Grace Davidson to launch new catalyst technologies

(Arabian Oil and Gas) -- Grace Davison, an operating segment of W. R. Grace & Co. , has announced the successful global commercialisation of eight fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) catalysts and additives with zero or low rare earth content.

Launched in the first quarter of 2011, the REpLaCeR family includes five new catalysts for both hydrotreated and resid feed processing with zero and low rare earth content: resolution, REBEL, REACTOR, REMEDY and REduceR FCC catalysts. The REpLaCeR family of catalysts utilises proprietary zeolites and state-of-the-art stabilization methods to deliver performance similar to current rare earth-based FCC technologies.

In addition, Grace has recently introduced ResidUltra, a new catalyst with 40% less rare earth than benchmark resid catalysts. Finally, a series of low rare earth environmental additives is currently in commercial trials. These include Super DeSOX-OCI and Super DeSOX-MCD sulfur transfer additives.

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(Ceepackaging) -- The European flexible packaging industry counts a new player: the Britton Group, that will be comprised of Veriplast Flexible & Decorative Solutions, Reuther Verpackung and Britton.

Sun European Partners, the equity that holds these companies announced that it has created a pan-European flexible packaging specialist, by associating Veriplast Flexible & Decorative Solutions, Reuther Verpackung and Britton. This new group will be providing a wide range of packaging solutions such as extruded films, preformed bags (both paper and plastic), FFS films, in-mould labels, decoration sleeves and envelopes.

The creation of the Britton Group will result in production optimisation through facility specialisation and enhanced packaging solutions resulting from technology, best practices, and research and development that are shared across the new company. The Britton Group's larger geographic footprint (UK, Germany, Poland and France) will allow it to better serve both pan-European and local customers alike.

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(Celanese) -- The American Chemistry Council (ACC) today presented its highest honor, the Responsible Care Company of the Year Award, to two member Companies: Celanese Corporation and Ethyl Corporation. This premier award recognizes those member companies that have enhanced and embraced the Responsible Care ethic of performance improvement and sustainability throughout their company.

Responsible Care is what sets ACC member companies apart; it is a common commitment to continual improvement of our industry's environmental, health, safety and security performance, said ACC President and CEO Cal Dooley.

Celanese Corporation has gone beyond Responsible Care requirements in multiple areas, achieving aggressive environmental health and safety performance goals to reduce its impact on the environment and safeguard its employees and contractors. In 2010, Celanese exceeded each of its five-year goals, with an energy intensity reduction of 26 percent, greenhouse gases reduction of 35 percent, waste intensity reduction of more than 70 percent and an air emissions reduction of more than 40 percent. Most significantly, Celanese's 2010 global OSHA injury rate was 0.15, surpassing its 2010 goal of 0.22.

Ethyl Corporation's commitment to improving its environmental performance is exemplified by its robust waste reduction efforts. In 2011, the company's Houston plant is on track to reduce its hazardous waste production by approximately 70 percent (more than 200 tons) compared to 2010. Ethyl also implements an active ⌠Safety Observation Program, to capture and correct items with potential adverse effect, investigates all incidents that take place and ensures that all employees are aware of potential workplace hazards. Ethyl Corporation's commitment to safety has been acknowledged by the National Safety Council, which gave the company its ⌠Perfect Record Award for safety performance last year.

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(BUSINESS WIRE) -- Dow Water & Process Solutions, a business unit of The Dow Chemical Company, celebrated the grand opening of the Global Water Technology Development Center at the Dow facilities in a ceremony June 9 in Tarragona, Spain. The state-of-the-art center is designed to accelerate the commercialization of Dow's technologies that make possible the production of clean water.

⌠This center represents a significant investment for Dow. It's a one-of-a-kind facility staffed with leading industry experts to meet one of the world's most pressing needs - clean water, said Ian Barbour, general manager, Dow Water & Process Solutions. ⌠The central location is ideal to support our customers in the region and gives us access to the wide variety of water sources, including waste water and seawater, to support product development and performance testing in real world conditions.

The Global Water Technology Development Center was funded through a USD 15 million Dow investment, along with grant subsidies from Spain's Ministry of Science and Innovation for research programs in this area, which is in line with the Spanish government's commitment to research and development in the field of sustainable water supplies.

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(Detroit Free Press) -- Electric vehicles will find more buyers in China and Europe than in the U.S. over the coming decade, mainly because fuel efficiency of conventional gas engines is improving faster and at a lower cost than automakers expected, according to a new study by Boston Consulting Group.

⌠Electric cars will undoubtedly play an increasingly large role in many countries' plans as energy independence and environmental concerns intensify, said Xavier Mosquet, global leader of Boston Consulting Group's automotive practice. ⌠But they will gain only modest ground up to 2020.

The BCG study clashes with a separate study released by the Center for Automotive Research in Ann Arbor that estimates that automakers will spend an additional USD 3.700 to 9.000 per vehicle to achieve government fuel economy standard of between 47 and 62 miles per gallon by 2025.

About 13% of consumers in China say they are willing to pay a premium of USD 4.500 to 6000 for a green vehicle. That compares with 9% of Europeans and just 6% of Americans. BCG expects that electric vehicles (hybrids, plug-ins and battery-only cars) will represent 7% of China's new light vehicle sales in 2020, versus 8% in Europe and 2% of North American new car sales.

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