improved delivery times,” said
Vikas Vij, managing director for
PolyOne’s operations in India.
“Demand for advanced specialty solutions in India is increasing – particularly in automotive, packaging, wire
and cable and healthcare – and our expanded presence will position PolyOne
exceptionally well to collaborate with
and serve our customers.
BASF Successfully Expands
Antioxidants Production in
Singapore
BASF has successfully completed the
expansion of its antioxidant capacity
in Singapore. Irganox 1010 is now produced at BASF’s site along with other
antioxidants on Jurong Island as part of
BASF’s global production network.
The facility enjoys a strategic central
location with excellent infrastructure.
With global plastics production projected
to grow above GDP level in Asia and the
Middle East, BASF will ensure continuous and reliable supply of antioxidants
for its customers in the polymer industry.
In doing so, BASF further optimizes its
production footprint in Asia Pacific.
According to its Asia Pacific strategy, BASF plans to invest € 10 billion in
the Asia Pacific region by 2020 in order
to ensure that around 75 percent of its
products sold in the region will be locally produced.
BASF has a global network of regional
antioxidants production sites including
Shanghai (China), Jurong (Singapore),
Kaisten (Switzerland), McIntosh, AL
(U.S.), and Lampertheim (Germany). In
line with this new investment, the current production of Irganox 1010 at the
Isohara plant, Japan will be consolidated
in Singapore.
Irganox1010 produced in the
Singapore plant meets BASF’s published global product specifications.
Meaning each product complies with
the same classification and has the same
product stewardship approvals. BASF
ensures consistent compliance with
global regulatory requirements and with
the published product specifications
through our dedicated team of experts
and through robust control measures
including continuous monitoring of our
production quality, consistency and raw
material origin. All sites are ISO 9001
certified and the core antioxidants are
Kosher as well as Halal certified.
BASF and Yara Explore
Potential Joint Ammonia
Investment
BASF and Yara are evaluating a possible
joint investment into a world scale ammonia plant at the U.S. Gulf Coast. BASF,
which has a strong presence in the U.S.,
is currently a major user of ammonia for
its U.S. downstream manufacturing activities and intends to further strengthen
its backward integration. Yara, with its
global ammonia network and market
expertise, seeks to strengthen its presence in the U.S. Additional details of the
possible joint venture including the exact location for the plant as well as the
capacity of the plant are currently being
discussed by the parties.
Increasing Demand for
K-FLEX Non-phthalate
Plasticizers and Coalescents
Drives Latest Expansion
Emerald Kalama Chemical, a business
group of Emerald Performance Materials,
will re-start a second benzoic acid reactor train at its facility in Rotterdam,
Netherlands, adding 75,000 metric tons
of new capacity for benzoic acid. The
added capacity will support sales of the
company’s Kalama and PUROX brand of
benzoic acid and benzoate preservatives,
as well as the expanding internal consumption needs for downstream products
which have been driving growth. Benzoic
acid is a key starting material for production of K-FLEX non-phthalate plasticizers and coalescents manufactured at the
site. The project is slated for completion
in the second quarter of 2014.
“Benzoic acid is the core product at
the heart of our operations and essen-
tial to everything we do,” said Ed Gotch,
president of Emerald Kalama Chemical.
“Our wave of recent expansion activi-
ties – which include expanded operations
at our facilities in the United States and
Netherlands – will continue to increase
our global footprint and allow us to
meet growing demand for our products
in markets such as pharmaceuticals, food
and beverage, personal care and indus-
trial uses, including adhesives, sealants,
caulk, paint, coatings, graphic arts and
vinyl applications.”
Gotch added, “We have experienced
significant growth in recent years. Our
K-FLEX line has filled a growing mar-
ket need for more environmentally-
friendly alternatives to phthalates and
high-VOC products that also deliver
enhanced performance and value. Our
technical team has done an excellent job
developing an expanded range of prod-
ucts and working closely with customers
to translate these benefits to their ulti-
mate end-product. The expansion will
also support our customers’ increasing
needs world-wide for our Kalama and
PUROX benzoic acid and benzoates,
preferred brands known for their high
purity, quality and consistency.”
The company has been producing
benzoic acid at its Rotterdam and U.S.
operations for more than 50 years. The
last expansion that took place at Kalama
Chemical’s Rotterdam facility was com-
pleted in April and included a new flaker
production unit for its PUROX B pure
grade benzoic acid line. The company
also commissioned a new K-FLEX plas-
ticizer operation at the Rotterdam site
in September 2012 and has commis-
sioned several expansions at its Kalama,
Wash. (USA) facility, effectively doubling
K-FLEX capacity since 2011. The addi-
tion of the second benzoic acid reactor
will continue to support the momentum
of these growing product lines.
Emerald Kalama Chemical reports
that it is a leader in the benzoate business, focused on benzoic acid, benzaldehyde, benzyl alcohol and sodium
benzoate manufactured at the facilities
in Rotterdam and Kalama. Benzoic acid
provides a range of functions in industrial applications and is a key intermediate
for synthesis of a wide range of chemicals, as well as a chain terminator in the
production of alkyd resins and an additive to synthetic polyester fibers, HDPE
filaments and thermoplastic elastomers.
Other applications include use as a corrosion inhibitor in automotive cooling
