BASF inaugurates new pharma technical lab in India

INDIA: BASF India Limited, subsidiary of BASF SE has inaugurated its pharma technical lab at its Innovation Campus Asia Pacific, located in Navi Mumbai, India.

Named “BASF Pharma Solutions Lab”, the facility will cater to the fast-growing pharmaceutical market in South Asia, especially generic drug manufacturing, which accounts for more than 70 percent of the sector in India.

This pharma technical lab is the fifth application lab in BASF’s global innovation network for pharmaceutical solutions, which also includes labs in Germany, North America, South America, and China.

The 200-square-meter application lab boasts technical capabilities in creating and delivering BASF’s functional solutions for drug formulation, especially in solubilization and instant & modified release. This will enable pharmaceutical manufacturers to solve drug formulation challenges such as developing fixed dose combinations, taste masking and temperature- or moisture-sensitive drugs.

Inaugurated in March of this year, the Innovation Campus Asia Pacific also houses the company’s other existing scientific disciplines. This creates the opportunity for innovation synergies to be able to meet the unique technological needs of diverse customers across South Asia.

Read more: BASF inaugurates new pharma technical lab in India

Tronox to sell alkali chemicals business for $1.3 bn cash

Tronox Limited (TROX) has signed a definitive agreement to sell its alkali chemicals business to Genesis Energy LP (GEL), a diversified midstream energy master limited partnership headquartered in Houston, Texas, for $1.325 billion in cash. 

The transaction is expected to close in the second half of 2017.

The sale of alkali chemicals is the next step in positioning Tronox as the global leader in TiO2.  The proceeds will be used to fund the majority portion of the cash consideration for the Cristal TiO2 acquisition, which is expected to close by the first quarter of 2018.  As an integral part of this strategy, the company announced its intention to refinance a portion of its capital structure. 

"We were pleased to have received significant interest in our alkali business from multiple potential buyers. Genesis' proposal was the most compelling for its overall value, with its combination of price, favourable contract terms, speed to closing, committed financing, and expected ease of regulatory approvals. These considerations, in aggregate, provided the highest level of certainty to Tronox. We anticipate being able to close this transaction prior to our planned closing of the Cristal TiO2 acquisition,” said Peter Johnston, CEO of Tronox.

"Alkali chemicals has consistently delivered strong operational and financial performance. The caliber of the alkali workforce and their commitment to safe, high-quality production are unmatched in the natural soda ash industry. I thank the leadership team and all alkali employees for their contributions to Tronox," added Johnston.

Read more: Tronox to sell alkali chemicals business for $1.3 bn cash

IFF appoints Thermo Fisher CFO to its board

International Flavors & Fragrances Inc (IFF) has appointed senior vice president and chief financial officer (CFO) of Thermo Fisher Scientific, Stephen Williamson to its board of directors, effective immediately.

Williamson will also be a member of the company’s audit committee.

Appointed to his current role in August 2015, Williamson is responsible for the company’s finance, tax, treasury and investor relations functions. He joined Thermo Fisher in 2001 as VP, European financial operations, based in UK, and oversaw its integration activities across Europe.

Read more: IFF appoints Thermo Fisher CFO to its board

Sealed Air increases price for product care in North America

Sealed Air Corporation (SEE) said that it is increasing prices for all products in its North American product care division. The increases will be effective 1 September 2017.

The price adjustments are the result of increase in resin costs of over 7 percent since the start of the year with over 9 percent of additional increases expected to be announced in the near term. Other raw materials costs have also been on the rise including chemical components (MDI/Polyol) which are up 15 percent since the start of 2017, and recycled paper and corrugated up with old corrugated container (OCC) costs climbing more than 50 percent year-to-date with further increases expected.

Read more: Sealed Air increases price for product care in North America

Bayer, Rothamsted partner for sustainable crop care solutions

Bayer AG and Rothamsted Research have entered into a strategic framework agreement to improve collaborations in scientific areas, that will support the development of more customized agronomic solutions for farmers.

Building on a track record of collaborations, the partners are forming this strategic alliance to support a digital revolution for detecting and managing biotic threats such as pests, pathogens and weeds more sustainably. Coordinated activities, in the laboratory and in the field, will generate the data, know-how, tools and technologies that help to support a transition to smarter crop protection.

The partners will work together in a number of research areas: from real-time detection of pests in the environment to understanding the evolution of resistance; and from the identification of new modes of action of insecticides to novel approaches to controlling pests.

“Crops are exposed to a wide range of both biotic and abiotic stresses, and we expect our enhanced collaboration with Rothamsted to help us develop a better understanding of how these factors can be more sustainably managed to reduce crop losses worldwide and manage resistance more effectively,” said Dr Adrian Percy, global head of research and development at crop science, a division of Bayer.

Read more: Bayer, Rothamsted partner for sustainable crop care solutions

Fracturing chemicals and fluids market driven by rising energy demand

The global fracking chemicals & fluids market size was valued at $23.98 billion in 2016, and is projected to grow at an estimated CAGR of 10.3 percent from 2017 to 2025. Growing energy demand for energy owing to the increasing population is expected to be the key factor driving market growth, according to a report by Grand View Research.

Chemicals are added to water and sand to obtain the desired mixture of fracking fluid. A huge quantity of chemicals, approximately 40,000 gallons is used in one fracturing operation. Usually around 4 to 12 additives are required per fracturing operation. Various additives including, sodium chloride, ethylene glycol, guar gum, citric acid, polyacrylamide, acetic acid, hydrochloric acid, potassium carbonate and borate salts, can be used as per the requirements of the well being drilled.

The fracking chemicals and fluids market in the US was 1,467.0 kilo tonnes in 2016 and is expected to grow significantly over the forecast period. The demand for energy is increasing, on account of the growing industrialization in the region. This factor is expected to propel the market in the region.

Fracturing fluids are usually a mixture of proppant, water and chemical additives. Various other compressed gases including, carbon dioxide and nitrogen, along with gels are added into the mixture as per the requirements. Numerous proppants including, silica, bauxite, resin-coated sand, and ceramics are also added to the mixture according to the grain strength and permeability needed.

The fracking chemicals used vary depending on the water characteristics, well conditions and the desired fracturing type. The mixture utilized can be water based, oil based, synthetic based or foam based. The fluids utilized are injected into the wells at a high velocity to create large fractures in order to allow the drill to pass through easily. The important factors of fracking fluids consist of pH, viscosity and rheological factors.

Companies in the market are investing in R&D activities and are striving towards the development of environment-friendly fracking chemicals. Development of new product, including non-toxic drilling fluids and foams as an alternative to toxic oil based fluid (OBF), which is difficult to remove from the drill hole is anticipated to drive the industry growth.

Read more: Fracturing chemicals and fluids market driven by rising energy demand

EPA, Pharmacia to address Kanawha River dioxin contamination

The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has entered into a consent agreement with Pharmacia LLC on a cleanup plan to address dioxin contamination at the Kanawha River Superfund Site, in West Virginia.

The cleanup work focuses on a 14-mile stretch within the Kanawha River beginning at the confluence of the Kanawha and Coal rivers. Cleanup work will include constructing a cap over more than nine acres of contaminated river sediments. This capping will reduce the mobility and concentrations of dioxin in the sediments, which will help protect prey fish, sport fish, and bottom feeders in the river. 

The most significant human health risks at the site are associated with fish consumption from the river and the consent order provides for long-term monitoring of the levels of dioxin in fish caught along this stretch.

The State of West Virginia previously issued a fish advisory for the river due to elevated levels of dioxin found in fish caught in the river.

Read more: EPA, Pharmacia to address Kanawha River dioxin contamination