- Email: [email protected]
ZeaChem begins construction of cellulosic biorefinery
F O C U S on-year declines were also recorded in Toho Titanium’s functional chemicals business, which comprises catalysts and electronic materials. However, Toho Titanium anticipates sales and operating profits for FY 2009 to exceed last year’s results by expanding markets for its ultra-fine nickel powder to general-purpose fields, and secure bigger shipment volumes. Japan Chemical Web, 10 Nov 2009 (Website: http://www.japanchemicalweb.jp)
Total Petrochemicals launches new metallocene catalysts Total Petrochemicals has launched Lumicene, a new range of polyethylene and polypropylenes which include a new generation of metallocene catalyst for polyolefins. The new products offer improved gloss and transparency as well as better chemical resistance. They also have a lower impact on the environment. Chimie Pharma Hebdo, 17 Nov 2009, (486), 4 (in French)
Verenium reports financial results for 3Q 2009 Verenium Corp reported corporate accomplishments and financial results for 3Q and nine months ended Sep 2009. Total revenues for 3Q 2009 were $18.6 M and $49.3 M for nine months of 2009 ($16.4 M in 3Q 2008 and $49.9 M in nine months of 2008), with product revenues representing more than 55% of total revenues in all periods. Product revenues for 3Q 2009 were $11 M and $32.1 M for nine months of 2009 ($12.4 M in 3Q 2008 and $37 M in nine months of 2008). Net loss attributed to Verenium for 3Q 2009 was $2.3 M and $18.9 M for nine months of 2008 (net loss of $126.1 M in 3Q 2008 and $164.6 M in nine months of 2008). R&D expenses were $16.514 M during 3Q 2009 ($15.267 M in 3Q 2008) and $50.461 M during nine months of 2009 ($45.048 M in nine months of 2008). Verenium financial report 3Q and nine months of 2009, 9 Nov 2009 (Verenium Corporation, 55 Cambridge Parkway, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA. Tel: +1 617 674 5300. Website: http://www.verenium.com)
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WR Grace reports 3Q 2009 results: Improved profitability and strong cash flow: Core operations: Grace Davison For its 3Q 2009 (period ends 30 Sep 2009), the Grace Davison business unit of WR Grace & Co has reported net sales of $518.9 M ($579.7 M for its 3Q 2008), of which: Refining Technologies accounted for $267.9 M ($305.3 M), Materials Technologies $164.3 M ($183.4 M), and Speciality Technologies $86.7 M ($91.0 M); and operating income of $112.5 M ($86.3 M). For the first nine months of its fiscal 2009, this business unit has reported net sales of $1474.6 M ($1661.6 M for the first nine months of its fiscal 2008), of which: Refining Technologies accounted for $791.5 M ($828.0 M), Materials Technologies $445.2 M ($548.3 M), and Speciality Technologies $237.9 M ($285.3 M); and operating income of $234.3 M ($227.3 M). There is discussion of the business unit and the subsegments. WR Grace Results 3Q 2009, 22 Oct 2009, 3-5,12 (WR Grace & Co, 7500 Grace Drive, Columbia, MD 21044, USA. Website: http://www.grace.com)
ZeaChem begins construction of cellulosic biorefinery ZeaChem Inc has begun construction of its semi-works scale plant. The company is working with Hazen Research Inc of Golden, CO, to construct the critical first step of the biorefinery fermentation process. The front-end fermentation unit scales up production of the naturally occurring bacteria, called an acetogen, which ZeaChem uses in its fermentation process. ZeaChem has successfully produced acetogens at the lab scale for over 1000 fermentation trials of sugars as well as hydrolyzate derived from cellulosic biomass. The plant will have capacity to produce 250,000 gallon/y of biofuel. Hazen Research will construct and host the initial process unit and provide infrastructure and operations support. ZeaChem is constructing the semi-works scale biorefinery utilising skid mounted design, which allows construction of individual process units more quickly in fabrication shops. Press release from: A&R Edelman, 201 Baldwin Avenue, San Mateo, CA 94401, USA. Tel: +1 650 762 2800. Fax: +1 650 762 2801. E-mail: [email protected]. Website: http://www.edelman.com (18 Nov 2009) & Chimie Pharma Hebdo, 23 Nov 2009, (487), 7 (in French)
NEW PLANTS Coskata tries waste-to-ethanol engineering at new plant Biofuels start-up company Coskata has initiated trial production of ethanol from wood chips at its new, semi-commercial plant in Madison, PA, USA. The company is employing one of each type of process for cellulosic ethanol production (thermochemical and biochemical) to make the biofuel. The carbon feedstock is broken down via gasification then converted into ethanol via microbial fermentation. The plant can produce tens of thousands of gallons of ethanol, or around 0.1% that of a commercial plant, and is operating 24 hours/day to demonstrate the microbes’ efficiency and the cost of ethanol production. The planned commercial plant is expected to open in late 2012, with a capacity of 50-100 M gallon/y. Chemical and Engineering News, 2 Nov 2009, 87 (44), 20-21
Work begins on new bio-methanol and DME project Construction recently started for the world’s first biofuel plant to convert biomass into dimethyl ether (DME) in Pitea, northern Sweden. The Pitea plant will use ‘black liquor’ or waste produce from pulp and paper mills, and will be based on a gasification technology developed by Sweden’s Chemrec. The gasification process allows almost 100% carbon conversion and sulfate reduction, with extremely low syngas tar and methane content. This eliminates the need for secondary reforming of tar and methane which is normal in biomass reforming. The partners plan to establish a full industrial-scale plant that will produce 100,000 tonne/y of bio-methanol and bio-DME from black liquor. The SKR 3 bn (€294 M) project is slated to come online by 20122013. Nitrogen + Syngas, Nov/Dec 2009, (302), 10 & Biomass Magazine, Nov 2009 (Website: http://www.biomassmagazine.com/)
JANUARY 2010
Total Petrochemicals launches new metallocene catalysts Total Petrochemicals has launched Lumicene, a new range of polyethylene and polypropylenes which include a new generation of metallocene catalyst for polyolefins. The new products offer improved gloss and transparency as well as better chemical resistance. They also have a lower impact on the environment. Chimie Pharma Hebdo, 17 Nov 2009, (486), 4 (in French)
Verenium reports financial results for 3Q 2009 Verenium Corp reported corporate accomplishments and financial results for 3Q and nine months ended Sep 2009. Total revenues for 3Q 2009 were $18.6 M and $49.3 M for nine months of 2009 ($16.4 M in 3Q 2008 and $49.9 M in nine months of 2008), with product revenues representing more than 55% of total revenues in all periods. Product revenues for 3Q 2009 were $11 M and $32.1 M for nine months of 2009 ($12.4 M in 3Q 2008 and $37 M in nine months of 2008). Net loss attributed to Verenium for 3Q 2009 was $2.3 M and $18.9 M for nine months of 2008 (net loss of $126.1 M in 3Q 2008 and $164.6 M in nine months of 2008). R&D expenses were $16.514 M during 3Q 2009 ($15.267 M in 3Q 2008) and $50.461 M during nine months of 2009 ($45.048 M in nine months of 2008). Verenium financial report 3Q and nine months of 2009, 9 Nov 2009 (Verenium Corporation, 55 Cambridge Parkway, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA. Tel: +1 617 674 5300. Website: http://www.verenium.com)
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WR Grace reports 3Q 2009 results: Improved profitability and strong cash flow: Core operations: Grace Davison For its 3Q 2009 (period ends 30 Sep 2009), the Grace Davison business unit of WR Grace & Co has reported net sales of $518.9 M ($579.7 M for its 3Q 2008), of which: Refining Technologies accounted for $267.9 M ($305.3 M), Materials Technologies $164.3 M ($183.4 M), and Speciality Technologies $86.7 M ($91.0 M); and operating income of $112.5 M ($86.3 M). For the first nine months of its fiscal 2009, this business unit has reported net sales of $1474.6 M ($1661.6 M for the first nine months of its fiscal 2008), of which: Refining Technologies accounted for $791.5 M ($828.0 M), Materials Technologies $445.2 M ($548.3 M), and Speciality Technologies $237.9 M ($285.3 M); and operating income of $234.3 M ($227.3 M). There is discussion of the business unit and the subsegments. WR Grace Results 3Q 2009, 22 Oct 2009, 3-5,12 (WR Grace & Co, 7500 Grace Drive, Columbia, MD 21044, USA. Website: http://www.grace.com)
ZeaChem begins construction of cellulosic biorefinery ZeaChem Inc has begun construction of its semi-works scale plant. The company is working with Hazen Research Inc of Golden, CO, to construct the critical first step of the biorefinery fermentation process. The front-end fermentation unit scales up production of the naturally occurring bacteria, called an acetogen, which ZeaChem uses in its fermentation process. ZeaChem has successfully produced acetogens at the lab scale for over 1000 fermentation trials of sugars as well as hydrolyzate derived from cellulosic biomass. The plant will have capacity to produce 250,000 gallon/y of biofuel. Hazen Research will construct and host the initial process unit and provide infrastructure and operations support. ZeaChem is constructing the semi-works scale biorefinery utilising skid mounted design, which allows construction of individual process units more quickly in fabrication shops. Press release from: A&R Edelman, 201 Baldwin Avenue, San Mateo, CA 94401, USA. Tel: +1 650 762 2800. Fax: +1 650 762 2801. E-mail: [email protected]. Website: http://www.edelman.com (18 Nov 2009) & Chimie Pharma Hebdo, 23 Nov 2009, (487), 7 (in French)
NEW PLANTS Coskata tries waste-to-ethanol engineering at new plant Biofuels start-up company Coskata has initiated trial production of ethanol from wood chips at its new, semi-commercial plant in Madison, PA, USA. The company is employing one of each type of process for cellulosic ethanol production (thermochemical and biochemical) to make the biofuel. The carbon feedstock is broken down via gasification then converted into ethanol via microbial fermentation. The plant can produce tens of thousands of gallons of ethanol, or around 0.1% that of a commercial plant, and is operating 24 hours/day to demonstrate the microbes’ efficiency and the cost of ethanol production. The planned commercial plant is expected to open in late 2012, with a capacity of 50-100 M gallon/y. Chemical and Engineering News, 2 Nov 2009, 87 (44), 20-21
Work begins on new bio-methanol and DME project Construction recently started for the world’s first biofuel plant to convert biomass into dimethyl ether (DME) in Pitea, northern Sweden. The Pitea plant will use ‘black liquor’ or waste produce from pulp and paper mills, and will be based on a gasification technology developed by Sweden’s Chemrec. The gasification process allows almost 100% carbon conversion and sulfate reduction, with extremely low syngas tar and methane content. This eliminates the need for secondary reforming of tar and methane which is normal in biomass reforming. The partners plan to establish a full industrial-scale plant that will produce 100,000 tonne/y of bio-methanol and bio-DME from black liquor. The SKR 3 bn (€294 M) project is slated to come online by 20122013. Nitrogen + Syngas, Nov/Dec 2009, (302), 10 & Biomass Magazine, Nov 2009 (Website: http://www.biomassmagazine.com/)
JANUARY 2010