BASF inaugurates expanded mobile emissions catalysts plant in China

MOSCOW (MRC) -- BASF has inaugurated its expanded mobile emissions catalysts manufacturing operation in Shanghai, China, further strengthening the company’s regional presence and its position as a leading supplier to the automotive industry, as per the company's press release.

The inauguration event culminates a three-year expansion project which doubles the company’s production capacity for mobile emissions catalysts in China, adding new light duty emissions catalysts production lines, a new heavy duty diesel catalysts plant and a state-of-the-art automated warehousing facility.

"Our Shanghai expansion project positions BASF to meet growing demand in China by providing a full line of innovative emissions catalysts solutions that allow our customers to address increasingly stringent emissions requirements," said Marc Ehrhardt, Senior Vice President of BASF’s Mobile Emissions Catalysts business.

Catalysts technologies such as the Three-Way Catalyst (TWC), Diesel Oxidation Catalyst (DOC), and the advanced Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) technology system for heavy duty diesel applications will be locally manufactured in Shanghai.

As well as serving as BASF’s Asia Pacific hub for its emissions catalysts business, the Shanghai site houses the company’s regional Research and Development Center, and complements BASF’s emissions catalysts manufacturing operations in Guilin, China; Chennai, India; Rayong, Thailand; and joint venture manufacturing sites in Korea and Japan.

As MRC informed earlier, BASF is also expanding its mobile emissions catalysts production capacity in Chennai, India. Construction of a new 47,000 square meter facility began in December 2013, enhancing the company’s existing emissions catalysts operation in Chennai with new production lines and manufacturing capabilities. Start-up is planned in the first quarter of 2015.

BASF is the leading chemical company. It produces a wide range of chemicals, for example solvents, amines, resins, glues, electronic-grade chemicals, industrial gases, basic petrochemicals and inorganic chemicals. The most important customers for this segment are the pharmaceutical, construction, textile and automotive industries.
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Clariant opens chemical research facility in India

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Specialty chemicals company Clariant has inaugurated its first regional innovation center in India (RIC India), the company announced Wednesday.

Located in Navi Mumbai, the new facility will host approximately 100 technical employees in chemical research and application development in the near future. Research efforts will focus on the areas of surfactants, specialty polymers and functional chemicals.

"The RIC India reinforces the direction Clariant is taking as it moves into the future, providing a catalyst to unleash innovation and customized solutions for hyper growth in the region," said Deepak Parikh, Clariant's region head in India.

The RIC bundles research, application development and analytical laboratories, business functions and technical marketing under one roof. This will foster close collaboration with the local and regional customers, suppliers and scientific partners to identify the most relevant and attractive business opportunities, according to company officials.

“Innovation to meet the challenges and trends of regional and global markets is at the core of Clariant’s strategy," said Christian Kohlpaintner, a member of Clariant's executive committee.

"With its close proximity to local and regional customers, the RIC India will facilitate cross fertilization of ideas and accelerate Clariant’s innovation efforts toward delivering fast and tailor made solutions," he added.

To mark the inauguration, Clariant welcomed guests from industry, academic and research institutions to the new facility.

The RIC India in Mumbai will be integrated into Clariant’s global innovation network managed by Clariant in Switzerland.

As MRC wroet before, Clariant Chemicals (India ) Ltd., an affiliate of Clariant AG announced the successful closure of the acquisition of Plastichemix Industries. Clariant in India will now be one of the leading masterbatches producer, that will offer a wide range of products like black, white, additive, filler & colour masterbatches, flushed pigments & mono-concentrates and engineering plastics
compounds.

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Lanxess developed natural rubber replacement by ultra-high molecular weight EPDM

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Specialty chemicals company Lanxess has introduced the newly commercialized, ultra-high molecular weight EPDM grade Keltan 9565Q, which Lanxess believes will successfully replace natural rubber in dynamic applications, as per the company's statement.

Increasingly sophisticated automotive and industrial applications require improved high temperature performance which natural rubber, known to degrade quickly at elevated temperatures, cannot provide. "Keltan 9565Q with its tailored molecular structure matches the strength and resilience of natural rubber, while also maintaining these superior properties after high temperature exposure," explains Niels van der Aar, Head of Technical Service & Application Development for Lanxess Keltan Elastomers business.

"That high temperature resistance also enables Keltan 9565Q to be processed at elevated temperatures, thus improving molding productivity and reducing costs," says van der Aar.

"The saturated polymer backbone gives EPDM its superior ozone, UV, and heat resistance properties. Taking advantage of these benefits has long been of interest for dynamic applications, but only now with Keltan 9565Q does EPDM also offer the strength, fatigue resistance, and resilience achieved by natural rubber at lower temperatures," van der Aar concludes.

EPDM, which Lanxess offers under the brand name Keltan, is used for the manufacture of door sealants, hoses, belts or anti-vibration parts. The product is also used in plastic modification, wire and cable, construction and oil additives.

As MRC wrote previously, last July, Lanxess celebrated the opening of its first production facility in Russia. In the new plant at the Lipetsk site, Lanxess subsidiary Rhein Chemie manufactures polymer-bound rubber additives for the markets in Russia and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), primarily for the automotive and tire industries. A production facility for the bladders used in tire production is to be added in 2016. The overall investment volume in euros amounts to a seven-digit figure.

Lanxess is a leading specialty chemicals company with sales of EUR 8.3 billion in 2013 and roughly 17,300 employees in 31 countries. The company is currently represented at 52 production sites worldwide. The core business of Lanxess is the development, manufacturing and marketing of plastics, rubber, intermediates and specialty chemicals.
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BASF names Podesta Senior Vice President for Dispersions and Pigments business in North America

MOSCOW (MRC) -- BASF has announced the appointment of Gerry Podesta as the Senior Vice President for the Dispersions & Pigments business in North America effective November 1, sid the producer in its press release.

Podesta succeeds Derek Fairclough, who will lead BASF’s Environmental, Health, Safety & Security organization also effective November 1.

Most recently, Podesta served as the Senior Vice President for BASF’s Performance Materials business in North America since July 1, 2009. He served in a prior role as Group Vice President for the Performance Chemicals business of BASF between 2003 and 2009.

Podesta joined BASF in 2003, after 20 years with General Electric, where he was Vice President and General Manager, GE Plastics Americas. Podesta holds a bachelor’s degree in plastics engineering from the University of Massachusetts.

As MRC wrote before, Christopher Toomey, Senior Vice President of Regional Procurement for BASF in North America , will assume responsibility for the BASF Coatings business in North America, effective November 1.

BASF’s Dispersions & Pigments Division in North America offers a comprehensive portfolio of resins, binders, latex, pigments and effect pigments, colorants, and systems to meet specific application needs for the coatings, construction, and printing, packaging and plastics markets. Our innovative products also help manufacturers in the adhesives, nonwovens and fiber bonding industries meet functional and performance demands. The addition of key product areas such as formulation additives, rheology modifiers, light stabilizers, photoinitiators, and antioxidants significantly enhances the existing BASF product portfolio for these markets.

BASF Corporation, headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, is the North American affiliate of BASF SE, Ludwigshafen, Germany. BASF has nearly 17,000 employees in North America, and had sales of USD19.3 billion in 2013.

BASF is the largest diversified chemical company in the world and is headquartered in Ludwigshafen, Germany. BASF produces a wide range of chemicals, for example solvents, amines, resins, glues, electronic-grade chemicals, industrial gases, basic petrochemicals and inorganic chemicals. The most important customers for this segment are the pharmaceutical, construction, textile and automotive industries.

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Celanese announces intermediate chemistry price increases

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Celanese Corporation, a global technology and specialty materials company, will increase the price of formaldehyde (37% water solution) by USD175/mt, as per the company's press release.

The prices for more concentrated solutions will increase proportionally.

Price increases are effective January 1, 2015, or as contracts allow.

As MRC reported earlier, Celanese Corporation has recently announced that it will increase the price of vinyl acetate-based emulsions sold in the Americas. Thus, PVAc homopolymer, vinyl acetate ethylene (VAE) and vinyl acrylic emulsions will increase by up to USD0.05/wet pound effective November 1, 2014, or as contracts allow. This increase is attributed to the continued pressures on raw materials, notably vinyl acetate monomer (VAM), and freight.

This price increase affects all applications including, but not limited to, adhesives, paints and coatings, building products, nonwovens, glass fiber, carpet, paper and textiles.

Celanese Corporation is a global technology leader in the production of differentiated chemistry solutions and specialty materials used in most major industries and consumer applications. Based in Dallas, Texas, Celanese employs approximately 7,400 employees worldwide and had 2013 net sales of USD6.5 billion.
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