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Petrochemicals

Olin breaks ground on chlor-alkali expansion at Tennessee plant

Olin broke ground Friday on an expansion of its chlor-alkali plant in Charleston, Tenn., which includes a new state-of-the-art membrane cell manufacturing facility. Olin is investing $160 million in the new facility, which is scheduled for completion by the end of 2012.

Solutia to supply heat transfer fluid for Spain solar projects

US-based specialty chemicals firm Solutia has been awarded contracts to supply its Therminol VP-1 synthetic heat transfer fluid for two new solar power plants in Spain, it said on Thursday.

Nalco merges with cleaning chemicals firm Ecolab in $5.4 billion deal

US water-treatment chemicals company Nalco has agreed to merge with cleaning chemicals firm Ecolab in a deal valued at $5.4 billion. The stock portion of the purchase price is expected to be tax-free to Nalco shareholders.

BASF plans Bahrain plastic additives plant for 2012 to meet rising Middle East demand

BASF will significantly expand its presence in the Middle East region by building a state-of-the-art plant for antioxidant blends (CSB) in Bahrain, the Germany-based chemicals major said on Wednesday. CSBs are key additives for the production of polymers for the plastics industry, especially for the Middle East region.

Dow executive sees natural gas as ‘game changer’ for US manufacturing

George Biltz, Dow Chemical’s vice president of energy and climate change, testified before a US Senate committee about the future of natural gas and the opportunity for a US manufacturing renaissance fueled by competitively-priced natural gas.

Dow Chemical, Mitsui form biopolymers JV in Brazil

US-based Dow Chemical and Japan-based Mitsui & Co. have formed a new joint venture aimed at providing sustainable product solutions to the global high-performance flexible packaging, hygiene and medical markets. This represents the world’s largest biopolymers play and is Dow’s largest investment in Brazil, a country in which Dow has operated successfully for more than 50 years, officials said.

Tyco to acquire US specialty firm Chemguard

Tyco International has reached an agreement to acquire privately-held Chemguard, a leading US provider of firefighting foam concentrates and equipment, foam systems, services and specialty chemicals.

High electronics demand prompts Air Products to build Korea nitrogen plant, expand pipeline

Air Products will raise production of gaseous nitrogen and expand its nitrogen pipeline in the Gumi National Industrial Complex in Korea’s North Gyeongsang Province to serve increasing demand from electronics customers, the US-based industrial gases firm said on Monday.

Dow Chemical CEO pushes for US debt ceiling deal

Dow Chemical CEO Andrew Liveris is calling on US politicians to reach a “unified action” on the nation’s debt ceiling crisis. Worries about the impasse between Republicans and Democrats over the debt ceiling have risen as prospects seem to be fading for a deal to cut the federal government's massive debt.

American Chemistry Council chief seeks overhaul of EPA risk assessment system

In testimony this week before the US House Subcommittee on Investigations, American Chemistry Council CEO Cal Dooley called for an overhaul of the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS).