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Thursday, 4 May 2017

BASF, HP Indigo to develop water-based adhesive solutions

LUDWIGSHAFEN, GERMANY: BASF SE has entered into a strategic collaboration with HP Indigo, the world’s leading manufacturer of digital printing presses. Both companies will collaborate to develop water-based adhesive solutions for flexible packaging that are specially tailored to the requirements of the HP Indigo ElectroInk process, a highly flexible and fast digital printing process.

BASF’s water-based adhesive systems are an environmentally compatible and economically rewarding alternative to conventional technologies when it comes to the lamination of flexible food packaging. The Epotal lamination systems offer significant advantages over solvent and solventless adhesives. Besides a lower carbon footprint, these systems provide increased flexibility and accelerated production procedures due to their unique polymer design.

The expansion of HP Indigo digital printing into mainstream flexible packaging required a validation of various adhesive performances with the HP Indigo ElectroInk. Thus, BASF accomplished several lamination solutions for digital printing including adhesives for dry lamination for food packaging.

“HP is constantly looking into faster turnaround time to extend the value of the digital printing applications. This strategic collaboration with BASF, a leading player in the adhesive industry, demonstrates our continued commitment to providing HP Indigo customers full end-to-end solutions with extended performance,” said Nurit Raccah, labels and packaging media and materials business manager, Indigo division, HP.

“Recently we have developed innovative high-performance water-based adhesives for digital inks: Epotal DP3820X and Basonat LR 9056. In combination with HP Indigo Pack Ready Coating these adhesives enable the production of retort pouches with best lamination quality,” said Dr Axel Weiss, head of marketing dispersions for industrial adhesives Europe, BASF.

Showcase of breakthrough analytical solutions

Agilent Technologies Scientific Symposium will feature latest in innovative technology and workshops on challenges in food, pharma & applied chemical industries.

More than 500 scientists and researchers from commercial, scientific and research communities are expected to attend Agilent Technologies’ symposium, being held in different regions throughout Southeast Asia since 2011.

The ‘Total Agilent Experience’ (TAE) symposium will be held for the first time in Mumbai, on 6 to 7 June, organised by Agilent Technologies. “Treating customers as partners and nurturing relationships is an attitude ingrained at Agilent,” said Bharat Bhardwaj, country manager of Agilent Technologies India. "We are hosting this unique symposium in Mumbai as a demonstration of our commitment."

"To ensure that our customers have access to the newest technologies, Agilent will showcase its latest chromatography, mass spectrometry and spectroscopy technology platforms," said Bhardwaj. "We will also feature workshops where participants can discuss the current challenges in food, pharma and applied chemical industries with industry leaders and experts from Agilent."

At the event, Agilent will showcase new platforms that will include: the Intuvo 9000 GC, the 4210 MP-AES, the 5110 ICP-OES and its liquid chromatography and mass spectroscopy solutions. These analytical instruments can be used by scientists, chemists and laboratory professionals working in key industries such as pharmaceuticals, food, research, agriculture, chemicals, petrochemical and mining.

Using the sophisticated, user-friendly technologies offered by these platforms, scientists are now able to work on a wider range of challenging applications with improved performance and ease of use, whilst also increasing laboratory productivity and economic value.

“Agilent takes all customer feedback seriously when it comes to developing new products. Concerns such as increasing laboratory productivity and ease of use of both software and hardware consistently rate highly. As well as with the exhibition of our groundbreaking technology, we will also be hosting a Pharma Regulatory Summit, and a Food Safety Summit, where industry experts will share their insights on the emerging trends that are driving adoption of these technologies in these areas,” said Bhardwaj.

“The Total Agilent Experience aims to build a platform for the scientific community to share their concerns and suggest strategies overcome these hurdles. We are committed to providing our customers with the best tools to meet their application needs,” he added.

Policy changes to have long-term impact on CS2 market

BANGALORE, INDIA: The ban on the industrial use of charcoal and development at Central Insecticide Board (CIB) are sure to have a long-term impact on the carbon disulphide (CS2) market in India.

MoEF for ban on industrial use of charcoal:

The Indian Institute of Forest Management (IIFM) has submitted their report to Ministry of Environment and Forest (MoEF) - “The Feasibility of Wood Based Charcoal In Industrial Process.” Traditionally, a major part of CS2 manufactured in India is by adopting the wood based charcoal route.

Few recommendations by IIFM are:

Charcoal is prominently used by the textile industry to make CS2. The gas is used for various industrial processes.

Fixed period for old charcoal based CS2 manufacturers to convert into a natural gas-based plant.

Alternative technology natural gas “For the manufacturing for CS2.”

Inclusion of CS2 as an insecticide in Insecticides Act 1968:

As per the recent development at CIB, carbon disulphide has been included in the list of Insecticides schedule (Item 16) by subclause (i) & (ii) of clause (e) of Section 3 Insecticides Act 1968. Said schedule has been reconstituted by Government of India on 30 October 2016.

Products included in the list require CIB license to import in the country. Further, the Government of India is considering a proposal to ban imports of insecticides for which India is self-sufficient and CS2 is one such product.

Moreover, application of carbon disulphide in the production of various chemicals is expected to be the major market driver in Asia Pacific region. This is due to expansion in end-use industries such as textile, food packaging, refrigeration, and agriculture in countries such as China and India, according to Transparency Market Research.

With the increasing prices of basic raw materials, the use of CS2 in the manufacture of mining chemicals (as flotation agents) shows the highest forecast growth rate among different applications. Also, the use of CS2 as a non-polar solvent is another major application.

The growing use of carbon disulphide and policy changes are surely expected to have a long-lasting effect on the CS2 market in the country.

Merck, Schmid Rhyner partner for 3D printing technology

DARMSTADT, GERMANY: Merck said that it has entered into a strategic partnership with Schmid Rhyner AG for innovative 3D effect printing technology. The companies will further develop and commercialise Merck’s virtual embossing (VE3D) technology.

Schmid Rhyner AG, a Swiss company is one of the world’s leading suppliers of UV coatings and technologies for the printing industry. The aim of the partnership is to establish the purely optical 3D solution with the effect pigment technology from Merck on the packaging market.

Merck has already achieved significant success with a similar 3D process for manufacturing plastic package components in an injection moulding process. For that purpose, the pigments expert found a strategic partner last autumn.

“The strategic cooperation with Schmid Rhyner gives us the opportunity not only to commercialise our technology better but also to further develop this innovative printing process with effect pigments for various surfaces and markets in the coming years,” said Friedhelm Felten, head of pigments & functional materials, Merck.

3D effect enhances packages and labels

VE3D is a patented process for printing applications. Its eye-catching 3D optics imparts a special look to products with printed package components such as cartons and paper labels. The technology tricks the eye by giving images, graphics and text elements a three-dimensional appearance – whereas the printed surface itself is completely flat.

Thanks to the innovative technology from Merck, the special depth effect is created in line during the printing process. It can be used in UV flexo and UV gravure printing as well as in offset coating. It makes complex, additional processes superfluous, which were formerly needed to produce a 3D effect.

“VE3D technology fits our portfolio perfectly. It offers package designers and brand manufacturers a further unique opportunity to distinctively position themselves in the market with their premium products,” says Jakob Rohner, CEO of Schmid Rhyner AG.

“The company’s products enhance boxes, cartons and labels used for food, luxury food and non-food products. They include touch & feel relief/raised effect, a 3D printing solution that creates relief heights of up to 30 ìm, and touch & feel soft-touch, which imparts a touch of velvet to surfaces,” added Rohner.

Total to explore Senegal’s deepwater potential

PARIS, FRANCE: Total SA and the Republic of Senegal, Africa have signed two agreements enabling Total to contribute to the exploration activities in Senegal’s deep and ultra-deep offshore.

The first agreement involves an exploration and production sharing contract for the Rufisque Offshore Profond block, which covers an area of 10,357 square kilometres. Total will be the operator with a 90 percent interest alongside Societe Nationale des Petroles du Senegal (Petrosen), holding the remaining 10 percent.

The second is a cooperation agreement signed between Petrosen, Senegal’s Ministry of Energy and Renewable Energy Development under which Total will perform studies to assess the exploration potential of Senegal’s ultra-deep offshore and become operator of an exploration block.

“An established player in refining and marketing in Senegal, Total is delighted to expand its presence in the country in the exploration & production segment. These agreements are part of the company’s strategy to carry out exploration activities in new deepwater basins in Africa and leverage our world-renowned expertise. Total is pleased to be bringing our know-how to the promising exploration zones in Senegal,” said Patrick Pouyanne, chairman and CEO of Total.

Sabic, Airborne to advance digitised composites production processes

AMSTERDAM, THE NETHERLANDS: Sabic said that it has invested growth capital in composites specialist Airborne International BV (Airborne) in The Hague.

With this investment, Sabic joins a growth financing round by existing shareholders including Pangaea Ventures Fund III LP, HPE PRO Institutional Fund BV, Participatiemaatschappii Innovation Quarter BV and Innovatiefonds Brabant BV.

The financing round will contribute to Airborne’s full automation and digitisation of composite manufacturing of goods that require less weight and higher strength from an array of industries.

In many markets like aerospace, automotive, oil & gas, consumer electronics and sporting goods, lightweight and durability are key industry drivers. Continuous fibre reinforced thermoplastic composite materials offer the potential to address these needs. Sabic’s composite thermoplastic solutions coupled with Airborne’s know-how offers the unique opportunity to realise the mass production of lighter and stronger applications in a more cost-effective way.

Digital infrastructure for thermoplastic composite automation technologies
Airborne is a technology leader in the design, production and industrialisation of advanced composite products for aerospace and marine sectors. Airborne is on a growth path to become the leading platform in composite automated manufacturing technologies. With the new investment, Airborne will implement the digital infrastructure that will serve as a backbone for thermoplastic composite automation technologies.

Sabic has taken a majority position in 2015 in unique technology for the production of high-performance unidirectional UDMAX tapes resulting in the formation of FRT. Sabic’s investment in Airborne will help enable Sabic to develop the next step in the value chain with a realisation of automated manufacturing for composites applications, with enhanced yields, cycle times and system cost.

“This investment and collaboration with Airborne will enable SABIC to take the next step in the commercialization of thermoplastic composites and help our customers to develop unique lightweight applications,” said Ernesto Occhiello, executive VP specialities strategic business unit at Sabic.

“Joining forces with Sabic is an important step towards our new strategy becoming a frontrunner in automation and digitisation of composite manufacturing. Attracting a preferred advanced chemicals supplier to invest in Airborne is a great confirmation of our strategy. We are very enthusiastic about the added value SABIC will bring to our company’s development and disruptive innovations,” said Arno van Mourik, founder and CEO of Airborne International.

BioAmber announces listing of shares on Toronto Stock Exchange

MONTREAL, CANADA: BioAmber Inc (BIOA) said that its common shares will begin trading on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX) under the symbol “BIOA”. The Committee on Uniform Securities Identification Procedures (CUSIP) number will be 09072Q106, the same CUSIP as the common shares currently traded on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE).

BioAmber's previously issued special warrant was automatically exercised, on 28 April 2017, for 2,224,199 common shares (underlying shares) following the issuance of a receipt for its final prospectus qualifying the underlying shares by the British Columbia Securities Commission.

The special warrant was issued in a private placement on 30 December 2016, at a price of $4.00 per underlying share issuable upon the exercise of the special warrant, resulting in gross proceeds to the company of $8,896,796. The proceeds were placed in escrow and were released to the company concurrently with the automatic exercise of the special warrant.