(3-HP), one possible precursor
to acrylic acid, at pilot scale.
BASF initially plans to use
the bio-based acrylic acid to
manufacture superabsorbent polymers.
Currently, acrylic acid is produced by the
oxidation of propylene derived mainly
from the refining of crude oil.
“Cargill came together with BASF
and Novozymes to do what had not been
done ever before. We have been work-
ing together for less than two years and
we have made great progress toward our
common goal,” said Jack Staloch vice
president of research and development at
Cargill. ”It’s a great example of what can
be accomplished when industry leaders
with unique expertise in biotechnology
and chemistry come together to create
new innovations.”
Superabsorbent polymers and other
products derived from bio-based acrylic
acid will be an innovative offer to the
market and will meet consumer and in-
dustry demand for consumer goods based
on renewable raw materials and sustain-
able supply chains. BASF is the world’s
largest producer of acrylic acid, a high-
volume chemical that feeds into a broad
range of products, including superab-
sorbent polymers that can soak up large
amounts of liquid, used primarily for dia-
pers and other hygiene products.
Huntsman to Expand
Production Capacity of MDI
at Louisiana Site
Huntsman Corporation has commenced
preliminary engineering to expand production of methylene diphenyl diisocya-nate (MDI) by investment in a new, world
scale MDI plant at its Geismar, Louisiana
site. The 400,000 metric ton expansion
will leverage the significant advantages of
the Geismar site, with its access to U.S.
shale gas, strong logistics base and excellent integration. The new capacity is
expected to come on-stream in 2018 and
will enable Huntsman to further support
the growth of its customers worldwide.
MDI capacity at the site is currently
undergoing an expansion to 500ktes,
which is due to come on-stream next
year. Huntsman’s 760 acre Geismar site
is the largest integrated MDI production
facility in the Americas region.
MDI based polyurethanes are used in
an extensive range of applications and
markets – including construction, automotive, coatings and footwear – and
provide key benefits of energy efficient
insulation, comfort and well-being.
In addition to its Geismar facility, Huntsman Polyurethanes operates
world scale MDI facilities at its sites in
Rotterdam, Netherlands and Shanghai,
China.
Clariant Opens Lab
Facilities in Malaysia
Clariant has announced the inauguration of its new Malaysian laboratories
for Oil Services and Pigments businesses.
The new lab facilities are located in Shah
Alam, Malaysia and the opening of the
lab facilities signifies Clariant’s commitment to providing innovative technologies and products that respond to
the needs of customers both locally and
regionally.
Located in the nucleus of oil and gas
operations in South East Asia, the lab by
Clariant Oil Services is the first Center of
Excellence in Asia Pacific for its oil business. By utilizing LeanSigma approaches, which are the key methodology for
Clariant’s continuous improvement initiative known as Clariant Excellence, the
new lab enables Clariant’s oil services to
deliver high performance and continuous
improvement to its customers.
The facility includes state-of-the-art equipment, featuring standard and
manual testing processes that model
global Clariant Oil Services labs in North
America, Brazil and the U.K. It also houses formula simulation and performance
testing in emulsion, flow assurance, corrosion and scale control technologies. It
joins the company’s industry-leading mix
of laboratories in one of the world’s key
oil and gas regions.
Bayer Plans to Separate
Materialscience to
Accelerate its Development
Bayer intends in the future to focus en-
tirely on the Life Science businesses –
HealthCare and CropScience – and float
MaterialScience on the stock market as
a separate company. In this way Bayer
is positioning itself as one of the world-
leading company in the field of human,
animal and plant health. The Supervisory
Board unanimously approved the Board
of Management’s plans. “Our inten-
tion is to create two top global corpora-
tions: Bayer as a world-class innovation
company in the Life Science businesses,
and MaterialScience as one of the lead-
ing player in polymers,” Bayer CEO
Marijn Dekkers announced. He said
both companies have excellent prospects
for success in their respective industries.
Employment levels are expected to re-
main stable over the next few years, both
globally and in Germany.
DuPont Opens Innovation
Center in Shanghai
DuPont opened its Innovation Center in
Shanghai, China – the company’s first
such facility in mainland China. The
Center will feature the latest DuPont innovations, applications and products that
address local market needs in food, energy, automotive and protection, as well
as computer, communications and consumer electronics, sectors.
The 3,800 square-foot Innovation
Center is co-located with the China R&D
Center and will enable real-time connections between customers and DuPont
scientists and engineers at more than
150 R&D centers around the world. As
part of a global network of Innovation
Centers, the Shanghai center will facilitate collaboration between customers,
industry regulators, academia and business partners and more than 10,000
DuPont scientists and engineers around
the world.“China is strategically important to DuPont. The DuPont Shanghai
Innovation Center gives customers in
China access to our full range of scientific capabilities to find solutions to their
unmet needs, enabling the rapid development and commercialization of compelling new technologies,” said DuPont
Greater China president Tony Su. “Our
goal is to create and grow partnerships
with key stakeholders so that science-powered inclusive innovation will create
lasting, sustainable solutions in China
and around the world.”
