ADM, Cargill to form soybean joint venture in Egypt

Archer Daniels Midland Company (ADM) and Cargill have reached an agreement to launch a joint venture (JV) to provide soybean meal and oil for customers in Egypt.

The JV would own and operate the National Vegetable Oil Company soy crush facility in Borg Al-Arab along with related commercial and functional activities, including a separate Switzerland-based merchandising operation that would supply soybeans to the crushing plant.

The companies are expecting to formally launch the joint venture in mid-2018.

Cargill is currently expanding the plant from 3,000 metric tons to 6,000 metric tons of daily crush capacity. The plant will be able to produce higher-protein soybean meal while reducing the need for soybean meal imports into Egypt.

The JV will be managed as a standalone entity consisting of equal ownership by ADM and Cargill, with a management team reporting to a board of directors appointed by the two parent companies. The joint venture’s assets will not include Cargill’s grain business and port terminal in Dekheila, or the ADM-Medsofts joint venture at the Port of Alexandria. Each company will continue its separate business activities in the country and region.

Read more: ADM, Cargill to form soybean joint venture in Egypt

Heading towards biochemical utopia

India is a country with the largest number of students pursuing engineering. A common platform where students from various parts of the country can challenge their potentials is a great way to enhance the skills of an engineer. ?IIT Bombay will host AZeotropy, the annual chemical engineering symposium organised by the students of chemical engineering.

With the motto of interrelating chemical engineering and biotechnology to overcome nature’s challenges by adding a flavour of chemical engineering to the traditional biological approaches, AZeotropy 2018 is set amidst the theme ‘ChemBioTopia - Heading towards Biochemical Utopia’. The 12th edition of the event which will take place on 17 and 18 March 2018, at IIT Bombay, Powai will witness eminent personalities and professionals to guide the young minds.

Read more: Heading towards biochemical utopia

Indian chemical industry – Will M&A be a game changer?

The chemical industry in India is the third largest producer in Asia and sixth largest in the world. According to the Department of Chemicals and Petrochemicals, as of 2017, the domestic chemical industry’s size is pegged somewhere between $150-155 billion, accounting for 2.1 percent of the country's gross domestic product (GDP) but only a little more than 3.4 percent of the global chemical market.

With more than 80,000 chemical products being developed for either direct or indirect consumption for almost all the other sectors, the chemical sector is highly diversified. Besides the obvious petrochemicals, agrochemicals, speciality chemicals and fertilizers, other sectors such as pharmaceuticals, textiles and paints offer a huge market opportunity too in India. Hence, the chemical sector is instrumental in the overall economic development of the country.

The government itself expects the chemical industry to double in size to over $300 billion by 2025, clocking an annual growth rate of nearly 8-10 percent. According to leading market players, plans to introduce a new policy to promote the domestic industry and curb imports are already in motion.

Taking all these factors into account, the domestic chemical market shines brightly as a lucrative space to invest. Bundle these with a significantly lower cost of labour, easy availability of key raw materials, a large consumer base and the potential to scale-up with the adoption of technology, it becomes too good an opportunity to give it a miss for both existing and aspiring players. A number of local and MNC firms are already vying to get a larger share of the market as even more players make plans to enter the Indian market.

Faced with many handicaps like lesser funding than their foreign counterparts and intense domestic competition, local chemical companies continue to survive though with slim margins. As the global economic order awkwardly shuffles along with low growth volumes, the hypercompetitive environment continues to throw many new challenges.

Sluggish sales volumes in the industry clocked low growth rates in 2016 riding on the wave of a severe shortfall in industrial production and a large-scale optimization of inventories by their customers. Petroleum-based products were worse hit in particular recording a lower-than-normal industry average.

Read more: Indian chemical industry – Will M&A be a game changer?

AkzoNobel adds colour to the new 2018 McLaren Formula 1 car

The 2018 McLaren Formula 1 racing car, MCL33 was launched with AkzoNobel’s new Papaya Spark – an eye-catching primary colour developed by AkzoNobel in conjunction with McLaren-Honda.

Reflective of McLaren’s racing heritage, Burton Blue and Cerulean Blue also feature on the new F1 car. McLaren first used Papaya in 1968 – the decision of founder Bruce McLaren.

The McLaren team relies on AkzoNobel’s coatings technology to provide colour, protection and performance – all essential elements for F1 racing. The innovative coating systems supplied by the company have enabled the McLaren Formula 1 team to significantly reduce the total weight of the paint and decrease processing time by more than 50 percent.

AkzoNobel’s new coating systems offer numerous performance and sustainability benefits, such as the latest UV curing primer technology, low film weight, a water-based colour coat and super-fast clearcoat – all with significantly reduced emissions. The company’s Sikkens brand – a frontrunner in providing premium automotive paint solutions – has helped McLaren become a leader in the sustainability race for the new F1 season.

Read more: AkzoNobel adds colour to the new 2018 McLaren Formula 1 car

New method could help quantify untapped natural gas reservoirs

More than 30 states have shale formations that harbour natural gas underground, according to the Energy Information Administration. But industry experts can’t agree on exactly how much fuel is inside. That’s because natural gas and other hydrocarbons lie inside nano-scale, difficult-to-measure pores in shale rocks, which have properties that are not yet understood.

“If you want to estimate the storage capacity of shale gas, you need to understand materials that store them,” said Yun Liu, an affiliated associate professor of chemical engineering at the University of Delaware and a physicist at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Center for Neutron Research.

Now, using neutron scattering, Liu and a team of researchers from UD, NIST and Aramco Services Company have developed a novel non-invasive method to measure the variation of surface properties deep inside porous materials.

This method can help natural gas experts to better understand shale samples by examining the compositional distribution on porous surfaces inside the shales that directly influences the storage and transport of hydrocarbons. This would eventually help them decide whether to invest time and resources to extract gas from the formation the samples came from.

The findings of this study, published in the journal Nature Communications, could also be used to understand many other different types of porous materials using neutron scattering or X-ray scattering.

Read more: New method could help quantify untapped natural gas reservoirs

Corrosion Technology Forum 2018

A two day conclave focusing on corrosion technology discussing various issues on corrosion control, mitigation and methodologies to assess the damage due to corrosion. National and International experts are being invited to give latest information on corrosion control strategies, health monitoring of plants and periodic maintenance methodologies.

Find more information here: Corrosion Technology Forum

Clariant re-launches innovative skin care ingredient to resist pollution effects

MUTTENZ, SWITZERLAND: Clariant International Ltd has re-launched its innovative skin defender against pollution and ageing, RedSnow, after skin explant and clinical tests demonstrate its efficacy to combat the significant negative effects of air pollutionon the skin.

RedSnow can be formulated for a wide variety of protective face care products, including anti-pollution facial mists and anti-ageing / anti-wrinkle creams, serums, lotions, masks and toners.

Environmental pollution is a major agitator to the skin, impacting its homeostasis and facilitating the breakdown of the vital construction of the dermis and epidermis, causing dryness and irritation, and resulting in premature ageing. While skin is an efficient biological protective barrier against pollutants, it can be overwhelmed by too many aggressors.

Pollutants from automotive and industrial emissions - including various sizes of particulate matter from heavy metals, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and greenhouse gases - can penetrate deeper layers of the skin.

Read More: Clariant re-launches innovative skin care ingredient to resist pollution effects

DGH may review plan to sell 60 pc stake in ONGC, Oil India fields

MUMBAI/NEW DELHI, INDIA: Directorate General of Hydrocarbons (DGH) may be rethinking its plan to sell 60 percent stake in hydrocarbon blocks held by Oil and Natural Gas Corp Ltd (ONGC) and Oil India Ltd (OIL), two people familiar with the development said.

Last November, as a production enhancement measure, DGH had proposed to sell a 60 percent stake in the hydrocarbon fields of ONGC and OIL to private exploration firms. The two firms would retain the rest 40 percent. The plan included 15 blocks—11 of ONGC and four of OIL.

ONGC officials have been protesting against the idea.

“We have written a detailed mail to the DGH providing data to them concerning the fields in question. We have asked them why is there a proposal and need to give 60 percent in these fields to private players as we have been producing from these fields for last three decades. We have been given to understand that the DGH is re-thinking on the plan,” said an ONGC official, one of the two cited above, on condition of anonymity.

Read More: DGH may review plan to sell 60 pc stake in ONGC, Oil India fields

Kraton intents to initiate term loan reprice, maturity extension

HOUSTON, US: Kraton Corporation (KRA) and certain of its wholly-owned subsidiaries said that they intend to amend the existing senior secured term loan facility to:

• reprice the existing term loans under the term loan facility;
• extend its maturity by approximately three years to March 2025; and
• increase borrowings under the euro-denominated tranche of the term loan facility by approximately $100 to $200 million.

The company plans to use the proceeds from additional borrowings under the euro-denominated tranche to pay down a portion of the existing US dollar-denominated tranche under the term loan facility.

Read More: Kraton intents to initiate term loan reprice, maturity extension

ThyssenKrupp bags caustic soda contract from GACL-Nalco JV

MUMBAI, INDIA: ThyssenKrupp Industrial Solutions has been awarded a contract by GACL-Nalco Alkalies & Chemicals Private Limited (GNAL), for its grassroots membrane cell caustic soda-chlorine project.

GNAL is a joint venture formed between Gujarat Alkalies and Chemicals (GACL) and National Aluminium Company (NALCO). The plant with a planned production capacity of 800 tons of caustic soda per day will be located in Dahej, Gujarat.

ThyssenKrupp will provide know-how, basic and detailed engineering services, supply of proprietary equipment, procurement/inspection, erection and commissioning supervision services and performance guarantee test for the caustic soda-chlorine plant. After completion, it will be the largest single-train caustic soda-chlorine plant regarding capacity to have been put up in India, so far.

The plant will deploy ThyssenKrupp’s leading membrane cell technology which is at work across a majority of Indian caustic soda installations. At the heart of the plant will be the group’s latest, energy and emission-friendly membrane cell elements.

Read More: ThyssenKrupp bags caustic soda contract from GACL-Nalco JV

Merck to invest €40 mn to boost manufacturing, distribution in Asia

DARMSTADT, GERMANY: Merck announced an additional investment of €40 million to build a robust manufacturing and distribution platform in Asia over a span of two years. This investment follows Merck’s November 2016 announcement of its €80 million life science investment in Nantong, China.

“In biopharmaceutical research, time is of the essence. Our investments in the important Asian markets of South Korea, India and China ensure that our customers have ready access to the products needed to develop new therapies and biosimilars that accelerate access to health for people everywhere,” said Udit Batra, member of the Merck executive board and CEO, life science.

Manufacturing & distribution centre in Songdo, South Korea

The rapidly growing biopharmaceutical industry in South Korea makes the country one of the key life science hubs in Asia. The push for research and for rapid, custom manufacturing capabilities mean a greater need for accessibility to pharmaceutical products and solutions for the advancement of research and innovation.

Merck’s new manufacturing and distribution centre, located in the Songdo district of Incheon, will include an infrastructure to facilitate the supply of Merck products to customers in Korea and advanced cell culture media manufacturing capabilities (imMEDIAte advantage custom media). Occupying a land area of 10,141 square meters, the new site is expected to be fully operational in Q4 2019.

Read More: Merck to invest €40 mn to boost manufacturing, distribution in Asia

All You Need to Know About Sugar

All around the world people consume sugar. Now let us know what sugars are? Sugar, is the general name for soluble carbohydrates, which are sweet in taste and used in food. It is particularly a one source of food energy. The word sugar is originated from the Sanskrit word sarkara. Since ancient times, sugar is manufactured in Indian subcontinent.

Chemical formula of sugar:

The formula of sugar depends upon the type of sugar. Sucrose, also known as saccharose is the most common sugar with name table sugar, which is of type disaccharide, made up of monosaccharides, glucose and fructose combination. The chemical formula of sucrose is C12H22O11. This means each molecule of sugar consists of 12 carbon, 22 hydrogen and 11 oxygen atoms.

Other sugars molecular formulas:

Arabinose: C5H10O5

Fructose: C6H12O6

Galactose: C6H12O6

Read More: All You Need to Know About Sugar

Lubrizol expands thermoplastic polyurethane capacity globally

CLEVELAND, US: The Lubrizol Corporation announced a global expansion program supporting the its engineered polymers thermoplastics polyurethane (TPU) business and growing global demand for its Estane TPU, Pearlthane(TM) TPU, Pearlbond(TM) TPU and other product lines.   

• New capacity being added in key plants in North America, Europe and Asia
• Multi-million-dollar expansions, with a combined investment of nearly $80 million
• New capabilities and capacity demonstrate long term commitment and dedication to technology leadership, innovation, automation and supply chain reliability

In North America, the company is adding new state-of-the-art production capabilities, expanded raw material storage, warehouse space and improved site logistics. With the latest investment, new capacity is expected to come onstream later this year. 

In Songjiang, China, the company held a ribbon cutting ceremony earlier this month to inaugurate a new compounding line and new extrusion lines. 2018 marks the fourth major expansion in Songjiang since the plant first produced TPU in the early 2000's. Recognizing the vast potential of the Chinese market, Lubrizol was the first foreign company to invest in local TPU production. Further investment is planned in Asia in 2019. 

Read More: Lubrizol expands thermoplastic polyurethane capacity globally

Archroma unveils new brightening agent for surface applications

REINACH, SWITZERLAND: Archroma has unveiled Leucophor MT liq, a new tetrasulfonated optical brightening agent (OBA) modified to give high whiteness performance in surface applications.

The application of optical brighteners to the surface of the paper is usually done by using either hexasulfonated OBAs when high whiteness levels are required or tetrasulfonated OBAs when standard levels of whiteness are sufficient.

With the increasing costs of some of the key raw materials needed to manufacture hexasulfonated OBAs, Archroma asked its R&D experts to develop a tetrasulfonated agent for surface applications that would give comparable levels of whiteness to hexasulfonated grades.

The outcome is Leucophor MT liq, a REACH-registered, urea-free, modified tetrasulfonated OBA that offers papermakers a new, cost-effective option to achieve high whiteness levels in a surface application, especially at the size press.

Leucophor MT liq is produced in Archroma’s OBA production facility near Barcelona, Spain, which was extended in 2017 to raise capacity to meet the demands of its European customers.

Read more: Archroma unveils new brightening agent for surface applications

Innovation remains the driver of European chemical industry

Research and innovation remain at the heart of European chemical sector

Initiatives such as SusChem, and active adoption of low carbon technology, for the development of sustainable chemicals are attractive

Fierce global competition owing to high energy expenditure and challenging raw material costs to challenge the chemical sector

Brexit remains a future threat to European chemical sector, notably exports, and demand important reforms to prevent the plausible risks.

By Madhavi Bhosale

European chemical sector has portrayed its own success story since its development over 150 years ago. Manufacturing sector is playing a crucial role in terms of significant economic contribution and generation of vast employment. European Commission estimates that chemical manufacturing sector is Europe’s wealth-generating sector while accounting for second highest value per employee after pharmaceutical industry. The EU Chemicals industry represented about 7 percent of the total industrial production and 17 percent of the global chemical sales in 2013. The industry penetration reaches to construction, medical, pharmaceuticals, automotive, electronics, communication, energy, as well as agricultural sector.

Read More: Innovation remains the driver of European chemical industry

Game changing fully recyclable polyethylene packaging solution

Dow Packaging and Specialty Plastics (P&SP), has developed an innovative formulation of polyethylene (PE) resins to create a new sustainable all PE laminate solution with flexible packaging applications.

Current flexible packaging solutions contain multiple layers of different polymers and additives that are incompatible during the recycling process, requiring complex processes break down. Dow’s revolutionary mono-material all PE laminate packaging solution brings to the table a solution that does not compromise on - aesthetics, brand perception and performance while the postconsumer packaging will remain 100 percent recyclable at the end of its lifecycle.

“Dow encourages the responsible production, disposal and recycling of plastic and our all new all PE laminate solution looks at addressing the - flexible plastic waste management in India by allowing for full recyclability,” said Bambang Candra, Asia Pacific, commercial vice president for Dow Packaging and Specialty Plastics. “We are excited by the new product and will be working closely with local brand owners to implement our new solution to help them meet regulations around the reduction of usage of multi-polymer plastics to save the environment.”

Read More: Game changing fully recyclable polyethylene packaging solution

Organic acid a feed hygiene alternative for formaldehyde: Perstorp

PERSTORP, SWEDEN: Towards the end of 2017, the European Union denied the authorization of formaldehyde as a preservative and hygiene condition enhancer. Foreseeing this decision, Perstorp has been researching the mode of action and effectiveness of organic acids against Salmonella for years.

New data brought to light that propionic acid reduces the motility of Salmonella and that specifically selected essential oils have a synergetic effect with organic acids. A new range of ProPhorce SA products puts these new insights to optimal use.

Formic acid is well known for its antibacterial properties and has been used to combat pathogens for years. In a new development, research at the faculty of veterinary medicine at the Utrecht University in the Netherlands showed that propionic acid also has an antibacterial effect that works synergistically to that of formic acid.

Where earlier trials have shown that some essential oils can allow formic acid to pass the cell wall and neutralize Salmonella, researchers now found that propionic acid effects on the motility of bacteria by stripping them of their flagella. This takes away the mobility of the pathogen and as such renders it harmless. The trials executed at the University of Utrecht also show a clear synergy between all of these components where the efficacy of the combination is much higher than the sum of its parts or of other organic acid solutions that were tested.

Read more: Organic acid a feed hygiene alternative for formaldehyde: Perstorp

New, high-end solutions for demanding coatings applications

By Rosanna Telesca

Founded in 1965, SONGWON Industrial Group develops, produces and supplies additives and speciality chemicals worldwide. The company, which is headquartered in Ulsan, Korea and recently celebrated its fiftieth anniversary, has grown from a small organization active mainly in Asia to become the second largest manufacturer of polymers stabilizers worldwide and a global speciality chemicals company with branches and production facilities all over the world.

SONGWON focuses strongly on sustainability in all its operations from R&D to production and beyond, also placing high emphasis on end use. Important aspects for the company include the wellbeing and safety of its employees and the general public, renewable raw materials, environmentally sound products and production processes, and economic use of resources such as water and energy.

As part of its continued expansion in fields where it can offer advanced know-how, SONGWON is developing state-of-the-art stabilization solutions for the coatings sector. Its portfolio comprises a wide range of ultraviolet absorbers (UVAs), hindered amine light stabilizers (HALS), antioxidants (AOs) and photoinitiators designed to cover all thermal and light stability requirements.

Read more: New, high-end solutions for demanding coatings applications

Chemical today magazine subscription

Chemical Today is a monthly magazine launched as an extension of www.worldofchemicals.com. Annually the magazine covers around 50 sectors in the chemical industry, focussing on 4 to 5 sectors each month. Other than the usual suspects – the Cover Story, Features, Events and Interviews, we will regularly feature Green Chemistry/Sustainability, IT In Chemicals, Automation, Logistics and Research & Development (R&D) By Youngsters. With the coverage of 50 vital sectors in chemical industries, the publication is more than a boon for the readers who constantly follow the most happenings around chemical industries & chemistry. A finely designed & healthy printed hard copy gives an overall magnificent look to the magazine. Chemical Today magazine comes with a supplementary copy that’s purely dedicated for a specific theme related to chemical industries and that’s more than just a compliment. Subscribe Now: Chemical today magazine subscription

Clariant appoints Permcos as active ingredients distributor

MUTTENZ, SWITZERLAND: Clariant International Ltd has appointed Permcos as its official distributor for Clariant active ingredients in Austria, Germany and Switzerland (DACH region).

Permcos, headquartered in Stein, Switzerland, is a specialist in the distribution of raw materials for the cosmetics market.

Clariant active ingredients offer newly developed ingredients as well as a selected portfolio of Biospectrum’s products of naturally-sourced active ingredients derived from Asia’s diverse flora.

Latest innovations focused on current industry trends and challenges include co-developed Eosidin, the first product targeting specifically indoor pollution to avoid atopic-prone skin condition and hypersensitivity.

“Permcos’ technical expertise is an essential asset for promoting our active ingredients and is valued by customers across the industry. We are excited about working together to support the highly-specialized product development needs of personal care formulators and brands,” said Nicola Garuccio, head of global business development at Clariant active ingredients.

“The raw materials of Clariant active ingredients are a perfect extension of the current Permcos portfolio and we are extremely happy about this new cooperation,” added David Eggler, CEO at Permcos.

Read More: Clariant appoints Permcos as active ingredients distributor