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Nitrogen-fixing microbial extended

BioConsortia, a California-based specialist in advanced microbial products for agriculture, has announced some field trial results confirming that levels of nitrogen-replacement from its nitrogen-fixing seed and soil treatment products met or exceeded performance expectations when evaluated in potatoes, tomatoes and lettuce. This expands their potential market beyond cereals.  

Brazilian buy for Italmatch

Italian-based speciality chemicals group Italmatch has signed a binding agreement to purchase the majority of Alcolina, a Brazilian company specialised in water treatment for bioethanol, sugar production and industrial applications, including paint, pulp and paper. Terms were not disclosed.

Alcolina has two manufacturing sites at Cravinhos and Rio Lago, 80 employees and it had a turnover of €35 million in 2023. Italmatch said that the company is “strongly complementary” to its own current product portfolio. The company now generates 5% of its sales in Latin America.

Crop protection breakthrough claimed

Syngenta and Connecticut-based Enko have announced the discovery of novel chemistry to control fungal disease in crops, using a platform that reduces the time required for R&D discovery. This features a new mode of action designed to target diseases that currently cause the loss of 10-23% of the yield of cereal crops.

Agro advances for Indian firms

Two Indian speciality chemicals companies have made important announcements in the field of agrochemical intermediates. Aarti Industries has signed a long-term supply contract, while Jubilant Ingrevia has opened a new facility.

Aarti’s new contract is with an unnamed major agrochemicals supplier and could be worth about €330,000 over nine years. It pertains to a niche intermediate for a herbicide that is used with corn, soybean, cotton, sugarcane, sunflowers and other crops. No capacity expansion is needed as the intermediate is already in the company’s portfolio.

AGC completes large-scale line

AGC’s subsidiary AGC Wakasa Chemicals has held a formal ceremony for the completion of a large-scale, multi-purpose production line at its Kaminaka plant in Japan. Scheduled to begin operations in Q1 204, the new line will add 50% to AGC Wasaka’s capacity for CDMO services for the agrochemicals and pharmaceuticals sector.

Malaysian agro firm buys distributor

Hextar Global, a Malaysian agrochemical company, is acquiring Propel Chemicals (PCSB) for $3.5 million from Propel Global, Rancak Nikmat and Wiramas Baiduri, mainly in order to expand its speciality chemicals portfolio for oil and gas applications. The deal should be completed in Q4.

Evonik completes catalyst powder expansion

Evonik has completed the relocation and expansion of its precious metal powder catalyst plant in Shanghai Chemical Industrial Park. Production is scheduled to commence in Q4. No financial details were disclosed.

This completes the upgrade of the company’s global network of five precious metal catalyst plants. Evonik sells the catalysts under the Noblyst P brand name mainly for applications in APIs and agrochemical AIs. China is one of the fastest-growing markets for them.

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