- Email: [email protected]
Materia licences metathesis catalyst platform to Merck
FOCUS GmbH, a wholly-owned indirect subsidiary of Inco Ltd, and SüdChemie. Alantum will concentrate initially on diesel oxidation catalyst (DOC) and diesel particulate filter (DPF) applications for European passenger car and light truck markets. Production will take place in a new facility at Süd-Chemie’s Heufeld site in Germany. Commercial scale production is expected to begin in 2008. The technologies brought into the jv by each of the parents are highly complementary. Süd-Chemie brings in its depth of knowledge in catalysis, while Inco will provide its new alloy foam substrate and extensive metals processing technology. Press release from: Inco Ltd, 145 King Street West, Suite 1500, Toronto, ON M5H 4B7, Canada. Tel: +1 416 361 7511. Fax: +1 416 361 7781. E-mail: [email protected]. Website: http://www.inco.com (30 Nov 2006) & Chemie Technik (Heidelberg), 5 Dec 2006 (Website: http://www.chemietechnik.de) (in German)
Johnson Matthey sees earnings rise Johnson Matthey is expecting to report a slightly higher earnings growth in 2H 2006 after posting an 11% gain in 1H 2006 operating profits to £126.8 M ($240 M). The UK catalysts and precious metals group posted £3 bn in sales, including precious metals, in Apr-Sep 2006, up 32% from the same year-ago period. Not including precious metals, sales totalled £744 M, up 17%. The catalyst division’s operating profits rose 9% to £70.8 M in 1H 2006 on sales up 48% to £996 M. The precious metal division reported profits of £37.2 M, up 22% on sales that rose 27% to £1.86 bn. ICIS Chemical Business, 27 Nov 2006 (Website: http://icischemicalbusiness.com)
Materia licences metathesis catalyst platform to Merck Materia Inc announced the nonexclusive licensing of its metathesis platform to Merck & Co Inc, a global pharmaceutical company, for use in the discovery and development of pharmaceuticals. Metathesis catalysts enable the formation and manipulation of carbon-carbon bonds in the synthesis of entirely new pharmaceutical products with superior properties as well as in the development of new, more efficient
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and low cost production processes for existing products. Materia’s technology platform is a powerful tool for the efficient synthesis of novel drug-like compounds. Materia was founded in 1998 to commercialise olefin metathesis catalyst technology. Press release from: Materia Inc, 2531 Nina Street, Pasadena, CA 91107, USA. Tel: +1 626 584 8400. E-mail: [email protected]. Website: http://www.materia-inc.com (14 Dec 2006)
NPIL launches new, high-efficiency chiral technology Pharma custom manufacturer NPIL Pharma (UK) has developed an important new catalyst-based racemisation technology called SCRAM to produce chiral amines and alcohols. The new technology, developed at ex-Avecia facility in Huddersfield, UK, which was acquired by NPIL in 2005, reportedly improves process yields. The regional development agency Yorkshire Forward has granted £500,000 to NPIL (UK) to develop and extend this technology. Chemical Weekly, 3 Oct 2006, L2 (7), 118
PCAS Biosolution: marriage of chemical and enzymatic synthesis PCAS is looking to innovative technology rather than extra capacity to protect it from Asian competition. It plans further partnership agreements with small size, high technology firms such as those already signed with Borochem, Provence Technologies, and Proteus. The merger with Proteus has created PCAS Biosolution. The new firm brings together chemical and enzymatic catalysis. Enzymatic processes can reduce the number of production steps for pharmaceuticals as well as improve productivity and purity of the end product. Proteus has given PCAS access to a microbial databank. Once targeted, this could allow PCAS to select an enzyme for a given reaction. PCAS has also formed two separate entities for pharmaceuticals and speciality products. It hopes to improve operating profit for the two activities by €5 M in 2007-2008 through rationalization, product reorganization, and other measures. Chimie Pharma Hebdo, 27 Nov 2006, (361), 5-6 (in French)
Rentech enters a joint development agreement in WV for clean fuels project The Mingo County Redevelopment Authority (MCRA), Williamson, WV and Rentech Inc announced that they have entered into a Joint Development Agreement (JDA) for the development of a Fischer-Tropsch clean fuels plant to be located in Mingo County. Located in the lower portion of southwestern West Virginia, the Mingo Project would utilize Rentech’s Fischer-Tropsch technology to convert synthesis gas, a mixture of hydrogen and carbon monoxide produced from the West Virginia coal, into ultra-clean transportation fuels to be used in the Mingo County region. The parties intend to cooperate to develop, finance, own and operate the project which could produce about 3 to 9 M bbl/y of the ultra-clean fuels. The initial phase of the project will entail a 60-day due diligence period to be initiated within the first week of Jan 2007. Providing the due diligence phase indicates that the project is viable, Rentech and the MRCA will continue to evaluate the project in stages by determining the scope and feasibility of the project. After successful completion of these initial stages, Rentech and MCRA expect to establish a project entity and then move forward with engineering, financing, and the construction of the facility. Initially, the parties will share the costs of any third party development expenses and have equal interests in the project. Press release from: Rentech Inc, 1331 17th Street, Suite 720, Denver, CO 80202, USA. Tel: +1 303 298 8008. Fax: +1 303 298 8010. Website: http://www.rentechinc.com (7 Dec 2006)
SCR-Tech announces $1.0 M SCR catalyst regeneration order SCR-Tech, a subsidiary of Catalytica Energy Systems Inc, has secured a contract totalling some $1.0 M from a leading Midwestern US utility customer to provide SCR catalyst regeneration services. SCR-Tech will clean and regenerate catalyst from an SCR system located at one of the customer’s coal-fired power stations. This process will extend the useful life of the catalyst, providing a lower cost alternative to purchasing new catalyst and eliminating the costs and environmental concerns associated
FEBRUARY 2007
Johnson Matthey sees earnings rise Johnson Matthey is expecting to report a slightly higher earnings growth in 2H 2006 after posting an 11% gain in 1H 2006 operating profits to £126.8 M ($240 M). The UK catalysts and precious metals group posted £3 bn in sales, including precious metals, in Apr-Sep 2006, up 32% from the same year-ago period. Not including precious metals, sales totalled £744 M, up 17%. The catalyst division’s operating profits rose 9% to £70.8 M in 1H 2006 on sales up 48% to £996 M. The precious metal division reported profits of £37.2 M, up 22% on sales that rose 27% to £1.86 bn. ICIS Chemical Business, 27 Nov 2006 (Website: http://icischemicalbusiness.com)
Materia licences metathesis catalyst platform to Merck Materia Inc announced the nonexclusive licensing of its metathesis platform to Merck & Co Inc, a global pharmaceutical company, for use in the discovery and development of pharmaceuticals. Metathesis catalysts enable the formation and manipulation of carbon-carbon bonds in the synthesis of entirely new pharmaceutical products with superior properties as well as in the development of new, more efficient
4
ON
C ATA LY S T S
and low cost production processes for existing products. Materia’s technology platform is a powerful tool for the efficient synthesis of novel drug-like compounds. Materia was founded in 1998 to commercialise olefin metathesis catalyst technology. Press release from: Materia Inc, 2531 Nina Street, Pasadena, CA 91107, USA. Tel: +1 626 584 8400. E-mail: [email protected]. Website: http://www.materia-inc.com (14 Dec 2006)
NPIL launches new, high-efficiency chiral technology Pharma custom manufacturer NPIL Pharma (UK) has developed an important new catalyst-based racemisation technology called SCRAM to produce chiral amines and alcohols. The new technology, developed at ex-Avecia facility in Huddersfield, UK, which was acquired by NPIL in 2005, reportedly improves process yields. The regional development agency Yorkshire Forward has granted £500,000 to NPIL (UK) to develop and extend this technology. Chemical Weekly, 3 Oct 2006, L2 (7), 118
PCAS Biosolution: marriage of chemical and enzymatic synthesis PCAS is looking to innovative technology rather than extra capacity to protect it from Asian competition. It plans further partnership agreements with small size, high technology firms such as those already signed with Borochem, Provence Technologies, and Proteus. The merger with Proteus has created PCAS Biosolution. The new firm brings together chemical and enzymatic catalysis. Enzymatic processes can reduce the number of production steps for pharmaceuticals as well as improve productivity and purity of the end product. Proteus has given PCAS access to a microbial databank. Once targeted, this could allow PCAS to select an enzyme for a given reaction. PCAS has also formed two separate entities for pharmaceuticals and speciality products. It hopes to improve operating profit for the two activities by €5 M in 2007-2008 through rationalization, product reorganization, and other measures. Chimie Pharma Hebdo, 27 Nov 2006, (361), 5-6 (in French)
Rentech enters a joint development agreement in WV for clean fuels project The Mingo County Redevelopment Authority (MCRA), Williamson, WV and Rentech Inc announced that they have entered into a Joint Development Agreement (JDA) for the development of a Fischer-Tropsch clean fuels plant to be located in Mingo County. Located in the lower portion of southwestern West Virginia, the Mingo Project would utilize Rentech’s Fischer-Tropsch technology to convert synthesis gas, a mixture of hydrogen and carbon monoxide produced from the West Virginia coal, into ultra-clean transportation fuels to be used in the Mingo County region. The parties intend to cooperate to develop, finance, own and operate the project which could produce about 3 to 9 M bbl/y of the ultra-clean fuels. The initial phase of the project will entail a 60-day due diligence period to be initiated within the first week of Jan 2007. Providing the due diligence phase indicates that the project is viable, Rentech and the MRCA will continue to evaluate the project in stages by determining the scope and feasibility of the project. After successful completion of these initial stages, Rentech and MCRA expect to establish a project entity and then move forward with engineering, financing, and the construction of the facility. Initially, the parties will share the costs of any third party development expenses and have equal interests in the project. Press release from: Rentech Inc, 1331 17th Street, Suite 720, Denver, CO 80202, USA. Tel: +1 303 298 8008. Fax: +1 303 298 8010. Website: http://www.rentechinc.com (7 Dec 2006)
SCR-Tech announces $1.0 M SCR catalyst regeneration order SCR-Tech, a subsidiary of Catalytica Energy Systems Inc, has secured a contract totalling some $1.0 M from a leading Midwestern US utility customer to provide SCR catalyst regeneration services. SCR-Tech will clean and regenerate catalyst from an SCR system located at one of the customer’s coal-fired power stations. This process will extend the useful life of the catalyst, providing a lower cost alternative to purchasing new catalyst and eliminating the costs and environmental concerns associated
FEBRUARY 2007