Axalta CEO to head AkzoNobel's speciality chemicals unit

As part of the strategy to separate speciality chemicals from its paints and coatings business, AkzoNobel NV had agreed to sell 100 percent of its speciality chemicals business to The Carlyle Group and GIC. Upon completion of the transaction, expected before the end of 2018, Charles Shaver will join the new company as chief executive officer.

Charles “Charlie” Shaver will join speciality chemicals from Axalta where he serves as chairman of the board and chief executive officer. He will step down as CEO of Axalta on 4 September this year but will remain chairman of the board.

Prior to joining Axalta, he was chief executive officer and president of the TPC Group and previously he held a number of roles with General Chemical and Arch Chemicals, having started his career with the Dow Chemical Company.

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Air Products to build $650 mn coal-to-syngas plant in China

Air Products (APD) has been awarded a long-term onsite contract to supply syngas to Jiutai New Material Co Ltd for their multi-billion-dollar mono-ethylene glycol project in Hohhot, China.

Air Products will build, own and operate the air separation, gasification, and gas clean up processing facility that will include its proven and recently acquired Shell gasification technology. The project is expected to come onstream in the fourth quarter of Air Products’ fiscal year 2021.

Air Products will invest about $650 million to build, own and operate the facility, and will receive a fixed monthly fee under the long-term contract. The facility will be designed to produce over 500,000Nm3/hr of syngas and will be comprised of five gasifiers, two approximately 100,000nm3/hr air separation units (ASU), with syngas purification and processing, as well as associated infrastructure and utilities. Jiutai will supply the coal feedstock and take all output from the plant.

Building on the Lu’An and Yankuang gasifier projects, this will be Air Products’ third opportunity to extend its industrial gas supply scope in China to include coal gasification and syngas supply.

Read more: Air Products to build $650 mn coal-to-syngas plant in China

Molson Coors, HEXO to develop cannabis-infused beers

Molson Coors Brewing Company said that its Canadian business unit has entered into an agreement to develop cannabis-infused beverages, following legalization. Marijuana use in Canada will become legal later this year.

Molson Coors Canada is teaming with leading Canadian cannabis producer, The Hydropothecary Corporation (HEXO), to form a joint venture, to pursue opportunities to develop non-alcoholic, cannabis-infused beverages.

The joint venture will be structured as a standalone start-up company with its own board of directors and an independent management team. Molson Coors Canada will have a 57.5 percent controlling interest in the JV, with HEXO having the remaining ownership interest.

The new company will combine the proven beverage experience of Canada’s leading brewer with a recognized innovator in the fast-growing cannabis sector to explore the highly anticipated consumable cannabis market, which is expected to be legally permissible in Canada in 2019.

Closing of the transaction is expected before 30 September 2018.

Read more: Molson Coors, HEXO to develop cannabis-infused beers

Walmart to eliminate paint removal products with methylene chloride, NMP

Walmart said that it will phase out paint removal products with the chemicals methylene chloride and N-methyl pyrrolidone (NMP) from its stores in the US, Canada, Mexico, Central America and its website by February 2019.

This initiative is consistent with Walmart’s efforts to work with suppliers and the industry to accelerate the adoption and use of sustainable chemistry practices that exceed customers’ expectations. Similar to some of the retailer’s previous work on sustainable chemistry, this initiative also goes above and beyond current legal and regulatory compliances.

Last year, Walmart became the first retailer to participate in the Chemical Footprint Project survey. Walmart’s categories of focus include household cleaning, personal care, baby, pet, beauty, and cosmetic products. Walmart publicly reports its progress annually on its sustainability commitments through its Global Responsibility Report and Sustainability Hub.

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Westlake appoints COO of WNYC to its board

Westlake Chemical Corporation (WLK) announced that John Chao has been appointed to its board of directors.

John Chao (41) is the chief operating officer of New York Public Radio (WNYC) and has been with the organization since March 2015. He was previously in the strategy and finance practice at McKinsey & Company, where he advised energy and commodity companies, beginning in 2004 and ending his tenure as a partner in 2013.

He worked for Westlake Chemical Corporation from 2000 to 2002.

Read more: Westlake appoints COO of WNYC to its board

Synalloy’s subsidiary bags $8 million tubing order

Synalloy Corporation said that its subsidiary Bristol Metals LLC has been awarded an $8 million tubing order. This is the single largest order of its type Bristol Metals has received since acquired by Synalloy.

Read more: Synalloy’s subsidiary bags $8 million tubing order

Hikma appoints EVP, sales and marketing for generics division

Hikma Pharmaceuticals USA Inc, a wholly owned subsidiary of Hikma Pharmaceuticals PLC has appointed Kristy Ronco as executive vice president, sales and marketing for its generics division.

Ronco will be responsible for leading Generics’ retail sales, addiction therapy sales and branded sales teams.

She will also oversee marketing, pricing, forecasting and analytics.

Ronco joins Hikma after 11 years at Zydus Pharmaceuticals where she was most recently senior vice president, sales and marketing. Earlier in her career, she held successive positions of increasing responsibility in marketing, contracts, pricing and market analysis at TEVA, Sandoz, Aventis and Johnson & Johnson. Ronco is also a registered nurse with extensive clinical patient-care experience across a range of medical disciplines and specialities.

Read more: Hikma appoints EVP, sales and marketing for generics division