I ndustry News
BASF to cut 2,000 jobs by end of 2009
BASF has announced that it intends to
cut at least 2,000 positions by 2009 as it
sees no shift in the current trend and as
demand weakened further at the start
of the year. Quarterly sales fell 23.3% to
€ 12. 22 billion compared to Q1 in 2008.
“In times of crisis, swift and decisive
action is important,” said Jürgen
Hambrecht, BASF chairman. The company said that cost reduction and efficiency programs are being implemented “rigorously and rapidly,” confirming
it will restructure and, where necessary, close or sell plants and sites that
cannot ensure the company’s long-term competitiveness.
ISP LAUNCHES WEB SITE ON
WOOD PROTECTION TECHNOLOGY
International Specialty Products
(ISP) has launched a new web site
focused on the major sources of wood
degradation and the technical solution that will allow coatings formulators to produce higher performing
wood care products. The new site,
www.ispwoodcare.com, looks at the
root causes of wood degradation by
visible and UV light, water and moisture, insects, fungi and algae and suggests formulation approaches that
manufacturers of wood coatings can
take to create new industrial and consumer products.
BASF NAMES ARCHWAY SALES
DISTRIBUTOR OF THE YEAR
Archway Sales, Inc. was selected as
BASF Resins Distributor of the year
based on performance measures, territory profitability and new product
sales growth. The line includes
Basonat aliphatic isocyanates; Joncryl
acrylic resins, additives and polyols;
Luhydran acrylic resins; and Luwipal
melamine resins. These raw materi-
als are used in various coatings
including general industrial, architectural, urethane, automotive refinish, printing and packaging inks and
UV markets.
HEXION SPECIALTY CHEMICALS
EPOXY PRODUCTS PRODUCTION
Hexion has announced, as a result of
reduced demand driven by difficult
market conditions, the company intends
to shift production of certain epoxy
products within its global manufacturing operations.
“Production of certain products will
be regrouped within the Hexion manufacturing plants to improve production
utilization and efficiency,” said Paul
Barletta, vice president, global manufacturing for the epoxy resins business. “Only certain products will be
affected, and no products are being
discontinued.”
PRICING CHANGES
BASF: Effective immediately–$0.06/lb.
increase in North America, $200/MT in Asia
and €75/MT in Europe for polytetrahydrofuran.
The Dow Chemical Company: June
1–$0.03/lb. increase for acrylates and vinyl
acetate monomers and $0.04/lb. increase for
methacrylate and specialty monomers.
Oxea: June 1–$0.05/lb. increase in U.S.,
Canada and Mexico and $110/MT increase in
South and Central America, Asia, Africa and
Middle East for i/n butanol; $0.04/lb.
increase in U.S., Canada and Mexico and
$88/MT increase in South and Central
America, Asia, Africa and Middle East for i/n
butyl acetate; $0.03/lb. increase in U.S.,
Canada and Mexico and $66/MT increase in
South and Central America, Asia, Africa and
Middle East for n propanol; and $0.04/lb.
increase in U.S., Canada and Mexico and
LUBRIZOL LAUNCHES
IMPROVED WEBSITE
The Performance Coatings business of
the Lubrizol Corp. has launched its
enhanced web site, www.lubrizol-coatings.com, featuring advanced
search capabilities and easier navigation. Designed with the customer in
mind, the new site allows users to find
more detailed information on technologies for paints and coatings, adhesives
and plastics.
IN BRIEF
Altana has acquired the high-performance additives business of the
the DyStar Group...Oxea has signed
an agreement to acquire Exxon-Mobil’s ester plant in Amsterdam... Wacker has concluded registration of its pyro-genic silicas in
the “silicon dioxide” substance group
to the REACH regulation.
CW
$88/MT increase in South and Central
America, Asia, Africa and Middle East for n
propyl acetate.
DISTRIBUTOR APPOINTMENTS
Allcoat Technology has appointed Maroon,
Inc. as its distributor of AllUthane, PolyCrl,
AllSperse and Allcrl range of products in the
Central U.S. and Boehle Chemicals as its distributor in OH, IN, MI, WV, Western NY and KY.
DuPont Packaging and Industrial
Polymers has appointed Distrupol to distribute
its range of specialty ethylene copolymers products in the UK and Ireland.
Vinavil S.p.A. has appointed Univar to distribute the whole range of vinyl acetate/ethylene dispersion (Vinavil) and acrylic polymers (Crilat) for
coatings applications as well the its redispersible
powders (Vinavil) for the construction industry
in Germany.
