BASF to start construction of new MDI plant at Geismar site

BASF SE said that it will start the construction of a new MDI synthesis unit at its Verbund site in Geismar, Louisiana, in early Q2 2018.

Planning and engineering for the new unit started in 2016 and were recently completed.

The new plant is an important step to double BASF’s annual methylene diphenyl diisocyanate (MDI) capacity in Geismar from 300,000 metric tonnes to close to 600,000 metric tonnes in the medium term. With this investment, BASF supports the growth of its North American MDI customers.

MDI is an important component for polyurethanes – an extremely versatile plastics material that contributes to improved insulation for appliances provides lighter materials for cars and helps save energy in buildings.

Read More: BASF to start construction of new MDI plant at Geismar site

Applied DNA partners with GHCL, Reliance for recycled PET bedding products

STONY BROOK, US: Applied DNA Sciences Inc (Applied DNA) said that it is collaborating with GHCL Limited and Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL) to launch CertainT verified recycled PET (rPET) bedding products.

Fully source-verified, recycled polyethylene terephthalate (PET) is the clear plastic best known for packaging bottled water and is the most widely recycled plastic in the world. GHCL will use Applied DNA’s CertainT platform in connection with PET- and/or recycled PET-blended bed sheets, pillowcases, and shams sold in-store or online in US.

RIL is collaborating with GHCL and Applied DNA as the preferred fiber-manufacturing partner to use the CertainT platform for authenticity of recycled PET in bed sheets, pillowcases, and shams.

RIL, the largest integrated producer of polyester fibre and yarn in the world, manufacturers the most eco-friendly fibres in the world, Recron green gold fibres and Recron green gold dope-dyed (EcoD) fibres & tow, which are manufactured via eco-friendly processes of the highest standard. These fibres have been granted the ‘Global Recycle Standard’ from the internationally recognized Control Union Certificates, Netherland.

Read More: Applied DNA partners with GHCL, Reliance for recycled PET bedding products

Solvay promotes VP-solvents as head of Coatis unit

BRUSSELS, BELGIUM: Solvay SA has appointed Daniela Manique as president of its Coatis global business unit (GBU), promoting her from her previous position as Coatis’ vice-president of solvents.

Daniel a in her new role will further grow the GBU strengthening relationships with its customers worldwide as well as its sustainable development strategy. 

Coatis is a leading manufacturer of phenol and derivatives, sustainable solvents based on renewable sources and oxygenated solvents, as well as intermediates polyamides serving sectors as the civil construction, automotive, adhesive, paint and industrial coating industries.

Daniela, based in Sao Paulo, has 14 years of leadership experience within Solvay, including as manager of strategic raw materials in Latin America and in Europe and as director of purchasing in Brazil.

Read More: Solvay promotes VP-solvents as head of Coatis unit

Evonik, DSM establishes omega-3 fatty acids joint venture

DELFT, NETHERLANDS: Evonik Industries and Royal DSM NV have established a new company, Veramaris VOF, for the production of omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA from natural marine algae for animal nutrition.

The 50:50 joint venture is headquartered at the DSM Biotech Campus in Delft, Netherlands.

Veramaris’s breakthrough innovation – an algal oil – will, for the first time, enable the production of the omega-3 fatty acids EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) for animal nutrition without using fish oil from wild-caught fish, a finite resource. DSM and Evonik announced their intention to start this joint venture in March 2017.

Construction of the $200 million production facility at the Evonik site in Blair, Nebraska (US), has commenced and is proceeding according to plan. Commercial quantities of the algal oil rich in the essential omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA will be ready for sale in 2019. Pilot quantities for market development purposes are already available. The initial annual production capacity will meet roughly 15 percent of the total current annual demand for EPA and DHA by the salmon aquaculture industry. 

Read More: Evonik, DSM establishes omega-3 fatty acids joint venture

Shell wins nine exploration blocks in Mexico deepwater bid

MEXICO CITY, US: Shell Exploracion y Extraccion de Mexico SA de CV (Shell) has won four exploration blocks on its own, one with its partner Pemex Exploracion y Produccion and four with its partner Qatar Petroleum International Limited, in a deepwater bid round for the Mexican Gulf of Mexico.

Shell will be the operator of all nine blocks.

Shell celebrates 40-years of deep-water operations in US Gulf of Mexico, where it pioneered deep-water exploration and production. Worldwide, Shell deep-water production is progressing to greater than 900-thousand barrels of oil equivalent per day by 2020, from already discovered, established areas in US Gulf of Mexico, Brazil, Nigeria, and Malaysia.

"We commend Mexico on a historical, successful bid round; for Shell, today's win marks a competitive, deep-water entry in Mexico. The proximity and technical similarity of this opportunity to our leading position in US Gulf of Mexico will allow us to benefit from and build upon decades of experience, complementing our position in the region," said Andy Brown, upstream director, Shell.

Read More: Shell wins nine exploration blocks in Mexico deepwater bid

An Outlook to the Oleo Chemicals industry

The basic oleo chemical are formed from substances like fatty acids, fatty acid methyl esters (FAME), alcohols, amines and glycerol are by distinct chemical and enzymatic reactions. Some chemical substances formed from fundamental oleo chemical substances also include alcohol ethoxylates, alcohol sulphates, alcohol ether sulphates and quaternary ammonium salts, monoacylglycerols (MAG), diacylglycerols (DAG), structured triacylglycerols (TAG), sugar esters, and other oleo chemical products.

Manufacturing Process of Oleo Chemicals

1.Hydrolysis Process: Oleo chemicals are manufactured by splitting up oils or fats by the process of hydrolysis. This process forms fatty acids and glycerin while alcoholysis produces fatty acid esters and glycerine.

2.Transesterification: Fats responds with alcohols instead of water in a process known as transesterification. Glycerol is formed along with the fatty acid esters. Usually, the reaction involves the use of methanol to form fatty acid methyl esters.

Read More: An Outlook to the Oleo Chemicals industry

BASF grants NCM cathode material patents sub-license to Reshine

ISELIN, US / HUNAN, CHINA: BASF SE has granted Hunan Reshine New Material Co Ltd (Reshine) a sub-license under Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) patents related to nickel-cobalt-manganese (NCM) cathode materials for long life, high energy, reliability and cost-effective lithium-ion batteries.

Reshine is now licensed to make, use, sell, offer to sell, distribute and import the NCM cathode materials in US market.

BASF is continuing its sub-licensing strategy to NCM industry players. This benefits manufacturers throughout the value chain, as access to innovative technology, is secured.

“Reshine has a high reputation, coupled with a strong customer base in the battery industry. We look forward to our collaboration,” said Dr Jeffrey Lou, senior vice president of battery materials at BASF.

“Reshine has a high regard for intellectual property and values the license as well as its strategic importance to our NCM customers. We are pleased to become a sub-licensee of the ANL NCM patents from BASF,” said Tang Shun Guo, board chairman and general manager of Reshine.

Read More: BASF grants NCM cathode material patents sub-license to Reshine