Lanxess increases price for yellow iron oxide pigments

Lanxess is raising its prices worldwide for yellow iron oxide pigments of the Bayferrox and Colortherm brands. The price will be increased by 15 percent with immediate effect due to rising operational costs.

The Lanxess Inorganic Pigments business unit of Lanxess is the world's largest manufacturer of iron oxide pigments with production sites on five continents that all meet high technical and ecological standards.

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Eastman to expand adhesive resins capacity

Eastman Chemical Company to expand production capabilities for hydrogenated and non-hydrogenated hydrocarbon resins at Netherlands & Pennsylvania manufacturing sites.

Additional investments will also be made in the production of polyolefin polymers at the Longview, Texas, manufacturing site. The expansions will be completed at various times beginning in 2019, with all expected to be finished by mid-2020.

These investments support the growth strategy of Eastman’s adhesives resins business, which is part of its additives & functional products operating segment.

Eastman’s hydrocarbon resins are used as raw materials essential in hotmelt and pressure sensitive adhesives, and as binders in nonwoven products such as disposable diapers, feminine products, and pre-saturated wipes. They are also used in a wide range of applications including plastics and rubber modification.

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Clariant opens new masterbatches production facility in China

SHANGHAI, CHINA: Clariant has opened a new masterbatches production facility in Guangzhou, China.

With Black PET/PA masterbatches for fiber already developing into a sizable business in China and some other Asian countries, the new production facility in Guangzhou will supplement existing supply from Clariant’s facility in Taiwan, which has been already fully utilized, to jointly deliver product and service excellence in its Greater China Region.

Together with this new production facility, a state-of-art workshop and an upgraded advanced lab were also newly established with customized services to echo unique performance requirements from its main customers in the special segments, as part of Clariant’s long term solutions and commitments for customer centricity in the China market. These newly added facilities, with Clariant’s existing capacities, will help the company further consolidate its position as a leading player in the masterbatches field in China today.

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ExxonMobil streamlines upstream organization for growth support

Exxon Mobil Corporation said it will streamline its upstream organization and centralize project delivery across the company to support previously announced plans to double operating cash flow and earnings by 2025.

“Our focus is on increasing overall value by strengthening our upstream business and further integrating it with the downstream and chemical segments to take advantage of our unique capabilities across the value chain,” said Neil Chapman, senior VP.

ExxonMobil Upstream Business Development Company will oversee strategy development, exploration, acquisitions and divestments and actively manage an upstream portfolio that is considered the most attractive since the 1999 merger of Exxon and Mobil. Consolidation of upstream portfolio management efforts in one organization will further strengthen the company’s ability to optimize portfolio value.

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BASF, Solenis completes paper and water chemicals business

BASF and Solenis have completed the transfer of BASF’s paper wet-end and water chemicals business to Solenis. The combined business will operate under the Solenis name and offer increased sales, service and production capabilities across the globe. The combined company is positioned to provide an expanded product portfolio and cost-effective solutions for paper and water treatment customers. BASF will hold a 49% share, 51% of the shares will be held by funds managed by Clayton, Dubilier & Rice and the Solenis management.

“Combining our strong heritages creates the leading customer-focused, global solutions provider for the paper and water industries. Customers from these industries will benefit from our joint strengths, resulting in an unparalleled and complementary range of products and services, state-of-the-art innovations and know-how,” said John Panichella, president and CEO, Solenis.

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Clariant introduces new polymer to limit hydrolytic dehydration

Clariant is introducing new polymer compounds specially formulated to limit or even eliminate hydrolytic degradation, which is known to affect certain materials commonly used in catheters. The new resins are offered under the MEVOPUR brand name.

“After several years of research and testing, we are pleased to be able to limit the risk of hydrolysis and breakage in these materials, thereby helping device manufacturers improve the reliability of catheters,” said Eric Rohr, Medical & Pharmaceutical Segment Manager, North America.

One of the first indications of chain scission is an increased melt-flow index (MFI).

Tensile strength and elongation properties in standard test bars molded from the test materials were similarly unaffected in MEVOPUR compounds, while the standard material shows significant degradation in these critical properties.

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AkzoNobel launches Dulux products providing sustainable solutions

AkzoNobel introduced two revolutionary products in the Dulux Professional catalogue. Dulux Professional Weathershield TR E2000 and Dulux Professional Weathershield Creation Stonetex are scientifically formulated to ensure durability and are designed to meet the needs and professional requirements in residential, commercial, education, healthcare or hospitality sector.

Dulux Professional Weathershield TR E2000, a super durable exterior paint is powered by TimeResistTM technology- prevents fading, algae resistance and dirt retention. It has a longer maintenance cycle of over 15 years reducing its the carbon footprint by over 50%. The product, has also been enhanced with SunReflect™ technology that reduces exterior surface temperature by up to 5°C.

Dulux Professional Weathershield Creation Stonetex is a premium stone-like texture coating that provides natural stone effect. This water-based textured coating paint contains selected natural and synthetic UV-resistant coloured stones and aggregates bound by 100% acrylic polymer. It is suitable for both Exterior & Interior application. 

Read more: AkzoNobel launches Dulux products providing sustainable solutions