Chinese Chemical Industry Leader Visits SABIC Headquarters

The Saudi Basic Industries Corporation (SABIC) hosted a Chinese delegation, led by Li Yongwu, Chairman of China Petroleum and Chemical Industry Federation, at its headquarters in Riyadh on October 29. Prince Saud bin Abdullah bin Thenayan Al-Saud, Chairman of the Royal Commission for Jubail and Yanbu and Chairman of SABIC, and Mohamed Al-Mady, SABIC Vice Chairman and CEO, received the delegation.

Li Yongwu also visited the SABIC Technology Center at the Riyadh Industrial City after a lunch reception held in his honor at the headquarters.

Commenting on the visit, Al-Mady said, “We are indeed happy to receive such dignitaries from China’s ever-expanding chemical industry. They reflect our rapidly growing presence in China and our ambition to be the preferred petrochemical supplier in this important country. We have embarked on a series of projects as part of our growth plans in China, including manufacturing and technology & innovation operations. Our focus remains on helping our customers create products that improve the quality of life around the world.”

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Clariant suffers from unfavorable currency developments

Clariant, a world leader in specialty chemicals, announced sales of CHF 1.865 billion in the third quarter 2011, compared to CHF 1.709 billion in the previous year. This includes Süd-Chemie (SC) sales of CHF 356 million. In local currencies, sales growth amounted to 25%.

In Swiss francs, year-on-year sales were only 9% higher as the Swiss franc continued to strengthen against most major currencies especially in the first half of the third quarter.

Sales growth was driven by higher prices and the acquisition of Süd-Chemie. The less cyclical Business Units Additives, Catalysis & Energy, Functional Materials, Industrial & Consumer Specialties and Oil & Mining Services – accounting for roughly 50% of group sales – showed the most dynamic growth. By contrast, the slowdown in demand in the more cyclical businesses already observed in June has spread along the plastics value chain and into the coatings business.

Regionally, the traditional markets of Europe and North America outpaced Asia/Pacific, Latin America and the Middle East & Africa. In the emerging markets a slow-down in the dynamic growth of the last few quarters has been observed.

Excluding Süd-Chemie, sales increased by 5%, driven by a 9% increase in sales prices, while volumes decreased 4% compared to the previous-year period as a result of a combination of softening demand in some businesses and the deliberate loss of unprofitable contracts.

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Grasim Reports Improved Performance For Q2

Grasim Industries Limited, an Aditya Birla Group Company, has reported good results for the 2nd quarter ended 30th September 2011 supported by improved performance of both Cement and VSF businesses. Net Revenue increased by 28 per cent at Rs.5,774 crore (Rs.4,503 crore). PBIDT grew by 28 per cent from Rs.884 crore to Rs.1,135 crore. Net profit rose by 29 per cent at Rs.418 crore (Rs.323 crore).

Viscose Staple Fibre (VSF)
Global fibre markets are stabilising after the sharp volatility witnessed in Q1. The demand for VSF picked up due to improved consumption and restoration of the depleted inventory in the value chain. Globally, VSF prices staged a marginal recovery with improvement in sentiments.

The business recorded improved performance despite higher input costs. Production grew by 20 per cent with full capacity utilisation at Nagda plant during the quarter which was shut for 25 days in the corresponding quarter. Sales volumes were up by 17 per cent supported by the market demand.

The performance of the Pulp units was impacted by higher energy cost, scheduled annual maintenance and nominal forex losses.

Chemical Business
The Chemical business has reported an excellent performance. Production grew by 21 per cent on the back of full capacity utilisation. Sales volume increased by 30 per cent. Caustic prices continued to move upward with higher international prices and lower imports. As a result ECU realization increased by 24 per cent.

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Amvac Chemical buys Bayer’s cotton defoliant tribufos

American Vanguard Corporation announced that its wholly owned subsidiary Amvac Chemical Corporation has acquired the international assets of the cotton defoliant product tribufos (sold under the trade name Def from Bayer CropScience.

The acquisition of this international segment completes Amvac’s July 2010 purchase of Bayer’s domestic tribufos product line and complements the Company’s existing tribufos product Folex, which it has marketed since 2002. The acquired product is registered for use in Mexico, Argentina, Costa Rica and Colombia.

Folex is a fast and effective cotton defoliant that facilitates the removal of leaves surrounding the cotton boll and in combination with other products functions as a harvest aid. It enables cotton growers to utilize highly productive mechanical harvesting methods and to optimize their yield regardless of variable weather conditions present at harvest time.

Alfredo Pelaez, Amvac’s Director of International Sales commented: “This acquisition strengthens Amvac’s access to the international cotton market particularly in the Central and South American regions. We will be increasing our direct selling efforts in Mexico, expanding our distribution in Argentina, and beginning to develop our participation in the substantial cotton growing market of Brazil.”

Read more Amvac Chemical buys Bayer’s cotton defoliant tribufos @ Fibre2fashion

Interdye Asia To Land In Ahmedabad, Gujarat

"InterDye", known around the world as the largest and one of the best professional exhibitions in the dye-chemical industry, will land in Ahmedabad, India from 8 to 10, December 2011, occupying an exhibition area of about 5,000 square meters. This will be the first stop on its Asia tour.

Up until now, almost 100 famous companies have had their booths in this exhibition including Huntsman, JAY Chemical, Bodal Chemicals, Colourtex Industries, Hindprakash, Alps Chemicals, Lonsen, Yabang, Runtu, Jihua, Jingjin, Qingshan, BOAO, ShenXin, Guangming, Dankong, JECO, Shanyu, Shunlong, ANOKY, and Kedah. Exhibits covered all kinds of dyestuff, intermediate, pigments and textile chemicals, all kinds of textile printing and dyeing additives, corollary equipment, waste treatment equipment and other new technology.

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Momentive Performance Materials Presents New Solvent-Free Solutions for Textile Coatings

Momentive Performance Materials Inc., a leading global provider of silicones and advanced materials, announced an innovative platform of addition curable Room Temperature Vulcanizate (RTV) and liquid silicone rubber (LSR) products that can be considered for use in a variety of consumer, industrial and healthcare textile coating applications, including apparel and home furnishings.

The typical benefits of these solvent-free products, showcased at the FAKUMA trade fair in Friedrichshafen, Germany, include water repellency, high chemical resistance, good adhesion and high elongation, weatherability and low ageing, potential suitability for food and skin contact applications, and ease of processing.

Because the new textile coating products do not contain any added organotins, phthalates, formaldehyde and solvents, Momentive can provide a range of specialized materials that may be eligible to comply with standards such as the Oeko-Tex Standard 100, a globally uniform testing and certification system for textile raw materials, intermediate and end products at all stages of production.

“At Momentive, our goal is to develop products that address our customer’s needs and end-user demands,” said Dr. Burkhard Ledig, Marketing Manager for Consumer Goods and Healthcare in Europe, the Middle East, Africa and India, at Momentive Performance Materials. “We work closely with customers to help them identify products that meet their needs, such as improved processing time, production of enhanced textiles with highly sought-after functional properties, and increased performance and durability.”

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Cristal Global announces TiO2 price increases

Cristal Global (Cristal) announced that it will increase prices on all of its anatase and rutile Tiona titanium dioxide (TiO2) products sold in North America on November 1, 2011, or as contracts allow.

In North America prices for all anatase and Tiona titanium dioxide (TiO2) products will increase by US fifteen cents per pound.

The increases are in addition to earlier announcements.

Cristal Global is the world's second-largest producer of titanium dioxide and a leading producer of titanium chemicals. Cristal Global operates eight manufacturing plants in six countries on five continents and employs nearly 3,700 people worldwide.

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Schoeller energear earns Silver Award at Focus Open 2011

The latest Schoeller technology energear, which ensures that energy radiated by the body is returned to it makes a convincing impact at the Focus Open 2011 of the Design Center Stuttgart and wins a Silver Award. The International Design Prize Baden-Württemberg and Mia Seeger Prize 2011 exhibition will take place from 14 October to 27 November, 2011 in Stuttgart.

Heat has a beneficial effect and is experienced as a pleasant, cozy feeling. It permits deep relaxation and provides the body with renewed energy. For this reason, Far Infrared Rays have long been used for therapeutic purposes in medicine. An effect like that of a hot stone massage or an infrared sauna is achieved by the prize-winning energear, the new fabric generation from Schoeller Textil AG, which once again has taken nature as its role model. Here use was made of the natural capacity of certain minerals to reflect heat energy rays.

Promotes blood circulation
With energear, a special titanium/mineral mix incorporated into the fabric ensures that the energy radiated by the body is reflected back in the form of Far Infrared Rays. This reflection promotes blood circulation and increases oxygen levels in the blood. This additional energy has various positive effects on the body, for example performance enhancement and prevention of premature fatigue as well as improved regeneration.

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Advanced Aftertreatment Process for discontinuous dye houses

A new rinsing process for discontinuous dye houses from Thies Textilmaschinen, dramatically reduces the number of rinses from 8 – 10 processes to just 2 – 4 with, for example, navy blue cotton, and also allows the treated water to be reused.

Constantly striving to introduce new technologies aimed at reducing CO2 emissions and energy demands for discontinuous dye houses, Thies GmbH & Co KG has reached a new milestone with the introduction of its Advanced Aftertreatment Process (AAP).

The new process reduces the number of rinses and the reuse of the treated water to provide reduced consumption levels of 30 – 50%.

The AAP system has been designed to treat rinsing liquor in a separate Ozone reactor vessel using active oxygen to destroy the molecular structure of the dye stuff, removing the colour.

It is intended for use with all shades of yarns and fabric.

The system is operated during the rinsing and post treatment stages of the dyeing process.

The complete newly developed cycle for the dyeing machine to the ozone reactor ensures a faster and energy reduced online colour removal of the dye liquor without influence on the colour fastness.

By carrying out the AAP procedure in the dyeing machine ensures a dramatic reduction in the cycle time and the amount of effluent.

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Intertek’s iSupplier Intelligence Program Gives Global Buyers a Clear View into their Supply Chains

Intertek, a leading provider of quality and safety services to a wide range of industries around the world, announces the launch of iSupplier Intelligence (iSI), a supplier community platform that provides global buyers of consumer goods, industrial and commodities with access to suppliers’ profiles including Company Profile, Capabilities, Quality Compliance and Reputational Risk issues associated with Social, Environmental and Security issues regardless of which organization has conducted the relevant verification.

This level of supply chain transparency is imperative when doing business on a global level in order to provide trust, confidence and transparency.

The complexity of international sourcing and supply chains poses a challenge to buyers in tracing products to original manufacturers when selecting reliable suppliers to deliver quality and safe products on time.

Many buyers and organizations are unable to trace their products directly to manufacturers. Using iSupplier Intelligence, buyers can get a single, clear view of their manufacturing partners, resulting in a complete and up-to-date understanding of their business investments, capabilities and credentials.

Mr. Rajesh Saigal, Managing Director, Intertek India, said, “iSupplier Intelligence provides enhanced insight into the identities, policies and processes of supplier partners, enabling buyers to improve business performance and preserve their brand reputations by increasing the success potential of supplier relationship.”

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BASF to build new SAP plants in Brazil & China

BASF is strengthening its position in the superabsorbent polymers (SAP) market with investments in local production sites in fast growing emerging markets. In South America, BASF will build a SAP plant in Camaçari, Brazil with an annual capacity of 60,000 metric tons.

Production is expected to start in late 2014. In China, BASF-YPC Company Limited, a 50-50 joint venture between BASF and Sinopec, plans to start construction of a 60,000-metric-ton SAP plant at its Verbund site in Nanjing in mid 2012. Commercial production is planned for the beginning of 2014.

“With these two new projects, we will accompany the rapid growth of the emerging markets in South America and China,” said Gabriel Tanbourgi, President of BASF’s Care Chemicals division. “Local production allows us to serve our customers more flexibly and reliably.”

The investments in Brazil and China underline BASF’s long-term commitment to its customers and the emerging markets. “Both plants will be built with our latest state-of-the-art technology and have the advantage that they are planned to be backwards integrated into acrylic acid,” said Teressa Szelest, Senior Vice President of the Global Business Unit Hygiene.
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New Method cleans up textile industry's most dangerous chemicals

Textile dying is one of the most environmentally hazardous aspects of the textile industry. During dying, harmful chemicals that are difficult to break down are released, all too often into rivers and agricultural land. However, Maria Jonstrup, a doctoral student in Biotechnology at Lund University, has developed a new, environmentally friendly purification process which leaves only clean water. The findings are presented in Maria Jonstrup’s thesis.

The research is so far only research, and has therefore only been tested in the laboratory, but Maria Jonstrup is optimistic about its future potential.

“In the long term it should be possible for textile factories in India, China and Bangladesh to use the technique. If it works on a laboratory scale it is quite likely that it will also work in a real-life situation”, she says.

While working on her thesis, she has conducted experiments with both fungal enzymes and bacteria from the drains at textile industry and municipal wastewater treatment plants. However, it was only when she combined two different types of purification process, one biological and one chemical, that the breakthrough came.

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China disadvantages Wyoming soda ash manufacturers through unfair trade practices

U.S. Senator Mike Enzi, R-Wyo., said the U.S. needs to go farther in addressing unfair trade practices that disadvantage Wyoming soda ash producers.

During a speech on the Senate floor, Enzi highlighted the recent efforts by Congress and U.S. officials to pressure China on its Value-Added Tax (VAT) rebate for soda ash.

“There are additional policies that our government needs to continue to press that disadvantage U.S. exporters including China’s VAT rebate on soda ash. Wyoming soda ash producers can compete with the best but not when other nations stack the deck.”

China currently provides a 9% rebate for soda ash exports on its 17% Value-Added Tax. The rebate is provided to its domestic manufacturers as an artificial incentive to export more soda ash. Without this incentive, China soda ash producers would be forced to compete more fairly in the global market.

Enzi’s remarks were part of the debate on a bill designed to persuade China to stop undervaluing its currency.

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Huntsman Textile Effects opens 12th FDC in Sao Paolo

Huntsman Textile Effects has officially opened its 12th Formulation and Distribution Center (FDC) in Sao Paolo, Brazil that further enhances the company’s ability to shorten the supply chain in its Americas markets. The FDC will focus on the production of dyeing auxiliaries, pre-treatment and finishing products for local customers.

Huntsman TE is the global leader in developing total textile solutions across all aspects of the textile chain. We are committed as the global leader in developing sustainable, high performing processing and effects chemicals that have low environmental impact and at the same time allow our customers to make significant reductions both in terms of energy and time. Our team of dedicated, experienced personnel mean we offer on the ground support and full product stewardship from formulation to delivery and beyond.

For Textile Effects, the Brazil market represents one of the fast-growing, dynamic markets of increasing importance. The new FDC further strengthens Huntsman’s operations, allowing it to explore local production of chemical and textile products that match premium global standards and use latest innovative technology.

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Sewfree & seam sealing tapes get bluesign certificate

Bemis Associates Inc, the leading manufacturer of heat seal films for the Apparel and Footwear industries, recently announced it has achieved bluesign certification for its portfolio of Sewfree adhesive films and seam sealing tapes. Bemis recently completed important steps towards fulfilling its corporate and social responsibility, requiring permanent screening of both its supply chain and its manufactured products.

All process stages in the company, including raw materials and supplies, are evaluated using strict compliance criteria, and Bemis is proud to announce that these criteria are continuously achieved by the company. This places the company on an elite list of certified raw material and component suppliers committed to following the most stringent, environmentally-friendly standards without compromising functionality or quality.

Steve Howard, President and CEO of Bemis, commented "Bemis designs, develops, and delivers the widest range and largest volumes of waterproofing seam tapes and apparel and construction adhesive films in the industry today. Our customers are global brands who are committed to the environment and to every element of the global supply chain.

We are aligned with our customers in our commitment to the environment and are pleased to conclude this formal certification by bluesign technologies ag as a very visible confirmation of our continuous commitment to the environment and to our customers."

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Kronos Worldwide, Inc announced to increase price for all TiO2 products sold in NA

Kronos Worldwide, Inc announced a price increase for all titanium dioxide products sold in North America.

Effective October 1, 2011, or as permitted by contract, prices for all Kronos titanium dioxide products sold in North America will be increased by 25 cents per pound.

This increase is in addition to the increases previously announced.

Kronos Worldwide, Inc. is a major international producer of titanium dioxide products.

KRONOS Worldwide, Inc. and its predecessors have been producing titanium dioxide pigments (TiO2) since 1916. The company has continued to grow and invest in its worldwide TiO2 business and currently operates six production plants and one mine at locations in five countries on two continents.

Kronos Worldwide Inc

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