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Polymers

Linde to build two air separation plants in China

Technology company The Linde Group has been commissioned to build and operate two large air separation plants to supply gases on site to the Chinese company Yantai Wanhua in Shandong (East China). The contract for the project, which will involve investment of around €130 million, was signed this week.

Braskem to buy global polypropylene business of Dow Chemical for $340mn

US-based Dow Chemical has agreed to sell its polypropylene (PP) business for $340 million to Braskem, a move which makes Braskem the top polypropylene producer in North America. The assets involved in the deal include two manufacturing plants in the US and two in Germany, with a total annual polypropylene production capacity of 2.3 billion pounds.

Dow, Saudi Aramco JV wins board approval to build $20bn chemical complex

The boards of directors of Dow Chemical and Saudi Aramco have approved the formation of a joint venture (JV) to build and operate a world-scale, fully-integrated chemicals complex at Jubail Industrial City in Saudi Arabia.

Cabot plans 25% expansion for Europe fumed silica

Cabot will expand production capacity by 25% at its fumed silica facility in Barry, Wales, company officials said on Monday. The expansion is expected to be completed in 2012 and is part of a three-year plan to increase Cabot’s global fumed metal oxide capacity by 35% to 40%.

BASF plans Bahrain plastic additives plant for 2012 to meet rising Middle East demand

BASF will significantly expand its presence in the Middle East region by building a state-of-the-art plant for antioxidant blends (CSB) in Bahrain, the Germany-based chemicals major said on Wednesday. CSBs are key additives for the production of polymers for the plastics industry, especially for the Middle East region.

Dow Chemical, Mitsui form biopolymers JV in Brazil

US-based Dow Chemical and Japan-based Mitsui & Co. have formed a new joint venture aimed at providing sustainable product solutions to the global high-performance flexible packaging, hygiene and medical markets. This represents the world’s largest biopolymers play and is Dow’s largest investment in Brazil, a country in which Dow has operated successfully for more than 50 years, officials said.

American Chemistry Council chief seeks overhaul of EPA risk assessment system

In testimony this week before the US House Subcommittee on Investigations, American Chemistry Council CEO Cal Dooley called for an overhaul of the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS).

Praxair signs nitrogen, oxygen supply deal with Brazil petchem major Braskem

White Martins, the Brazil-based subsidiary of Praxair, has signed a 15-year agreement to supply nitrogen and oxygen to Braskem, the largest Americas petrochemical company by capacity and the world’s largest producer of biopolymers.

TPC Group to restart Texas dehydrogenation unit

TPC Group says it has received the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) air permit necessary for the planned refurbishment, upgrade to air emission controls, and restart of one of its idle dehydrogenation units in Houston. Construction of the required new components for the system, along with refurbishment of the existing unit, began promptly following receipt of the permit, the company said.

Cereplast to supply bioplastic resins to Turkey

Cereplast entered into a distribution agreement with Polimernet Plastik Ltd. to supply bioplastic resins to the Turkish market, the manufacturer of proprietary bio-based, compostable and sustainable plastics said on Tuesday.