access to test panel images in high resolution. Updated images are posted bimonthly and archived for future reference
and comparison.
“Exterior paint prototypes are devel-
oped in the lab, but they are proven on the
test fence where they are directly exposed
to the great outdoors,” said John
Calderaio, Dow Exposure station man-
ager. “It’s Mother Nature’s ultimate litmus
test—there is no substitute.”
To accommodate a variety of climates,
weather patterns and even pollutant lev-
els, Dow operates a global network of ex-
posure stations. In addition to panel
readings conducted by trained specialists,
test ratings at selected locations are sup-
plemented with eXposure Vision, a high-
throughput digital imaging and analysis
system developed by Dow. eXposure Vi-
sion employs an automated, six-camera
system coupled with software algorithms
to measure and rate key exterior perform-
ance characteristics, from cracks to flak-
ing and tint retention to yellowing.
BASF and INEOS sign joint
venture contract for
Styrolution
BASF SE and INEOS Industries Holdings Limited have signed a joint venture
contract, which regulates the formation
of the joint venture company Styrolution. The establishment of the joint venture is subject to approval by the
appropriate antitrust authorities. BASF
and INEOS plan to combine their global
business activities in styrene monomers
(SM), polystyrene (PS), acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), styrene-butadiene
block copolymers (SBC) and other
styrene-based copolymers (SAN,
AMSAN, ASA, MABS) as well as
copolymer blends into the new joint venture called Styrolution. The business
with expandable polystyrene is not part
of the transaction. BASF and INEOS
will retain their respective businesses.
The company headquarters will be located in Frankfurt/Main, Germany. In
the joint venture 50 percent of the shares
will be owned by BASF and 50 percent
by INEOS. BASF will receive cash consideration following the completion of
the transaction.
DSM sharpens strategic focus
towards the coatings market
DSM has reorganized its business units
DSM Powder Coating Resins and DSM
NeoResins+ into a single new unit, DSM
Coating Resins. In the restructuring towards one coating resins unit, a subdivision
will be made based on different market dynamics, which will be reflected in the organizational approach for these subdivisions.
DSM Coating Resins will be headed by
Patrick Niels, currently business unit director of the Powder Coating Resins unit, and
will be led from Zwolle, the Netherlands.
Steve Hartig, currently business unit director of DSM NeoResins+ will move to lead
another unit within DSM. The changes
went into effect April 1, 2011.
Lanxess acquires Syngenta’s
Material Protection business
Lanxess has agreed to acquire the Material Protection business of Switzerland’s Syngenta. As a result, the German
specialty chemicals company will become one of the leading suppliers of biocides for construction materials. The
transaction is expected to close in April
2011. Lanxess will gain access to a
broad range of fungicidal and insecticidal active ingredients as well as application technologies used to protect
construction materials such as wood,
wallboards and coatings from being discolored and damaged.
Syngenta’s Material Protection business had sales of approximately € 19 million in 2010. Roughly 90 percent of sales
are generated in Europe and North
America. Lanxess will acquire the intellectual property, customer lists, supply
contracts and registrations for the Syngenta products.
The acquisition is also the starting
point for a long-term strategic partnership
between both companies. Lanxess will
gain access to active ingredients and technologies developed by Syngenta in the future, for use in material protection.
The Material Protection Products
(MPP) business not only offers products
for the preservation of construction materials but also active ingredients for disinfectants and stabilizers for
non-alcoholic beverages and wine. MPP
has production sites in Krefeld-Uerdingen and Dormagen (
Germany), Wuxi (China) as well as
Madurai (India). The business,
headed by Torsten Derr, has annual sales
of less than €200 million.
In 2010, Lanxess’ fine chemicals division Saltigo agreed on a long-term cooperation with Syngenta, one of the world’s
leading agrochemical companies. The
Basel-based company is investing roughly
€ 50 million in expanding several Saltigo
facilities in Leverkusen to significantly enhance its capacity for synthesizing active
ingredients for crop protection agents.
Saltigo produces the active ingredients
and intermediates at these facilities exclusively for Syngenta and is one of the Swiss
company’s strategic partners throughout
the world.
Dow Epoxy to expand LER
capacity
Dow Epoxy, a business unit of The Dow
Chemical Company, has announced plans
to expand liquid epoxy resin (LER) capacity at its plant in Stade, Germany. This
expansion will provide additional capacity as early as fourth quarter 2012, and
will increase capacity by 30 KTA, a 10
percent increase in the company’s global
LER capacity.
Evonik completes purchase of
hanse chemie
Evonik Industries concluded the transaction to purchase the hanse chemie Group.
The hanse chemie Group, with its work-force of approximately 100 employees, is
headquartered in Geesthacht near Hamburg, where it produces high-quality components and raw materials for the
manufacture of sealants and adhesives,
molding and casting compounds, and
other products.
Huber renames business unit
Huber Engineered Materials (HEM) is renaming its Alumina Trihydrate (ATH)
business unit Fire Retardant Additives.
The new name more accurately reflects
the array of non-halogen fire retardant
and smoke suppressant technologies,
brands and products now offered for a variety of end-use applications. CW
