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Umicore adds JST catalysts
FOCUS study on enzymes to turn bagasse to cellulosic ethanol, aimed at making the process commercially viable. Biorefining, Nov 2010 (http://www.biorefiningmagazine.com)
Sabic and Lummus to commercialise xylene from toluene Sabic has announced the signing of an agreement with Lummus Technology covering the development and marketing of Sabic’s patented toluene methylation technology. This produces p-xylene from a mixture of toluene and methanol in the presence of a zeolite catalyst and hydrogen. The group makes p-xylene in Teesside, UK, and Yanbu, Saudi Arabia. Sabic has a light naphtha aromatisation process and a toluene methylene process and has been seeking external partners to accelerate their market launch. Financial details of the agreement with Lummus have not been disclosed. Chimie Pharma Hebdo, 29 Nov 2010, (530), 14 (in French)
Süd-Chemie AG and Technische Universität München reach agreement on strategic alliance Süd-Chemie AG and Technische Universität München (TUM) have formed a strategic alliance for catalysis research. In addition to basic research in the field of catalysis, a major aspect of this co-operation will be the development of innovative catalysts as a key technology to safeguard the rising global demand for energy and base chemicals on a long-term basis. SüdChemie is to sponsor this research work with up to €2 M/y. The cooperation is based on a master agreement concluded for an initial term of ten years which, if successful, is to be extended beyond this period. Activities are due to start before the end of 2010 under the name “Munich Catalysis. Alliance of Süd-Chemie and TUM”. Based on an industry-oncampus concept, TUM scientists will be working together with researchers from Süd-Chemie on central issues involving both basic and applied research in the field of chemical catalysis. Press release from: Süd-Chemie AG, Lenbachplatz 6, 80333 Munich, Germany. Tel: +49 89 5110 0. Fax: +49 89 5110 375. Website: http://www.sud-chemie.com (29 Nov 2010) & Chemical Week, 6 Dec 2010 (Website: http://www.chemweek.com)
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Umicore adds JST catalysts Umicore has entered into a license agreement with the Japan Science & Technology Agency, allowing it to commercialize the asymmetric ketone hydrogenation technology and market ruthenium diamine and disphosphine ruthenium diamine catalysts. The technology enables processing of ketones into chiral alcohols, on an industrial scale. Speciality Chemicals, Sep 2010, 30 (9), 10
Verenium announces 2010 business update and outlook for 2011 Verenium Corp announced key 2010 accomplishments and 2011 company goals and financial guidance. The company successfully raised $98.3 M and reduced operating losses through the sale of assets to BP; repurchased $21 M of convertible notes, extinguishing all remaining 8% notes; and are on track to achieve revenue and gross margin targets for 2010. Verenium also provided financial guidance and corporate goals for 2011. Press release from: Verenium Corp, 55 Cambridge Parkway, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA. Tel: +1 617 674 5300. Website: http://www.verenium.com (14 Dec 2010)
WR Grace finalizes acquisition of Synthetech WR Grace has finalized its acquisition of US fine chemicals producer Synthetech (which specializes in organic synthesis, biocatalysis, and chiral technologies) for $19.2 M. Synthetech has been considering various strategic options since Jul 2009. The deal gives WR Grace new pharmaceutical development capacities, especially for chiral products and peptides. It also gives it polypropylene catalyst production capacities for plastics manufacturing. WR Grace already has several production lines for this type of catalyst and in Apr 2010 signed a distribution agreement with Borealis. In another development WR Grace has announced an extension to its propylene catalysts site in Worms, which should be operational by mid2011. Synthetech employs 63 people and has 2 production sites (in Albany, OR and San Diego, CA). The company will be integrated into the
Grace Davison Specialty Technologies division. Chimie Pharma Hebdo, 29 Nov 2010, (530), 12 (in French) & Chemical Engineering World, Oct 2010, 45 (10), 32
Tanaka Kikinzoku: shipment of fuelcell catalysts to hit record in FY 2010 Global fuel-cell catalyst supplier Tanaka Kikinzoku Kogyo projects shipments of these catalysts to reach all-time high levels in FY 2010. The forecast is based on the company’s shipment volume of the catalysts for FY 2004 to 1H FY 2010, indexed to the FY 2004 shipment volume and categorized according to application. Tanaka reported that shipment volume expanded to a peak of 169% in FY 2006, but trended downward in the succeeding years amid the economic crisis, before rebounding to 162% in FY 2009 on the increased application of residential fuel cells, which is continuously growing. Japan Chemical Web, 2 Dec 2010 (Website: http://www.japanchemicalweb.jp)
NEW PLANTS Albemarle and Petrobras to build hydroprocessing catalyst plant in Brazil Albemarle and Petrobras are to build a plant in Santa Cruz, Brazil, for making hydroprocessing catalysts. It will be built on a site already used by these companies for making cracking catalysts and additives. Hydrotreating capacity in South America is expected to more than double between 2016 and 2018. Chemical Week, 13 Dec 2010, 172 (30), 11 & Press release from: Albemarle Corp. Website: www.albemarle.com (6 Dec 2010) & ICIS Chemical Business, 13 Dec 2010 (Website: http://icischemicalbusiness.com)
Commercial debut slated for new MMA process Performance Polymers, a business unit of Evonik Industries, plans to build a new plant for making methyl methacrylate monomer (MMA). The company’s proprietary Aveneer process will be used, for the first time, at the new plant to make 150,000200,000 tonne/y of MMA. The newly developed process employs the same starting materials as the
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Sabic and Lummus to commercialise xylene from toluene Sabic has announced the signing of an agreement with Lummus Technology covering the development and marketing of Sabic’s patented toluene methylation technology. This produces p-xylene from a mixture of toluene and methanol in the presence of a zeolite catalyst and hydrogen. The group makes p-xylene in Teesside, UK, and Yanbu, Saudi Arabia. Sabic has a light naphtha aromatisation process and a toluene methylene process and has been seeking external partners to accelerate their market launch. Financial details of the agreement with Lummus have not been disclosed. Chimie Pharma Hebdo, 29 Nov 2010, (530), 14 (in French)
Süd-Chemie AG and Technische Universität München reach agreement on strategic alliance Süd-Chemie AG and Technische Universität München (TUM) have formed a strategic alliance for catalysis research. In addition to basic research in the field of catalysis, a major aspect of this co-operation will be the development of innovative catalysts as a key technology to safeguard the rising global demand for energy and base chemicals on a long-term basis. SüdChemie is to sponsor this research work with up to €2 M/y. The cooperation is based on a master agreement concluded for an initial term of ten years which, if successful, is to be extended beyond this period. Activities are due to start before the end of 2010 under the name “Munich Catalysis. Alliance of Süd-Chemie and TUM”. Based on an industry-oncampus concept, TUM scientists will be working together with researchers from Süd-Chemie on central issues involving both basic and applied research in the field of chemical catalysis. Press release from: Süd-Chemie AG, Lenbachplatz 6, 80333 Munich, Germany. Tel: +49 89 5110 0. Fax: +49 89 5110 375. Website: http://www.sud-chemie.com (29 Nov 2010) & Chemical Week, 6 Dec 2010 (Website: http://www.chemweek.com)
FEBRUARY 2011
ON
C ATA LY S T S
Umicore adds JST catalysts Umicore has entered into a license agreement with the Japan Science & Technology Agency, allowing it to commercialize the asymmetric ketone hydrogenation technology and market ruthenium diamine and disphosphine ruthenium diamine catalysts. The technology enables processing of ketones into chiral alcohols, on an industrial scale. Speciality Chemicals, Sep 2010, 30 (9), 10
Verenium announces 2010 business update and outlook for 2011 Verenium Corp announced key 2010 accomplishments and 2011 company goals and financial guidance. The company successfully raised $98.3 M and reduced operating losses through the sale of assets to BP; repurchased $21 M of convertible notes, extinguishing all remaining 8% notes; and are on track to achieve revenue and gross margin targets for 2010. Verenium also provided financial guidance and corporate goals for 2011. Press release from: Verenium Corp, 55 Cambridge Parkway, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA. Tel: +1 617 674 5300. Website: http://www.verenium.com (14 Dec 2010)
WR Grace finalizes acquisition of Synthetech WR Grace has finalized its acquisition of US fine chemicals producer Synthetech (which specializes in organic synthesis, biocatalysis, and chiral technologies) for $19.2 M. Synthetech has been considering various strategic options since Jul 2009. The deal gives WR Grace new pharmaceutical development capacities, especially for chiral products and peptides. It also gives it polypropylene catalyst production capacities for plastics manufacturing. WR Grace already has several production lines for this type of catalyst and in Apr 2010 signed a distribution agreement with Borealis. In another development WR Grace has announced an extension to its propylene catalysts site in Worms, which should be operational by mid2011. Synthetech employs 63 people and has 2 production sites (in Albany, OR and San Diego, CA). The company will be integrated into the
Grace Davison Specialty Technologies division. Chimie Pharma Hebdo, 29 Nov 2010, (530), 12 (in French) & Chemical Engineering World, Oct 2010, 45 (10), 32
Tanaka Kikinzoku: shipment of fuelcell catalysts to hit record in FY 2010 Global fuel-cell catalyst supplier Tanaka Kikinzoku Kogyo projects shipments of these catalysts to reach all-time high levels in FY 2010. The forecast is based on the company’s shipment volume of the catalysts for FY 2004 to 1H FY 2010, indexed to the FY 2004 shipment volume and categorized according to application. Tanaka reported that shipment volume expanded to a peak of 169% in FY 2006, but trended downward in the succeeding years amid the economic crisis, before rebounding to 162% in FY 2009 on the increased application of residential fuel cells, which is continuously growing. Japan Chemical Web, 2 Dec 2010 (Website: http://www.japanchemicalweb.jp)
NEW PLANTS Albemarle and Petrobras to build hydroprocessing catalyst plant in Brazil Albemarle and Petrobras are to build a plant in Santa Cruz, Brazil, for making hydroprocessing catalysts. It will be built on a site already used by these companies for making cracking catalysts and additives. Hydrotreating capacity in South America is expected to more than double between 2016 and 2018. Chemical Week, 13 Dec 2010, 172 (30), 11 & Press release from: Albemarle Corp. Website: www.albemarle.com (6 Dec 2010) & ICIS Chemical Business, 13 Dec 2010 (Website: http://icischemicalbusiness.com)
Commercial debut slated for new MMA process Performance Polymers, a business unit of Evonik Industries, plans to build a new plant for making methyl methacrylate monomer (MMA). The company’s proprietary Aveneer process will be used, for the first time, at the new plant to make 150,000200,000 tonne/y of MMA. The newly developed process employs the same starting materials as the
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