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Feb 25th, 2010
U.S. Semiconductor Equipment Industry up 24.1%
North America-based manufacturers of semiconductor equipment posted US$1.13 billion in orders in January 2010 and a book-to-bill ratio of 1.2, according to the January 2010 Book-to Bill Report published recently by Semiconductor Equipment and Materials International (SEMI).
A book-to-bill of 1.2 means that US$120 worth of orders was received for every US$100 of product billed for...
Feb 19th, 2010
US Demand for Independently Compounded Resins to Grow 2.9% pa in 2013
US demand for independently compounded resins is forecast to grow 2.9% pa to 7.6 billion lbs in 2013 as per Reportlinker. Total value, including additives, fillers and other production costs, will reach US$14.6 bln. Further thermoplastic inroads at the expense of metal, wood and glass will necessitate higher performance characteristics and a more competitive cost...
Feb 18th, 2010
Phthalic Anhydride (PA): 2010 World Market Outlook and Forecast Been Recently Released by MarketPublishers.com
LONDON – World Phthalic Anhydride (PA) market faces the consequences of global economy downturn. Many producers had been reducing operating rates since the beginning of 2009 to bring the production more in line with demand.
In 2010-2015, the majority of countries and regions will cease the production or have negative growth, with an exception of...
Feb 17th, 2010
Oxea: Rise in Prices for Carboxylic Acids and Polyols
Effective immediately, US chemicals group Oxea (Dallas, Texas) will increase the prices for carboxylic acids and polyols. In Europe, the group will charge an additional EUR 100/t for 2-ethylhexanoid acid, butyric acid will cost an additional EUR 50/t and the price of both neopentylglycol and trimethylolpropane will rise by EUR 300/t.
The group also said it...
Feb 16th, 2010
Bisphenol A (BPA): 2010 World Market Outlook And Forecast Been Recently Released by MarketPublishers.com
LONDON – Bisphenol A (BPA) is expected to post a global growth of 0-3%/y from 2010 to 2015 with Asia, particularly China, accounting for the strongest performance at 5%/y. European growth is forecast to remain unchanged to 1%.
BPA is primarily used in the manufacture of polycarbonate resins, with such application accounting for around 75%...
Feb 12th, 2010
Vero Beach to own Florida’s first bioethanol plant
Vero Beach, a joint venture between New Planet Energy and INEOS BioEnergy, will soon find out how much it will cost to build Florida’s first bioethanol plant.
Valero Beach has been planning to acquire Ocean Spray Cranberries’ former grapefruit-processing plant and turn it into a biofuels refinery.
If the construction of the plant goes ahead, it is...
Feb 5th, 2010
Polycarbonate 2010 World Market Outlook And Forecast Recently Added by MarketPublishers.com
LONDON - Global annual polycarbonate demand growth is forecast to slow to around 5% between 2009-2015, from historical growth rates of around 7-8%. Key optical data storage application will continue falling as it’s superseded by other data storage options, losing its leading position to the electronics/electrical sector.
Sharp growth in demand from Blu-ray players...
Feb 4th, 2010
ASF Names PolyOne Distribution as Distributor for Ultrason® High Temperature Polymers in North America
Wyandotte, MI - BASF’s Engineering Plastics business has entered into an agreement with PolyOne Distribution, Avon Lake, Ohio, for PolyOne to serve as an authorized distributor for Ultrason® high temperature polymers to the healthcare industry in North America. The product line includes Ultrason® S Polysulfone (PSU), Ultason® E Polyethersulfone (PESU) and Ultrason® P...
Feb 2nd, 2010
US Gas Consumption Down, Biofuels Replacing Oil
Three years ago, petroleum-based gasoline consumption was the highest the U.S. had ever seen. But thanks in part to biofuels, including biodiesel and ethanol, the amount of gas we use has actually gone down since the peak of 2007.
This article in the Kansas City Star says that while the recession and the increased popularity of...
Jan 22nd, 2010
USA - Meat Exports See Small Surge
U.S. beef and pork exports continued their rebound from the slump earlier in the year, with pork exports reaching their highest level of 2009 in November while beef exports edged 4 percent above year-ago levels, according to statistics released today by the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF). In addition, lamb exports maintained their pace for...
Jan 21st, 2010
Synthetic Genomics and EMRE to Develop Biofuels
US firm Synthetic Genomics (SGI) has signed a multi-year research and development agreement with ExxonMobil Research and Engineering (EMRE) to develop biofuel products.
Under the agreement, SGI will receive more than $300m from EMRE to develop biofuel products using photosynthetic algae, according to SGI.
SGI will use its proprietary technologies in genomics, metagenomics, synthetic genomics and genome...
Jan 20th, 2010
Rising PVC prices in Asia, USA, expected to firm up in the month ahead
Although January is generally a slow month for PVC demand in the Northern Hemisphere, PVC prices in Asia and the US have seen significant increases this month with sellers generally predicting that prices will continue to firm up, as per Chemorbis. Prices in both regions have been aided by comparatively good demand in Asia, where...
Jan 15th, 2010
Agrium Enters into Agreement to Supply Urea for Production of Diesel Exhaust Fluid
Agrium Inc. announced that it has entered into an exclusive agreement to supply Diesel Exhaust Fluid (DEF) grade prilled urea from its Borger, Texas nitrogen facility for the production of DEF with Old World Industries. Old World Industries is a privately held corporation based in Northbrook, IL and is a manufacturer of antifreeze in the...
Jan 12th, 2010
Solvay to Establish Epichlorohydrin Plant by 2012
Solvay’s Thai affiliate Vinythai will start the construction of a new epichlorohydrin plant in Map Ta Phut, based on Solvay’s Epicerol technology.
The new plant, which is expected to be operational at the beginning of 2012, will have an annual production capacity of 100,000mt.
The construction of the plant also involves expanding a hydrogen chloride and caustic...
Dec 29th, 2009
Chemtura to sell global PVC additives business to SK Capital
Chemtura Corporation, has entered into a definitive agreement with SK Capital Partners to acquire Chemtura’s global PVC Additives business. SK Capital is a New York-based private equity firm focusing on the specialty materials, chemicals and healthcare industries. The sale will include certain assets, the stock of a European subsidiary and the assumption of certain...
Dec 22nd, 2009
Sector Snap: Fertilizer makers climb
NEW YORK (AP) - Shares of Mosaic Co. and Potash Corp. of Saskatchewan Inc. gained Monday as the broader market rose and a Goldman Sachs analyst said now is a good time to buy stock in the fertilizer makers.
In a weekend research note, analyst Robert Koort added Potash Corp. to his “Conviction Buy” list and...
Dec 17th, 2009
Agrium Advances Vanscoy Potash Expansion
Agrium Inc. (TSX:AGU - News) (NYSE:AGU - News) announced today it has made significant progress with its planned brownfield expansion at its Vanscoy, Saskatchewan potash mine. The expansion is expected to add 750,000 tonnes of annual potash capacity to the mine, contingent upon final project approval which is expected to occur in late 2010. An...
Dec 15th, 2009
OPEC Crude Oil Output Rises to 28.94 mn Barrels
The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries(OPEC) crude oil production rose to 28.94 million barrels per day (b/d) in November, an increase of 50,000 b/d from an estimated October level of 28.89 million b/d, a Platts survey of OPEC and oil industry officials and analysts showed Friday.
“OPEC’s output is rising, the sweet spot of prices...
Dec 10th, 2009
MCX Crude Oil Falls on Weak Global Sentiments
Domestic crude oil futures shrugged off its early gains Thursday and are trading with marginal losses in line with weak global sentiments. In the early Asian trade crude fell marginally.
MCX crude December futures contract are trading near its days low of Rs 3308 per barrel. Traders may sell it on rallies towards Rs 3325-35 with...
Aug 10th, 2009
Non oil exports/imports fall in Saudi Arabia on reduced trade in petrochemicals
because of comparatively lower production costs due to abundant availability of cheap feedstocks.
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