol plant in Mississippi BlueFire Renewables Inc, a company focused on changing the world’s transportation fuel paradigm through the production of renewable fuels from non-food cellulosic wastes, has finalised and signed an Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) contract for its planned cellulosic ethanol facility in Fulton, MS. The facility will be engineered and built by Wanzek Construction Inc, a wholly owned subsidiary of MasTec Inc, for a fixed price of $296 M, which includes an approximately $100 M biomass power plant as part of the facility. The Fulton, MS, project will allow BlueFire
DECEMBER 2010
ON
C ATA LY S T S
to utilize green and wood wastes available in the region as feedstock for the ethanol plant that is designed to produce approximately 19 M gallons of ethanol/year. BlueFire Renewables Inc was established to deploy a commercially ready, patented, and proven Concentrated Acid Hydrolysis Technology Process for the profitable conversion of cellulosic waste materials to renewable fuel sources. Press release from: BlueFire Renewables Inc, 31 Musick, Irvine, CA 92618. Tel: +1 949 588 3767. Fax: +1 949 588 3972. E-mail: [email protected]. Website: http://bluefireethanol.com (5 Oct 2010)
ClearFuels signs cooperative agreement for remaining DOE biorefinery grant ClearFuels Technology Inc (ClearFuels) has announced that it has signed a cooperative agreement with the US Department of Energy (DOE) to receive the remaining $19.7 M of a $23 M grant award to complete construction of a ClearFuels demonstration scale gasifier that will supply syngas from biomass and integrate it with Rentech Inc’s product demonstration unit at the Rentech Energy Technology Center in Colorado. The award was granted upon successful completion of budget period 1 tasks initiated in Apr 2010. Press release from: Rentech Inc, 1331, 17th Street, Suite 720, Denver, CO 80202, USA. Fax: +1 303 298 8010. Website: http://www.rentechinc.com (27 Oct 2010)
Dia-Nitrix to grow beyond acrylonitrile business Dia-Nitrix Co, a subsidiary of Mitsubishi Rayon and Mitsubishi Chemical, is working on a structural reform to establish a firm business foundation that is less vulnerable to economic swings, according to its president and CEO. The chemical maker boasts of an integrated manufacturing system, from acrylonitrile, acrylamide to acrylamide polymers. For its high-performance catalysts, Dia-Nitrix is contemplating on expanding capacity for its biocatalyst used in-house for the manufacture of acrylamide. For its acrylamide and catalysts, a localized acrylamide production is being considered. Dia-Nitrix is also
conducting feasibility studies in markets, such as India and Australia, Japan Chemical Web, 30 Sep 2010 (Website: http://www.japanchemicalweb.jp)
Enzymicals AG acquires proprietary rights on pig liver esterases (PLE) from Evonik Enzymicals AG gained proprietary rights for the well-known recombinant pig liver esterases (PLE) from Evonik AG in Hanau. The intellectual property (IP) covers a range of PLE isoenzymes for hydrolysis of several compounds such as esters of secondary and tertiary alcohols, lactones, and carboxylic acid esters. These isoenzymes show diverse properties, the most notable of which are significantly different enantioselectivities. By purchasing the IP, Enzymicals AG has now become the exclusive producer of these recombinant PLE isoenzymes, which will also be used in the synthesis of fine chemicals by Enzymicals. In addition, licenses for processes using PLE will be provided for collaborations with the chemical and pharmaceutical industries. Press release from: Enzymicals AG, Walther Rathenau Strabe, 49a, 17489 Greifswald, Germany. Tel: +49 0 3834 515 47 0. Fax: +49 0 3834 515 47 3. E-mail: [email protected]. Website: http://www.enzymicals.com (4 Oct 2010)
Johnson Matthey to acquire Intercat On 6 Oct 2010, Johnson Matthey plc announced that it had signed an agreement to acquire Intercat Inc and its subsidiaries from its private stockholders for approximately US $56.2 M in cash, which is net of adjustments for debt of $29.4 M. Intercat is a leading supplier of Fluid Catalytic Cracking (FCC) additives and addition systems, specialising in the development, manufacture, sale, and technical support of both additives and addition systems for the petroleum refining industry. Press release from: Johnson Matthey Plc, 40-42 Hatton Garden, London EC1N 8EE, UK. Tel: +44 20 7269 8400. Fax: +44 20 7269 8433. Website: http://www.matthey.com (6 Oct 2010)
Kronos’ titania photocatalyst For more than 90 years, the Kronos group has been a large supplier of pigments based on titanium dioxide and pigments intended for the plastics
3