KBR bags FEED contract for Nigeria LNG’s project

KBR Inc (KBR) has been awarded an LNG FEED contract by Nigeria LNG (NLNG) for further expansion of the Bonny Island LNG plant at Bonny Island, Nigeria.

Under the terms of the contract, KBR, as leader of the Bonny7JV with partners TechnipFMC and JGC, will provide the basic design package and EPC bid for the expansion. The Train 7 project covers the addition of a complete LNG train and an additional common liquefaction unit (CLU) at the facility. The CLU draws feedstock from the six existing LNG trains delivered by KBR and partners from 1995 to 2007.

Read more: KBR bags FEED contract for Nigeria LNG’s project

RPM acquires cleaning, drain care products from CR Brands

RPM International Inc (RPM) said that its Rust-Oleum group has acquired the Mean Green branded line and Roto-Rooter branded drain care products from CR Brands, which is based in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Mean Green branded line of specialty cleaning products and the exclusive North American licensing for Roto-Rooter branded drain care products.

These product lines have annual net sales of approximately $20 million.

Mean Green is a leading heavy-duty cleaner, with a broad array of products for mould, mildew, bacteria, grease and other uses. Roto-Rooter is the number one name in plumbing services, lending tremendous brand strength behind its line of drain care products that include hair clog remover, gel clog remover, build up remover and septic tank treatment. These products have broad national distribution and can be found in big box retailers, such as Home Depot, Lowe’s, Wal-Mart and Menards, as well as grocers and other retailers. They will be integrated into Rust-Oleum's current portfolio of cleaning and drain care products.

Read more: RPM acquires cleaning, drain care products from CR Brands

Lanxess signs marketing, distribution agreement with Polymem

The Liquid Purification Technologies (LPT) business unit of Lanxess has entered into a cooperation agreement with Polymem SA, Toulouse. One of the world’s leading manufacturers of high-quality ultrafiltration membranes and systems for drinking water and wastewater applications will be the distribution partner of Lanxess in France for the Lewabrane reverse osmosis membrane elements.

Lanxess will commence worldwide distribution of the Gigamem ultrafiltration modules range from Polymem featuring Neophil hollow fiber membranes. This adds ultrafiltration (UF) to the existing Lanxess range of water-treatment technologies.

Ultrafiltration is the ideal preliminary stage of reverse osmosis

Ultrafiltration clarifies and disinfects water in one step. It is an alternative to conventional filtration in water purification, with a significant improvement in the effectiveness of the treatment, independent of the quality of the treated raw water and without the addition of chemicals.

Read more: Lanxess signs marketing, distribution agreement with Polymem

BASF completes acquisition of businesses, assets from Bayer

BASF SE has closed the acquisition of a range of businesses and assets from Bayer AG. The transaction is a strategic complement to BASF’s crop protection, biotech and digital farming activities and marks its entry into seeds, non-selective herbicides and nematicide seed treatments.

BASF signed agreements in October 2017 and April 2018 to acquire the businesses and assets Bayer offered to divest in the context of its acquisition of Monsanto, for an all-cash purchase price of €7.6 billion, subject to certain adjustments at closing. About 4,500 employees join BASF through the acquisition.

The agreements include Bayer’s global glufosinate-ammonium business; seeds businesses including traits, research and breeding capabilities, and trademarks for key row crops in select markets; the vegetable seeds business; the R&D platform for hybrid wheat; a range of seed treatment products; certain glyphosate-based herbicides in Europe, used predominantly for industrial applications; the complete digital farming platform xarvio; as well as certain non-selective herbicide and nematicide research projects.

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Ineos completes sale of Ineos Baleycourt, Ineos ChloroToluenes

Following clearance from the European Commission, Ineos Enterprises has concluded the sale of Ineos Baleycourt and Ineos ChloroToluenes (ICT) to Valtris Specialty Chemicals. Valtris is owned by HIG Capital LLC, a global private equity investment firm with $25 billion of equity capital under management.   

Ineos ChloroToluenes is a leading producer of chlorinated toluenes and related derivatives used in coatings, flavour & fragrance, personal care and pharmaceutical applications. It has production facilities in Belgium and the Netherlands. Ineos Baleycourt produces high-quality products for the polymer additives, lubricant, renewable energy and food markets. It is based in northeast France. The combined businesses employ around 250 people and all will transfer as part of this deal. 

Read more: Ineos completes sale of Ineos Baleycourt, Ineos ChloroToluenes

Glueless glue, new textile fibres and replacements for microplastics

Is there no limit to what ionic liquids can do? They can help us make almost anything out of cellulose – in an efficient and environmentally friendly way. Ilkka Kilpelainen, professor of organic chemistry at the University of Helsinki, has stuck two square pieces of wood. Had they been glued together, we would have been able to smell it. But these pieces had been attached without glue, with the help of ionic liquids developed by Kilpelainen’s research group on the Kumpula Campus. “There’s no join between the pieces, they have become part of each other. Under a microscope, the cross section of the point where the two pieces meet just looks like an annual growth ring,” said Kilpelainen.

Cellulose Beads

Researchers on the Kumpula Campus are examining possibilities to replace the microplastics in shower gels, toothpastes and face washes with biodegradable cellulose beads that would be equally effective. Microplastics are a scourge upon our waterways and demand for a biodegradable alternative is high. For his master’s thesis, Matti Leskinen started to use ionic liquids to manufacture cellulose particles of varying sizes as candidates for replacing plastic microbeads.

Read more: Glueless glue, new textile fibres and replacements for microplastics

Covestro completes sale of US sheets business to Plaskolite

Covestro AG has successfully closed the sale of its polycarbonates (PCS) sheets business in Sheffield (US) to Plaskolite. Acrylics sheets manufacturer Plaskolite will continue operations at the facility, which generated sales of about $170 million in 2017. 

The sale of the sheets business is part of Covestro’s efforts to optimize its porfolio. After thorough evaluation, the company has decided that the sheets business will not be a strategic fit for its polycarbonates segment in the long run. Besides the sale of the US sheets business, Covestro has also sold its sheets business in India, and is transferring its production in Guangzhou, China, into a speciality films site. 

Read more: Covestro completes sale of US sheets business to Plaskolite