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Elevance teams up with Malaysia's Genting to build third biorefinery
F O C US extremely dry conditions over parts of Malaysia and Indonesia, which could consequently result in less oil palm yield than expected in these regions. In Australia, the dry weather may lead ranchers to sell more cows into slaughter, which would have an effect on the supply of bleachable fancy tallow. These effects would consequently result in price hikes for biofuels and oleochemicals feedstock fats. However, the El Nino phenomenon may bring heavy rain to Argentina and Brazil, creating an ideal climate for soybean growers and boosting biodiesel production there. Original Source: ICIS Chemical Business, 2-8 Jun 2014, 285 (21), 28-29 (Website: http://www.icis.com) © Reed Business Information Limited 2014
Elevance teams up with Malaysia’s Genting to build third biorefinery US company Elevance Renewable Sciences has entered into a collaboration with Malaysian group Genting Plantations Berhad through the creation of a new subsidiary called Genting Integrated Biorefinery (GIB). The partners are to build a 240,000 tonnes/y biorefinery in which Elevance will hold a 25% and Genting Plantations Berhad a 75% stake. The proposed biorefinery will be located on the Lahad Datu Palm Oil Industrial Cluster in Sabah, Malaysia. Elevance has granted GIB an exclusive licence to use its proprietary metathesisbased technology [see Focus on Surfactants, Jul 2011], which means palm oil can be used to make highperformance renewable olefins and other speciality chemicals for a wide range of applications, including surfactants, detergents and lubricants. Elevance will be exclusively responsible for the sale of all speciality chemicals that are produced at the biorefinery. Elevance already has a 180,000 tonnes/y biorefinery in Gresik, India, and will open a second making 320,000 tonnes/y biodiesel in Natchez, MS, USA, in 2016. Elevance has a number of existing partners, including Stepan, Versalis [ibid, May & Jul 2014], Wilmar and Arkema. Original Source: Elevance Renewable Sciences, 2014. Found on SpecialChem Cosmetics and Personal Care Innovation and Solutions, 15 Jul 2014, (Website: http://www.specialchem4cosmetics.com). Original Source: Chimie Pharma Hebdo, 21 Jul 2014, (684), (Website: http://www.industrie.com/chimie/) (in French) © ETAI Information 2014
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SURFACTANTS Lubrizol to expand surfactant production plant in Brazil Lubrizol Corp has broken ground on a major surfactant plant expansion in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Strategically located in Belford Roxo, the new unit is designed to meet the growing demand for household cleaning and personal care products in the Brazilian market. The company says that expansion will allow it to produce a larger portfolio of surfactant products at the facility, including ‘a significant number of naturally derived ingredients’ to ensure that it is aligned with the growth strategy of its targeted customers in Brazil. The estimated investment in the new plant totals more than $20 M and will feature some of the latest equipment in the industry. Brazil is one of the largest and fastest-growing markets for personal care and home care products in the world. Original Source: Lubrizol, website: http://www.lubrizol.com/ (13 Jun 2014) © The Lubrizol Corporation 2014
Stepan to acquire P&G do Brasil’s sulfonation production facility Surfactants firm Stepan Co, through its subsidiary in Brazil, reported that it has reached an agreement with Procter & Gamble (P&G) do Brasil SA to acquire the latter’s sulfonation production facility in Bahia, Brazil, subject to approval by the Brazilian antitrust authorities and by the Industrial Development Superintendence of Bahia State, as well as other customary closing conditions. The facility is located in the northeast region of Brazil and has 30,000 tonnes/y of capacity. The transaction is projected to close in 3Q or 4Q 2014 and the acquisition is expected to have a minimal impact on Stepan’s 2014 financial results. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Brazil is the world’s fifth most populous country with a growing middle class; as the country’s usage of laundry products transitions from soap bars to powders to liquids, surfactant use expands, Stepan explains. Surfactants used in functional applications, including the large Brazilian agricultural industry,
are also increasing, it says. ‘Brazil is a strategic priority for Stepan; this acquisition is synergistic with our existing Vespasiano, Brazil plant and provides an opportunity to serve the growing northeast of Brazil,’ says the company’s CEO F Quinn Stepan Jr. The Vespasiano factory, located near Belo Horizonte, produces sulfates and sulfonates. Stepan has 1 M tonnes/y surfactants capacity worldwide. In 2013, S America accounted for 8.5% of Stepan’s total turnover, with N America accounting for 62.5%, Europe 24% and Asia 5%. Original Source: Stepan Company, 2014. Found on SpecialChem Cosmetics and Personal Care Innovation and Solutions, 18 Jul 2014, (Website: http://www.specialchem4cosmetics.com). Original Source: Chimie Pharma Hebdo, 21 Jul 2014, (684), (Website: http://www.industrie.com/chimie/) (in French) © ETAI Information 2014
LC-MS analysis on carbon number distribution of alkylbenzene sulfonic acid detergent for lubricating oil Researchers from Petro China Lanzhou Lubricating Oil have investigated the structure of detergents for lubricating oil. The study focused on the carbon number distribution of alkylbenzene sulfonic acid present in detergents. The structure was analysed through HPLC and LC-MS. Results showed that, under optimal conditions, isomers of alkylbenzene sulfonic acid with a carbon number distribution of around C17-20 can be completely isolated. Original Source: Xiandai Huagong/Modern Chemical Industry, 20 May 2014, 34 (5), 165-167 (Website: http://www.xdhg.com.cn) (in Chinese) © China National Chemical Information Center 2014
Superwetting surfactants from Air Products Superwetting surfactants Dynol 977E and 979E are the latest additions to Air Products’ range for waterborne formulations. These siloxane-based surfactants are designed for siding board coatings. They offer better coverage and levelling performance on rugged surfaces with equal or less dosage used in the formulations. They can also give good system compatibility, and exceptional balance of properties, including very low equilibrium, dynamic surface tension reduction and high atomization. They are easy to handle, practically SEPTEMBER 2014
Elevance teams up with Malaysia’s Genting to build third biorefinery US company Elevance Renewable Sciences has entered into a collaboration with Malaysian group Genting Plantations Berhad through the creation of a new subsidiary called Genting Integrated Biorefinery (GIB). The partners are to build a 240,000 tonnes/y biorefinery in which Elevance will hold a 25% and Genting Plantations Berhad a 75% stake. The proposed biorefinery will be located on the Lahad Datu Palm Oil Industrial Cluster in Sabah, Malaysia. Elevance has granted GIB an exclusive licence to use its proprietary metathesisbased technology [see Focus on Surfactants, Jul 2011], which means palm oil can be used to make highperformance renewable olefins and other speciality chemicals for a wide range of applications, including surfactants, detergents and lubricants. Elevance will be exclusively responsible for the sale of all speciality chemicals that are produced at the biorefinery. Elevance already has a 180,000 tonnes/y biorefinery in Gresik, India, and will open a second making 320,000 tonnes/y biodiesel in Natchez, MS, USA, in 2016. Elevance has a number of existing partners, including Stepan, Versalis [ibid, May & Jul 2014], Wilmar and Arkema. Original Source: Elevance Renewable Sciences, 2014. Found on SpecialChem Cosmetics and Personal Care Innovation and Solutions, 15 Jul 2014, (Website: http://www.specialchem4cosmetics.com). Original Source: Chimie Pharma Hebdo, 21 Jul 2014, (684), (Website: http://www.industrie.com/chimie/) (in French) © ETAI Information 2014
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SURFACTANTS Lubrizol to expand surfactant production plant in Brazil Lubrizol Corp has broken ground on a major surfactant plant expansion in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Strategically located in Belford Roxo, the new unit is designed to meet the growing demand for household cleaning and personal care products in the Brazilian market. The company says that expansion will allow it to produce a larger portfolio of surfactant products at the facility, including ‘a significant number of naturally derived ingredients’ to ensure that it is aligned with the growth strategy of its targeted customers in Brazil. The estimated investment in the new plant totals more than $20 M and will feature some of the latest equipment in the industry. Brazil is one of the largest and fastest-growing markets for personal care and home care products in the world. Original Source: Lubrizol, website: http://www.lubrizol.com/ (13 Jun 2014) © The Lubrizol Corporation 2014
Stepan to acquire P&G do Brasil’s sulfonation production facility Surfactants firm Stepan Co, through its subsidiary in Brazil, reported that it has reached an agreement with Procter & Gamble (P&G) do Brasil SA to acquire the latter’s sulfonation production facility in Bahia, Brazil, subject to approval by the Brazilian antitrust authorities and by the Industrial Development Superintendence of Bahia State, as well as other customary closing conditions. The facility is located in the northeast region of Brazil and has 30,000 tonnes/y of capacity. The transaction is projected to close in 3Q or 4Q 2014 and the acquisition is expected to have a minimal impact on Stepan’s 2014 financial results. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Brazil is the world’s fifth most populous country with a growing middle class; as the country’s usage of laundry products transitions from soap bars to powders to liquids, surfactant use expands, Stepan explains. Surfactants used in functional applications, including the large Brazilian agricultural industry,
are also increasing, it says. ‘Brazil is a strategic priority for Stepan; this acquisition is synergistic with our existing Vespasiano, Brazil plant and provides an opportunity to serve the growing northeast of Brazil,’ says the company’s CEO F Quinn Stepan Jr. The Vespasiano factory, located near Belo Horizonte, produces sulfates and sulfonates. Stepan has 1 M tonnes/y surfactants capacity worldwide. In 2013, S America accounted for 8.5% of Stepan’s total turnover, with N America accounting for 62.5%, Europe 24% and Asia 5%. Original Source: Stepan Company, 2014. Found on SpecialChem Cosmetics and Personal Care Innovation and Solutions, 18 Jul 2014, (Website: http://www.specialchem4cosmetics.com). Original Source: Chimie Pharma Hebdo, 21 Jul 2014, (684), (Website: http://www.industrie.com/chimie/) (in French) © ETAI Information 2014
LC-MS analysis on carbon number distribution of alkylbenzene sulfonic acid detergent for lubricating oil Researchers from Petro China Lanzhou Lubricating Oil have investigated the structure of detergents for lubricating oil. The study focused on the carbon number distribution of alkylbenzene sulfonic acid present in detergents. The structure was analysed through HPLC and LC-MS. Results showed that, under optimal conditions, isomers of alkylbenzene sulfonic acid with a carbon number distribution of around C17-20 can be completely isolated. Original Source: Xiandai Huagong/Modern Chemical Industry, 20 May 2014, 34 (5), 165-167 (Website: http://www.xdhg.com.cn) (in Chinese) © China National Chemical Information Center 2014
Superwetting surfactants from Air Products Superwetting surfactants Dynol 977E and 979E are the latest additions to Air Products’ range for waterborne formulations. These siloxane-based surfactants are designed for siding board coatings. They offer better coverage and levelling performance on rugged surfaces with equal or less dosage used in the formulations. They can also give good system compatibility, and exceptional balance of properties, including very low equilibrium, dynamic surface tension reduction and high atomization. They are easy to handle, practically SEPTEMBER 2014