BASF completed acquisition of CRI/Criterion's styrene catalysts business

(BASF) -- BASF successfully completed its acquisition of CRI/Criterion's global styrene catalysts business. As part of this agreement, BASF has acquired CRI/Criterion's customer list, contracts and exclusive and non-exclusive licenses for intellectual property, including applicable patents and know-how in the field of styrene catalysts, as well as CRI/Criterion's styrene catalysts inventory. There were no plant assets associated with the deal.

BASF previously announced the signing of this purchase agreement via a news release issued on November 29, 2010.

BASF's Catalysts division is the world's leading supplier of environmental and process catalysts. The group offers exceptional expertise in the development of technologies that protect the air, produce the fuels and ensure efficient production of a wide variety of chemicals, plastics and other products.

MRC

(Arabian Oil and Gas) -- Borouge's Innovation Centre is set to start operations at the end of 2011, with all the work progressing as scheduled according to Hu Wei, vice president of the pipe business at Borouge. Speaking on the sidelines of ArabPlast in Dubai, Wei said that US$70 million Innovation Centre is on track to start up at the end of 2011 and the company started the process of hiring talented people from all across the world/

The company said earlier that more than 50 international researchers and engineers will focus on innovations for compounding as well as innovative plastics solutions for the pipe, automotive and advanced packaging industries in close cooperation and partnership with Borouge's customers throughout the value chain.

Borouge will also establish a training centre for the Gulf Plastic Pipes Academy (GPPA) alongside the Innovation Centre in Abu Dhabi, thereby fulfilling its commitment to improving standards and the application of polyolefins for high quality pipe systems.

MRC

(PRW) -- DuPont announced on 9 January that it had entered into an agreement to buy Danish enzyme and specialty food ingredients company Danisco for $6.3bn (┬4.8bn). If the deal goes through, US-based DuPont would pay $5.8bn (┬4.4bn) in cash and assume $500m (┬383m) of Danisco's net debt. DuPont said the acquisition would give it a leadership position in products that address global food challenges and that reduce fossil fuel consumption.

Chairman and CEO Ellen Kullman said biotechnology and specialty food ingredients ⌠have the potential to change the landscape of industries, such as substituting renewable materials for fossil fuel processes.

DuPont and Danisco's Genencor enzymes division already worked together to develop Sorona, a biodegradable polyester.

Bio-based plastics have grown to play an important part in DuPont's plastics portfolio. At K 2010, DuPont highlighted its progress in developing renewable products for the plastics industry, which it said reduced its dependence on fossil fuels and increased the efficiency of its energy use.

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(Plastics Today) -- Cascade Engineering's (Grand Rapids, MI) CK Technologies LLC (CKT) unit will invest $20 million in a new manufacturing facility in Brownsville, TX that will offer large-part injection molding for interior, exterior, and functional under-the-hood assemblies. A CKT spokesperson told PlasticsToday that the new plant, which is expected to create 121 jobs in 2011, will occupy a 1-million-ft2 former Titan Tire building and begin operations in the second quarter.

In addition to assembly equipment for secondary operations and chrome electroplating and painting in later phases, the operation will begin work with eight large-tonnage injection molding machines, ranging in clamp force from 2200-4400 tons, with an even larger press a possibility down the line.

MRC

(Plastics News) -- Arkema Group has announced plans to add capacity to its soon-to-open Kynar PVDF fluorinated polymer production plant in Changshu, China. The company announced on 6 January that it will increase production of the plant by 50% by mid-2012. The Colombes-based firm did not provide details about the plant's current or planned capacity.

The company said the additional capacity is needed to meet demand from customers that make electrodes for lithium ion batteries, backsheet for photovoltaic panels, and water filtration products.

Arkema had first announced plans to build the Kynar plant at its Changshu site in 2007, with the plant scheduled to come on stream in March 2011. Arkema also has Kynar plants in the France and the US.

MRC