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MES global capacity may soon exceed 500,000 tonnes
FOCUS partnership will be to make bio-acrylic acid in sample amounts in 2012. BASF plans initially to use the biobased acrylic acid to manufacture superabsorbent polymers. However, acrylic acid is a high-volume chemical that feeds into a broad range of products, including polyacrylates for use as builders and some surfactants. The annual global market for acrylic acid is around 4.5 M tonnes with a value of $11 bn at the end of 2011. The market has been growing at a rate of 4%/y. Original Source: Novozymes A/S, Krogshojvej 36, 2880 Bagsvaerd, Denmark, tel: +45 4446 0000, fax: +45 4446 9999, e-mail: [email protected], website: http://www.novozymes.com (17 Aug 2012) © Novozymes 2012. Original Source: BASF SE, D67056 Ludwigshafen, Germany, tel: +49 (0) 621 600, website: http://www.basf.com) (17 Aug 2012) © BASF 2012. Original Source: Chemical and Engineering News, 27 Aug 2012, 90 (35), 8 (Website: http://www.cen-online.org) © American Chemical Society 2012
SURFACTANTS MES global capacity may soon exceed 500,000 tonnes Oleoline projects that worldwide capacities for methyl ester sulfonates (MES) could reach 540,000 tonnes/y by 2013. This is equivalent to almost 10% of global linear alkylbenzene sulfonate (LAS) capacity. MES is emerging as a strong contender for a larger share of the surfactants market, particularly in China, Oleoline’s latest report suggests. Original Source: Oils and Fats International, Aug/Sep 2012, 28 (7), 12 (Website: http://www.oilsandfatsinternational.com/) © Quartz Business Media Ltd 2012
Cytonix offers FluoroPel PFC1740G fluorosurfactant for wood care products Cytonix LLC has unveiled FluoroPel PFC1740G, its latest fluorosurfactant. PFC1740G provides outstanding flow, levelling, wetting and surface tension reduction in non-polar hydrocarbonbased solvent formulations, making it a suitable additive for wood care products, lane conditioners, printing inks, paints, coatings and cleaning products, the company says. The new fluorosurfactant can also be used as a foaming agent for kerosene, diesel and hydrocarbons, making it an NOVEMBER 2012
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effective oil well stimulation additive, according to Cytonix. FluoroPel PFC1740G fills the void left by the withdrawal of 3M FC-430 and DuPont Zontl FSG fluorosurfactants from the market. While companies are moving towards aqueous coatings, there is still a high demand for effective surfactants for hydrocarbon-based solvent coatings, Cytonix says. PFC1740G provides performance that only a fluorosurfactant can produce in many non-polar solventbased applications. Typical of fluorosurfactants, PFC1740G is effective at very low concentrations, typically less than 2% by weight in hydrocarbon-based solvent applications. Founded in 1985, Cytonix manufactures proprietary hydrophobic and oleophobic additives, coatings and adhesives for the life sciences, aerospace, construction and communications industries. Its products are TSCA, RoHS, REACH and WEEE compliant. Original Source: Coatings World, Aug 2012, 17 (8), 45 (Website: http://www.coatingsworld.com/) © Rodman Publishing 2012. Original Source: Cytonix, LLC, 8000 Virginia Manor Rd, Beltsville, MD 20705, USA, tel: +1 301 470 6267, website: http://www.cytonix.com (29 Jun 2012) © Cytonix LLC 2012
United Plantations and Oleon join forces to build food emulsifiers plant In Malaysia, United Plantations Bhd and Belgium’s Oleon NV are jointly investing $32 M to build a plant in Pulau Indah to produce food emulsifiers. The new 50:50 joint venture, named UniOleon Sdn Bhd, will both manufacture and sell the food oleo-derivatives. The plant is expected to begin production in early 2014. A dedicated applications lab will also be created to enhance the development of food emulsifiers. United Plantations is one of Malaysia’s leading palm oil producers and its production meets the sustainability criteria of the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO). The company recently reported a 42% decrease in net profit for 2Q 2012 to Ringgit 77.1 M (c €19 M) on decreased revenue of Ringgit 232 M (revenue of Ringgit 390.6 M in 2Q 2011). The poor result is mainly due to lower production of crude palm oil (CPO) and palm kernels (PK), higher
production costs and lower selling prices of these two products. PK suffered a 3.5% fall in production, a selling price reduction of 29.4% and a 48.3% increase in production costs in the quarter. Original Source: Oils and Fats International, Aug/Sep 2012, 28 (7), 12 (Website: http://www.oilsandfatsinternational.com/) © Quartz Business Media Ltd 2012. Original Source: The Star, 28 Aug 2012, (Website: http://www.thestar.com.my/) © Star Publications (M) Bhd 2012
Palsgaard certified by RSPO Emulsifier manufacturer Palsgaard revealed in Jun 2012 that it had obtained certification from RSPO to offer Mass Balance certified palm oil products. Mass Balance is among three options being offered by the RSPO to suppliers and buyers of certified sustainable palm oil. The other two are Segregation and Credit trading. By 2015, the Danish firm aims to raise the share of certified palm oil and derivatives in its palmbased emulsifiers to 100%. Original Source: Oils and Fats International, Aug/Sep 2012, 28 (7), 2 (Website: http://www.oilsandfatsinternational.com/) © Quartz Business Media Ltd 2012
ASSOCIATED PRODUCTS BASF increases production capacity for methanesulfonic acid/Lutropur in Ludwigshafen After a construction time of nearly 2 years, BASF has commissioned its expanded methanesulfonic acid plant in Ludwigshafen. The expansion has tripled capacity to 30,000 tonnes/y, making BASF the world’s largest producer of methanesulfonic acid. The company markets the acid worldwide under the Lutropur trademark. Extending the Lutropur plant has led to the creation of 12 additional jobs in Ludwigshafen. Methanesulfonic acid is a strong, odourless and colourless acid that is easy to use, readily biodegradable and only lightly corrosive. It is used in industrial and domestic detergents, as well as in making electronic circuits. It can also be used in chemicals and pharmaceuticals production as a 3
SURFACTANTS MES global capacity may soon exceed 500,000 tonnes Oleoline projects that worldwide capacities for methyl ester sulfonates (MES) could reach 540,000 tonnes/y by 2013. This is equivalent to almost 10% of global linear alkylbenzene sulfonate (LAS) capacity. MES is emerging as a strong contender for a larger share of the surfactants market, particularly in China, Oleoline’s latest report suggests. Original Source: Oils and Fats International, Aug/Sep 2012, 28 (7), 12 (Website: http://www.oilsandfatsinternational.com/) © Quartz Business Media Ltd 2012
Cytonix offers FluoroPel PFC1740G fluorosurfactant for wood care products Cytonix LLC has unveiled FluoroPel PFC1740G, its latest fluorosurfactant. PFC1740G provides outstanding flow, levelling, wetting and surface tension reduction in non-polar hydrocarbonbased solvent formulations, making it a suitable additive for wood care products, lane conditioners, printing inks, paints, coatings and cleaning products, the company says. The new fluorosurfactant can also be used as a foaming agent for kerosene, diesel and hydrocarbons, making it an NOVEMBER 2012
ON
S U R FA C TA N T S
effective oil well stimulation additive, according to Cytonix. FluoroPel PFC1740G fills the void left by the withdrawal of 3M FC-430 and DuPont Zontl FSG fluorosurfactants from the market. While companies are moving towards aqueous coatings, there is still a high demand for effective surfactants for hydrocarbon-based solvent coatings, Cytonix says. PFC1740G provides performance that only a fluorosurfactant can produce in many non-polar solventbased applications. Typical of fluorosurfactants, PFC1740G is effective at very low concentrations, typically less than 2% by weight in hydrocarbon-based solvent applications. Founded in 1985, Cytonix manufactures proprietary hydrophobic and oleophobic additives, coatings and adhesives for the life sciences, aerospace, construction and communications industries. Its products are TSCA, RoHS, REACH and WEEE compliant. Original Source: Coatings World, Aug 2012, 17 (8), 45 (Website: http://www.coatingsworld.com/) © Rodman Publishing 2012. Original Source: Cytonix, LLC, 8000 Virginia Manor Rd, Beltsville, MD 20705, USA, tel: +1 301 470 6267, website: http://www.cytonix.com (29 Jun 2012) © Cytonix LLC 2012
United Plantations and Oleon join forces to build food emulsifiers plant In Malaysia, United Plantations Bhd and Belgium’s Oleon NV are jointly investing $32 M to build a plant in Pulau Indah to produce food emulsifiers. The new 50:50 joint venture, named UniOleon Sdn Bhd, will both manufacture and sell the food oleo-derivatives. The plant is expected to begin production in early 2014. A dedicated applications lab will also be created to enhance the development of food emulsifiers. United Plantations is one of Malaysia’s leading palm oil producers and its production meets the sustainability criteria of the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO). The company recently reported a 42% decrease in net profit for 2Q 2012 to Ringgit 77.1 M (c €19 M) on decreased revenue of Ringgit 232 M (revenue of Ringgit 390.6 M in 2Q 2011). The poor result is mainly due to lower production of crude palm oil (CPO) and palm kernels (PK), higher
production costs and lower selling prices of these two products. PK suffered a 3.5% fall in production, a selling price reduction of 29.4% and a 48.3% increase in production costs in the quarter. Original Source: Oils and Fats International, Aug/Sep 2012, 28 (7), 12 (Website: http://www.oilsandfatsinternational.com/) © Quartz Business Media Ltd 2012. Original Source: The Star, 28 Aug 2012, (Website: http://www.thestar.com.my/) © Star Publications (M) Bhd 2012
Palsgaard certified by RSPO Emulsifier manufacturer Palsgaard revealed in Jun 2012 that it had obtained certification from RSPO to offer Mass Balance certified palm oil products. Mass Balance is among three options being offered by the RSPO to suppliers and buyers of certified sustainable palm oil. The other two are Segregation and Credit trading. By 2015, the Danish firm aims to raise the share of certified palm oil and derivatives in its palmbased emulsifiers to 100%. Original Source: Oils and Fats International, Aug/Sep 2012, 28 (7), 2 (Website: http://www.oilsandfatsinternational.com/) © Quartz Business Media Ltd 2012
ASSOCIATED PRODUCTS BASF increases production capacity for methanesulfonic acid/Lutropur in Ludwigshafen After a construction time of nearly 2 years, BASF has commissioned its expanded methanesulfonic acid plant in Ludwigshafen. The expansion has tripled capacity to 30,000 tonnes/y, making BASF the world’s largest producer of methanesulfonic acid. The company markets the acid worldwide under the Lutropur trademark. Extending the Lutropur plant has led to the creation of 12 additional jobs in Ludwigshafen. Methanesulfonic acid is a strong, odourless and colourless acid that is easy to use, readily biodegradable and only lightly corrosive. It is used in industrial and domestic detergents, as well as in making electronic circuits. It can also be used in chemicals and pharmaceuticals production as a 3