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Johnson Matthey targets titanium catalysts
FOCUS ($113.3 M) and headcount of 6480 (6650). The report describes the company’s business and geographical area segments. Tables shows selected financial information, for the company’s fiscal 2002 and 2003, on a business segment and geographical area (the US and rest of world) basis. The company has four reportable business segments: Environmental Technologies, Process Technologies, Appearance and Performance Technologies, and Materials Services. Engelhard Annual Report 2003, 10 Aug 2004 (Engelhard Corp, 101 Wood Avenue, Iselin, NJ 08830, USA. Tel: +1 732 205 5000. Website: http://www.engelhard.com)
Japanese jv focuses on new catalysts Ilika Technologies and Asahi Kasei, Japan, have entered into a research collaboration, initially for one year, to undertake the discovery of catalysts using Ilika’s high throughput material discovery workflow. Ilika uses thin film research to create inorganic materials. European Chemical News, 20 Sep 2004, 81 (2116), 30
Johnson Matthey targets titanium catalysts In early 2004, Johnson Matthey plc invested $4 M to increase capacity for titanium alkoxides (used in the production of titanium-based catalysts) by 20% at its Haverton Hill, England, site. There is a discussion of the products and their applications. Chemical Market Reporter, 20 Sep 2004 (Website: http://www.chemicalmarketreporter.com)
Kyushu Oil to use high-efficiency catalyst to up benzene/p-xylene production Benzene capacity is to be doubled in Nov 2004 at Kyushu Aromatics, the jv of Kyushu Oil and Nippon Steel Chemical. Capacity will be raised from 50,000 tonne/y to 100,000 tonne/y at a cost of Yen 500 M. In Jun 2005, debottlenecking will be used to raise p-xylene capacity at Oita Paraxylene, a jv with Nippon Steel Corp, from 360,000 tonne/y to 420,000 tonne/y. The catalyst in the p-xylene facility will be replaced with a new, high-
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efficiency, type which will increase crude benzene output. Japan Chemical Week, 2 Sep 2004, 45 (2284), 12
Materia acquires part of Cymetech Materia Inc, a university spinoff company founded by Professor Robert Grubbs of CalTech, has acquired the polycyclopentadiene technology of Cymetech LLC. The technology is based on metathesis and the products are primarily for use in sporting equipment. Chemical & Engineering News, 4 Oct 2004, 82 (40), 10
Methanor hits high: in methanol production Methanor is a jv of Dynea, Akzo Nobel, and DSM. It has made its 20 millionth tonne of methanol. At present it has 2 plants in the Chemical Park, in Delfzijl, The Netherlands, with a total capacity of about 1 M tonne/y. European Chemical News, 6 Sep 2004, 81 (2114), 12 & Akzo Nobel News and Views, 3 Sep 2004 (Akzo Nobel nv, PO Box 9300 6800 SB Arnhem, The Netherlands)
Resil Chemicals ventures into biotechnology Bangalore-based Resil Chemicals has opened its biotechnology division, Resil Biotech, to provide its consumers with enzyme-based finishes in the textile industry. Resil Biotech will cater to bio-softening, enzyme washing, fading, smoothing and improving quality of silk fabric. The company intends to acquire a large share from the Rup 600-750 bn textile enzymes market. Chemical Weekly, 14 Sep 2004, 50 (4), 122
Sumitomo Titanium commercialising photocatalysts Two types of photocatalysts are to be commercialised by Sumitomo Titanium. One is an ultraviolet radiation type and the other is a solform visible radiation type. Both are based on titanium tetrachloride which is produced by the company. Sumitomo Titanium uses chemical vapour deposition to adhere the UV radiation type catalyst to the base material. The uniform film can be up
to 500 nanometres in thickness, allowing glass cloth fibres to be coated without losing flexibility. The company has 100 kg/m capacity at Amagasaki, Hyogo Prefecture. Samples are being made available. Japan Chemical Week, 2 Sep 2004, 45 (2284), 2
UOP, Symyx cross-licence Symyx Technologies and UOP have entered into a cross-licensing agreement, under which UOP will pay annual licence fees to Symyx for the sale of instruments covered in some UOP patents. Symyx is a supplier of high-throughput systems to industries such as life sciences and chemicals, while UOP is a provider of process technology, catalysts, adsorbents, process plants, and technical services. Speciality Chemicals, Sep 2004, 24 (8), 7
UOP awarded NIST funding for “Selective Liquid-Phase Oxidation of Methane to Methanol” UOP LLC has been granted an award by the Advanced Technology Program, administered by the National Institute of Standards and Technology, to develop breakthrough technology for “Selective LiquidPhase Oxidation of Methane to Methanol”. The total project funding is $5 bn over three years. The programme will focus on demonstration of proof-of-principle and techno-economic feasibility of a novel, low-temperature process for conversion of methane to methanol. If successful, UOP will commercialise this technology, which is expected to reduce the cost of methanol from $80/tonne to $58/tonne. Additionally, capital cost, energy utilisation, and carbon dioxide production will also be reduced by about 50%, 60%, and 33%, respectively. Press release from: UOP LLC, 25 East Algonquin Road, Des Plaines, IL 60017-5017, USA. Tel: +1 847 391 2000. Website: http://www.uop.com (29 Sep 2004) & Chemical and Engineering News, 4 Oct 2004, 82 (40), 13
Velocys to begin work on DoD-funded synthetic fuel programme Velocys is beginning to work with the US Department of Defence’s National Automotive Center on a synthetic fuel
NOVEMBER 2004
Japanese jv focuses on new catalysts Ilika Technologies and Asahi Kasei, Japan, have entered into a research collaboration, initially for one year, to undertake the discovery of catalysts using Ilika’s high throughput material discovery workflow. Ilika uses thin film research to create inorganic materials. European Chemical News, 20 Sep 2004, 81 (2116), 30
Johnson Matthey targets titanium catalysts In early 2004, Johnson Matthey plc invested $4 M to increase capacity for titanium alkoxides (used in the production of titanium-based catalysts) by 20% at its Haverton Hill, England, site. There is a discussion of the products and their applications. Chemical Market Reporter, 20 Sep 2004 (Website: http://www.chemicalmarketreporter.com)
Kyushu Oil to use high-efficiency catalyst to up benzene/p-xylene production Benzene capacity is to be doubled in Nov 2004 at Kyushu Aromatics, the jv of Kyushu Oil and Nippon Steel Chemical. Capacity will be raised from 50,000 tonne/y to 100,000 tonne/y at a cost of Yen 500 M. In Jun 2005, debottlenecking will be used to raise p-xylene capacity at Oita Paraxylene, a jv with Nippon Steel Corp, from 360,000 tonne/y to 420,000 tonne/y. The catalyst in the p-xylene facility will be replaced with a new, high-
4
ON
C ATA LY S T S
efficiency, type which will increase crude benzene output. Japan Chemical Week, 2 Sep 2004, 45 (2284), 12
Materia acquires part of Cymetech Materia Inc, a university spinoff company founded by Professor Robert Grubbs of CalTech, has acquired the polycyclopentadiene technology of Cymetech LLC. The technology is based on metathesis and the products are primarily for use in sporting equipment. Chemical & Engineering News, 4 Oct 2004, 82 (40), 10
Methanor hits high: in methanol production Methanor is a jv of Dynea, Akzo Nobel, and DSM. It has made its 20 millionth tonne of methanol. At present it has 2 plants in the Chemical Park, in Delfzijl, The Netherlands, with a total capacity of about 1 M tonne/y. European Chemical News, 6 Sep 2004, 81 (2114), 12 & Akzo Nobel News and Views, 3 Sep 2004 (Akzo Nobel nv, PO Box 9300 6800 SB Arnhem, The Netherlands)
Resil Chemicals ventures into biotechnology Bangalore-based Resil Chemicals has opened its biotechnology division, Resil Biotech, to provide its consumers with enzyme-based finishes in the textile industry. Resil Biotech will cater to bio-softening, enzyme washing, fading, smoothing and improving quality of silk fabric. The company intends to acquire a large share from the Rup 600-750 bn textile enzymes market. Chemical Weekly, 14 Sep 2004, 50 (4), 122
Sumitomo Titanium commercialising photocatalysts Two types of photocatalysts are to be commercialised by Sumitomo Titanium. One is an ultraviolet radiation type and the other is a solform visible radiation type. Both are based on titanium tetrachloride which is produced by the company. Sumitomo Titanium uses chemical vapour deposition to adhere the UV radiation type catalyst to the base material. The uniform film can be up
to 500 nanometres in thickness, allowing glass cloth fibres to be coated without losing flexibility. The company has 100 kg/m capacity at Amagasaki, Hyogo Prefecture. Samples are being made available. Japan Chemical Week, 2 Sep 2004, 45 (2284), 2
UOP, Symyx cross-licence Symyx Technologies and UOP have entered into a cross-licensing agreement, under which UOP will pay annual licence fees to Symyx for the sale of instruments covered in some UOP patents. Symyx is a supplier of high-throughput systems to industries such as life sciences and chemicals, while UOP is a provider of process technology, catalysts, adsorbents, process plants, and technical services. Speciality Chemicals, Sep 2004, 24 (8), 7
UOP awarded NIST funding for “Selective Liquid-Phase Oxidation of Methane to Methanol” UOP LLC has been granted an award by the Advanced Technology Program, administered by the National Institute of Standards and Technology, to develop breakthrough technology for “Selective LiquidPhase Oxidation of Methane to Methanol”. The total project funding is $5 bn over three years. The programme will focus on demonstration of proof-of-principle and techno-economic feasibility of a novel, low-temperature process for conversion of methane to methanol. If successful, UOP will commercialise this technology, which is expected to reduce the cost of methanol from $80/tonne to $58/tonne. Additionally, capital cost, energy utilisation, and carbon dioxide production will also be reduced by about 50%, 60%, and 33%, respectively. Press release from: UOP LLC, 25 East Algonquin Road, Des Plaines, IL 60017-5017, USA. Tel: +1 847 391 2000. Website: http://www.uop.com (29 Sep 2004) & Chemical and Engineering News, 4 Oct 2004, 82 (40), 13
Velocys to begin work on DoD-funded synthetic fuel programme Velocys is beginning to work with the US Department of Defence’s National Automotive Center on a synthetic fuel
NOVEMBER 2004